KryoFlux - Forensic Floppy Controller

[3D-vice]

Hey guys,

I hope you all are up and healthy?

I just got a neat little device I wanted to tell you about, just in case you haven't heard or read about it. It's the KryoFlux board. Let me quote the manufacturer for description:

A USB-based device designed specifically for the reliability and precision needed to acquire reliable low-level reads suitable for software preservation.

The board comes within a nice small box.

The premium verion is delivered with all additional assets to start working.

The board itself just as big as a credit card.

Since the board comes without any case, I think I will get one of these 3D-printed cases. I already possess other cases from this guy and I am pleased about the quality of the print.

Oh, yes! The good thing is: You can use any PC-compatible floppy drive to work with the board. There's no need to get an Amiga floppy drive. Also, you can use any standardized PC-compatible power supply with MOLEX plug.

[Zippy Zapp]

I have been using a KryoFlux for quite a while and it is great for imaging and writing back disks. I have it hooked to both a 5.25" 1.2mb drive and a 3.5" 1.44MB drive. It works great for writing back ADFs too.

I also use it to write occasional G64s for C64. The only downside to writing G64s is that you can't write to the backside of the disk unless you either have a flippy modded drive or blank disks with dual index holes. (I have the later)

There is also the SuperCard Pro which supports writing to the backside without a modified drive by ignoring the index for motor control. Doesn't always work though and the SCP software doesn't really support writing ADFs, or G64s.

I have my drive in an old Firewire 5.25" enclosure where I took out the PCB and just use the power supply and the chassis. My PC drive is in the enclosure and my 3.5 is on top with the KryoFlux in a 3d printed case on top. Works good and is pretty compact.


Have fun it is a great device.

[McTrinsic]

Love mine .

Mostly Amiga stuff. Rarely C64.

I am still considering a flippy disk mod for the 5,25“ drive.

You may want to check which drive you use, for all sizes. They differ in the ability to write and read extended tracks.

[3D-vice]

Hi guys,

I've finally packed my KryoFlux into a 5 1/4" case, together with a 3 1/2" floppy drive. It works flawlessly so far, I just have to figure out some settings to get my disks dumped into .IMG and .ADF files.

This is the case in all of its beauty.

I kinda like the Kryoflux GUI.

[McTrinsic]

That solution looks like all of it was designed to be like this. Great!

[obitus1990]

Wow...can you tell us about the enclosure you used?

[3D-vice]

Wow...can you tell us about the enclosure you used?

My pleasure!

I found the enclosure, as well as the 5 1/4" to 3 1/2" front slot adapter on eBay:
- This is the link to the (German) eBay site for the case. And the picture of the case:

- And the link to the (German) eBay site for the adapter. And the picture of the adapter of course:

Here are some more pictures of the case and its insides. I've striped the case from its SATA-electronics and put the KryoFlux eletronics inside instead:

The top of the case.

The rear of the case.

Removed front cover.

The inside wiring.

Some more details of the inside.

The KryoFlux PCB rests nicely and secure inside a 3d-printed case (the gray plastic case). I've glued the power plug into one of the open slots on the rear side of the case. The USB-cable is simply routed out of the case. I think I'll fasten this somehow...

I got the 3d-printed case from this Canadian shop. The case is very well manufactured, have a look:

The 3d-printed KryoFlux case.

[Zippy Zapp]

Nice! I used an old FireWire 5.25" case I had bought years ago. It came with a built-in power supply that works perfect with the drives. I kept the drive electronics just in case i ever put it back to a FireWire drive.

As for dumping your disks, I recommend the command line tool and not the GUI. DTC has a ton of options on the command line and once you figure it out, it is very powerful. IIRC, the GUI doesn't open up all of DTCs options.

[3D-vice]

As for dumping your disks, I recommend the command line tool and not the GUI. DTC has a ton of options on the command line and once you figure it out, it is very powerful. IIRC, the GUI doesn't open up all of DTCs options.

Yes, I also learned that the GUI offers limited options only, just yesterday. I'll take a deeper look into the DTC command line options for sure. Thanks for the hint!

It's a pitty that the development of the KryoFlux has been abandoned. However, I also read that one (some) developer(s) has (have) left the original KryoFlux team a while ago, in order to work on a follow-up project: The Greaseweazle.

I did not have the time to do some research on the Greaseweazle yet, so if any one of you gals and guys have some experience to share, I'd be happy to hear about it. I'll stick to my KryoFlux for the time being, but it's nice to have an alternative at hand...

[nullsleep]

This is all for the best. GreaseWeazle is proper open source (MIT Licensed) software and hardware.

KryoFlux was an anachronism, closed and with an unhealthy dose of secretism.