Did you ever want to transfer files from your old Commodore 1541/1571 drive between your computer and a real drive? Did you also want to use a real Commodore floppy drive with the VICE emulator? Me too! 😉 Both of these things are possible with the zoomfloppy device being offered by Retro Innovations. You can download basically anything you want from arnold.c64.org (or any other commodore software source) and transfer it right to your floppy device so it can be used on a real Commodore 64 or Vic 20.
This device is unlike other solutions that only worked with specially built cables and DOS. You simply plug a USB cable between your zoomfloppy and your computer and then the serial cable between the zoomfloppy and the floppy drive. Once the physical connections are made, you simply run the OpenCBM software to transfer files or backup disks.
Here’s how to install a zoomfloppy device to your Ubuntu computer.
sudo apt-get install libusb-dev build-essential linux-headers-generic git
Install the CC64 Compiler:
cd ~ git clone https://github.com/cc65/cc65.git cd cc65 make sudo prefix=/usr make install
Compile and install OpenCBM
cd ~ git clone git://git.code.sf.net/p/opencbm/code opencbm cd opencbm/opencbm make -f LINUX/Makefile sudo make -f LINUX/Makefile install install-all install-plugin-xum1541 sudo ln -s /usr/local/lib/libopencbm.so.0 /usr/lib/libopencbm.so.0
Add udev rules for the ZoomFloppy hardware itself:
sudo pico /etc/udev/rules.d/45-opencbm-parallel.rules
Add this to the bottom of the file, then save and quit:
SUBSYSTEM!="usb_device", ACTION!="add", MODE="0666", GOTO="opencbm_rules_end"
# zoom floppy
ATTRS{idVendor}=="16d0", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0504", GROUP="users", MODE="0666"
LABEL="opencbm_rules_end"
Restart udev:
sudo service udev restart
Check the ZoomFloppy and IEC device status:
cbmctrl detect
Bonus: Get VICE to use the zoomfloppy interface to utilize a real 1541 Commodore Floppy Drive!
1. Settings -> Peripheral Settings -> Device #8 -> Enable IEC Device 2. Settings -> Peripheral Settings -> Device #8 -> Device Type -> Real Device Access