FlashFloppy Update For GOTEK With
Roland S‑50 / S‑550 / S‑330 / W‑30 / S‑760* Samplers
* * * SPECIAL UPDATE * * *
Due to recent shortages of STM Cortex M‑3 IC's which are used in the manufacture of GOTEK's, some models sold on or after April 2021 will most likely contain the newer AT Cortex M‑4 IC. This newer IC version will not work with the instructions and diagrams shown on this webpage. To use any instructions and diagrams on this webpage, check with your vendor to ensure your GOTEK contains the STM Cortex M‑3 IC
If you do end up with a GOTEK containing a new AT Cortex M‑4 IC, you may find this instruction video at the YouTube retrofriends channel helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvjgHGA9Gc8. I followed the instructions using one of the newest GOTEK models with an AT Cortex M‑4 IC. Due to some differences with my newer GOTEK PCB (Model: SFRKC30.AT2), I had to make two variations to the instructions which were
This is a collection of info borrowed from Keir Fraser's website. I've added some visuals and extra stuff specifically detailing how I use Keir's methods for updating my GOTEK's for use only with the Roland S‑50, S‑550, S‑330, W‑30 & S‑760* samplers. There are many methods of making a GOTEK work with these four Roland samplers. The easiest way is to buy GOTEK Model: SFRM72‑FU‑DL and simply plug it into the sampler where the floppy disk drive used to be. No soldering and no firmware updates are required
The disadvantages of using this model are numerous
- It costs about $10 (USD) more than a standard GOTEK
- The GOTEK factory firmware uses a boring 7‑segment display
- There are very few bells and whistles available with this model
- Using the two button interface is clumsy and difficult to navigate
- It's in an ugly tan color case... not black to match the Roland scheme
Luckily, there are alternatives for updating the firmware on inexpensive model GOTEK's which have a nice looking black case. The best firmware update I've seen is available for free. You can purchase a low‑priced GOTEK for about $16 (USD), a nice OLED screen $2, rotary encoder $3 and update the firmware using free installation software. In the past, other firmware updates required a special serial interface and a special $10 software license for each GOTEK you updated. The only extra hardware you need for this free FlashFloppy firmware update is a standard USB cable. Keep in mind that an OLED screen and Rotary encoder are optional add‑ons but... for these low cost parts, I highly recommended adding them. It's like the difference between driving a Ford Pinto and a Corvette Stingray
The method I have outlined below is the one I prefer because it's a no‑brainer. It worked perfectly the very first time I tried it. Very unusual for mods like this when trying to make 1980's technology work with modern gadgets. In fact, after all of my updates went so smoothly, I thought perhaps that something had gone wrong
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Which GOTEK Model Should I Buy?
There are many different GOTEK models to choose from. Most people want to match the Roland color scheme and buy one with a black case. Two of the least expensive GOTEK models with a black case that others have updated with FlashFloppy and with great success are
- SFR1M44-U100K
- SFRM72-U100
Other GOTEK models will work such as SFRM72-FU-DL, SFR1M44-FEL-DL, SFRM72-FU and SFR1M44-FUM-DL but note that these are higher priced and/or have an ugly tan color case. I own a few of these ugly tand case models and was able to easily match the Roland sample color scheme theme by using a flat black spray paint. Refer to Keir Fraser's GOTEK compatibility webpage for more details and specific GOTEK models to avoid
Special Note For The S‑760
- The original 4‑wire power cable for the FDD inside the S‑760 will not reach from the Main Board to the new GOTEK. You will need to perform a simple modification to extend the power cable and make it a couple of inches longer or buy a 4-pin extension cable or buy some TE‑Connectivity® connectors, a crimp tool and make your own FDD power extension cable
TE Male Crimp - P/N: 571-170429-2
TE Male Socket - P/N: 571-172211-4
TE Female Crimp - P/N: 571-170204-1
TE Female Socket - P/N: 571-1718224
Tayda Crimp Tool - P/N: SN-48B
Tayda 24AWG Yellow Wire - P/N: A-4972
Tayda 24AWG Black Wire - P/N: A-4975
A Mouser cart with TE‑Connectivity® parts (minus the crimp tool) is available at this link
... and this is the end result. A simple Male/Female 6‑inch FDD extension power cable
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Add Three Jumpers - (One is permanent & two are temporary)
The Best Way
Note: Not all GOTEK's will have jumper pins installed at these locations (outlined in blue). You can easily install these extra jumper pins yourself by using a double row pin header strip (Tayda SKU: A‑198). Dupont female jumper wires (Tayda SKU: A‑2375*) or alligator clips (Tayda SKU: A‑2373) can then be used to connect these jumper pins
Before proceeding, ensure that the USB cable is unplugged and the GOTEK is not connected to the sampler
Add a regular jumper block to S0
Add a regular jumper block to J3 (This will be a temporary jumper)
Add a jumper wire diagonally at J4 (This will be a temporary jumper)
For the jumper wire at J4, I like to use Dupont female jumper wires*
The Quick & Easy Way
Add a regular jumper block to S0
Cut a paperclip into two sections, bend them into a U‑shape and place them in the corresponding holes at J3 and J4 as shown in the image below
Don't worry... these jumpers are only temporary to update the firmware and are removed in a later step
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Download The FlashFloppy Firmware
This free firmware update can be downloaded in a *.ZIP file from Keir Fraser's website at this link. There are Stable and Experimental versions available. I have been using v3.9a which has been working smoothly since 2019 with my S‑50/550/760 and W‑30 samplers without any issues
↳ ↳ Note For S‑760 Owners ↵ ↵
* You should install FF v3.9a or greater and add the extra "interface" command to your FF.CFG file as shown below. The S‑760 has a unique setup when accessing floppy disk files. Roland used a more expensive 3.5" FDD which serves a dual purpose by reading and saving both low density 720KB DS/DD and high density 1.44MB DS/HD disks. This means that with the factory installed 3.5" FDD, you are able to use the "Convert Load" command to load S‑550, S‑330 & W‑30 disks on the S‑760, boot with the default high density 1.44MB Operating System disk and also load/save high density Sound Disks. Some of the older GOTEK setups had issues reading/saving both densities on the S‑760. There was a density‑select issue with the S‑760 which has existed since FF v2.2a but Keir Fraser has fixed this starting with FF v3.9a. I'm soooooooo glad this has been fixed!!!
To ensure correct operation with the S-760 and FFv3.9a (or greater), add this line to your FF.CFG file residing in the Root Directory on the USB stick
interface = ibmpc-hdout
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Install DfuSe USB Device Software
Download and install the DfuSe USB Device software on a Windows PC (this free software is needed to install the FlashFloppy firmware into the GOTEK)
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Connections
Ensure the PC recognizes the GOTEK as a USB Device
Before proceeding, verify the GOTEK is not connected to your sampler
Open Control Panel ➤ Hardware and Sound ➤ Devices and Printers
Plug the GOTEK into the USB port on the Windows PC
(Use a standard USB‑A Male to USB‑A Male Cable)
The GOTEK should appear in Devices as STM Device in DFU Mode
If Unknown Device appears in the Control Panel window, you will need to install the driver yourself
➤ Right‑click Unknown Device ➤ Choose Properties ➤ Hardware ➤ Properties ➤ Driver ➤ Update Driver
➤ Choose Browse My Computer ➤ Point to C:\Program Files\STMicroelectronics\Software\Dfuse v3.x.x\Bin\Driver
Choose the O/S which matches your system (WIN7, WIN10, etc...)
Choose x86 (32bit) or x64 (64bit), depending on your system type
Troubleshooting USB Connections And Device Driver Issues:
- It is important to use a quality brand USB‑A to USB‑A cable. Some inexpensive USB‑A cables do not use enough wires and will not work properly because they only have two wires (one for Power and one for Ground). A quality brand USB‑A to USB‑A cable will have four wires (Power, Ground, Data IN, Data OUT). Some manufacturers do this to save productions costs by using less copper
- Sometimes a GOTEK will not be recognized if it is plugged into an external multi USB hub. Try plugging it directly into one of the main computer USB ports
- If you have installed any drivers that were on a CD-ROM supplied with your GOTEK... you will need to remove them. These generic device drivers will interfere with the DfuSe USB Device Software and cause multiple issues
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Update GOTEK With FlashFloppy Firmware
Run the DfuSe Demo program on the Windows PC
(Do Not Run the DfuSe Filemanager Program)
Available DFU Devices ➤ STM Device In DFU Mode
Actions ➤ Selected Target(s) ➤ Click on Internal Flash
Place a checkmark ✓ in the box labeled Verify after download
Click on the Choose button
(Note: There are two Choose buttons. Click on the one near the bottom of the window)
Select the FlashFloppy *.dfu file you downloaded earlier (i.e. FF_Gotek-v2.13.dfu, FF_Gotek-v3.20.dfu, or the current stable version)
➤ Responds with Target 00: File correctly loaded
Click on the Upgrade button
➤ Responds with Protected: Remove Protection?
Press the YES button
➤ Responds with Impossible to Make Sure: Continue?
Press the YES button again
➤ Should respond with Target 00: Upgrade successful! followed by Target 00: Verify successful!
(If you get an error, wait 30 seconds and then press the Upgrade button again. Keep trying until it works)
Press the Quit button and then safely eject the GOTEK USB device using the Windows task bar
(click for larger image)
It is important to note that the DfuSe software is supplied with it's own DFU Windows driver. If you experience issues with the GOTEK not being recognized in the Windows Control Panel under Devices And Printers, you may need to install (or reinstall) this special DFU driver. There is a good video to watch about the driver installation process. The DFU driver installation starts at 1:25m into the video. Also, ignore the section about using the Cortex update *.HEX file from 2:23m thru 2:57m. You don't need to do this part because you already have a *.HEX firmware file. It's the FlashFloppy *.HEX file downloaded in the previous step (i.e. FF_Gotek-v3.9a.hex)
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Remove The Two Temporary Jumpers
Before proceeding, ensure that the USB cable is unplugged and the GOTEK is not connected to the sampler
Now that the firmware has been installed, you can remove the two temporary jumpers from the locations at J3 and J4
Leave the jumper block at S0 in place
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Install The OLED - (optional but highly recommended -and- Rotary Encoder recommended)
Install the OLED using the diagram shown below
(Additional configuration/installation images are available at Hardware Mod Diagrams)
OLED P/N: SSD1306 (0.91' 128x32 I2C/IIC Blue)
The Best Way
Connect the four OLED pins using the female jumper wires you removed from the old 7‑segment LCD display ‑or‑ use Dupont female jumper wires (Tayda SKU: A‑2375). Click here for an image showing all of the Dupont jumper wires in place
The Quick & Easy Way
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Use wires and solder the four OLED pins directly to the GOTEK PCB
Note: There are several different OLED's and LCD's that will work with FlashFloppy firmware. The OLED shown above is my recommendation because it is the only one I have actually installed and tested. Depending on the OLED or LCD model you buy, you will need to tailor your FF.CFG file to match the correct display settings on the OLED or LCD
(Additional configuration/installation images are available at Keir Fraser's Hardware Mod Diagrams)
There are some pieces of plastic inside the GOTEK case which will need to be shaved off and/or removed before the top cover will fit over the new OLED screen. I prefer not to enlarge the window area and instead use a configuration file to display a smaller font on the OLED which is explained in the section below titled Add Customized FF.CFG File To The USB Stick
(Click For Larger Image)
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Install The Rotary Encoder - (optional but highly recommended -and- OLED Required)
Install the Rotary Encoder using the diagram shown below
ENCODER P/N: 652-PEC11L4215FS0015
15 PPR
Incremental
15mm D/Flatted Shaft
30 Detent With Switch
KNOB: Tayda SKU: A‑2835
(This is a high quality and small 15mm knob with a brass set screw. Red, White, Blue, Cream, Yellow and Transparent are also available)
The Best Way
I prefer to use Dupont female jumper wires (Tayda SKU: A‑2375) with one end cut off, 4mm of insulation stripped off and then soldered onto the encoder pins. The other end with the remaining female socket is plugged onto the double row right‑angle jumper pins (Tayda SKU: A‑638). This makes it easier to remove the encoder later on, if needed. If you decide to use this method, note that not all GOTEK's will have these two jumper pins installed for the Encoder pins CLK and DT. You may need to install these two jumper pins yourself (circled in red at location JK). Click here for an image showing all of the Dupont jumper wires in place
The Quick & Easy Way
Use wires and solder encoder connections to the GOTEK PCB
Notes:
1) If your encoder does not work initially, you can troubleshoot to see if your wiring is correct by pressing the Up And Down Select buttons. These simulate rotating the rotary encoder knob Left (Down) or Right (Up)
2) There are many rotary encoders and knobs that will work with FlashFloppy firmware. The part numbers shown above are my recommendations because those are the only ones I have actually installed and tested. Depending on the encoder part number you buy, you may need to tailor your FF.CFG file to match the correct rate of Pulses Per Revolution (PPR)
(Additional configuration/installation images are available at Keir Fraser's Hardware Mod Diagrams)
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Format A USB Stick Using The MBR Option (Master Boot Record)
I have used USB sticks from 1GB up to 32GB so size doesn't matter (...insert joke here...)
Choose your operating system flavor from the choices below
Mac OS X
- Run the Disk Utility application and choose the USB stick you want to format
- Select Erase then set these options in the pop‑up window;
- Name: (Your choice ‑ You can leave this field blank if you want)
- Format: MS‑DOS (FAT)
- (Do Not Use ExFAT, OSX Extended, GUID Partition Map or Apple Partition Map)
- Scheme: Master Boot Record
- NOTE: If you don't see Scheme as an option, turn on "Show All Devices" using the drop down "View" selection (circled in red)
Example: Formatting a generic USB stick using the Disk Utility app with Mac OS X
You can verify the USB stick was formatted using MBR by looking at the "Partition Map:"
Windows XP
- Right-click My Computer
- Left-click Manage
- Left-click Disk Management
- Select FAT32 and verify it is formatted using the MBR option using this guide
- NOTE: I've had mixed results using Windows XP. Sometimes it won't format using the MBR option so...... Keep Trying Until It Works
Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit)
- Run the Disk Management program by clicking the START button and enter diskmgmt.msc
- In the Upper Section of the window where all the disk drives and CD-ROM's are listed
- Right-click on the USB Stick listed under the column named Volume
- Left-click on Format
- Select FAT32 and Default then press the OK button
To verify the USB stick was properly formatted using MBR, from the same window for the diskmgmt.msc program
- In the Lower Section of the window where all the disk drives and CD-ROM's are listed
- On the far left side of the window, Right-click on Disk# where # = the USB stick you just formatted
- Left-click on Properties then Left-click the Volumes tab at the top
- Note: In some cases, you might also need to click on the Populate button to display all info
- Look at the info displayed under "Partition style:" and it should read Partition style: Master Boot Record (MBR)
Windows 8
- The MBR option was replaced with GPT on this crappy Windows O/S version so a third‑party app is needed to format the USB stick
- A free utility called RUFUS enables a USB stick to be formatted using the MBR option
- Click here for a screenshot of RUFUS showing the MBR parameters needed to format your USB stick
Windows 10 - Pro & Home Editions (64-bit)
- Run the Disk Management program by typing diskmgmt.msc in the search text box field at the lower right on the Desktop
- In the Upper Section of the window where all the disk drives and CD-ROM's are listed
- Right-click on the USB Stick listed under the column named Volume
- Left-click on Format
- Volume label: (Your choice ‑ You can leave this field blank if you want)
- File System: FAT32
- Allocation unit size: Default
To verify the USB stick was properly formatted using MBR, from the same window for the diskmgmt.msc program
- In the Lower Section of the window where all the disk drives and CD-ROM's are listed
- On the far left side of the window, Right‑click on Disk# where # = the USB stick you just formatted
- Left‑click on Properties then Left‑click the Volumes tab at the top
- Look at the info displayed under "Partition style:" and it should read Partition style: Master Boot Record (MBR)
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Add Customized FF.CFG File To The USB Stick
These are some of the settings I like to use for my S‑50, S‑550 & W‑30 GOTEK's with a Rotary Encoder and OLED installed
All of these are optional so feel free to tailor the FF.CFG file for your own use
Place this standard text file in the Root Directory of the USB stick
Make sure that when you save this file, it has the *.CFG extender and not *.TXT
rotary = half
display-type = oled-128x32-narrow
oled-font = 6x13
display-order = 0,1
display-off-secs = 120
display-on-activity = yes
write-protect = no
image-on-startup = init
↳ ↳ Special Note For S‑760 Owners ↵ ↵
- * Adding this extra "interface" parameter tells the GOTEK to operate in the S‑760's "Dual‑Purpose FDD Mode". This enables a GOTEK to load 720KB and 1.44MB disk files. Without this extra parameter added to the FF.CFG file the "Not S‑760 System Disk, Please Change Disk" error appears on the screen and the S‑760 will not boot
- interface = ibmpc-hdout
Configuration Descriptions
rotary = half / This is required for proper knob rotations when using a Bourns rotary encoder P/N: 652-PEC11L4215FS0015
display-type = oled-128x32-narrow / I don't like to modify my GOTEK OLED window area. Uses the existing window area for OLED P/N: SSD1306
oled-font = 6x13 / Sets a smaller font size for the OLED screen
display-order = 0,1 / You can customize this to show the Current Image Name (0), Status (1), Image/Volume Info (2) or Current Subfolder Name (3)
display-off-secs = 120 / Turns the OLED off when it's not being used (to prolong the OLED lifespan)
display-on-activity = yes / Turns the OLED on when any activity is sensed
write-protect = no / Even though this is the default setting in FF, some of my USB sticks will go haywire if this setting is missing. Enables file saves
image-on-startup = init / Add a "1" and underscore character in front of your boot disk image filename so the boot disk image file will always load first
( i.e. Rename the boot disk filename from S550BOOTDISK.IMG to 1_S550BOOTDISK.IMG )
( Keep in mind that if you have other files starting with a "0" or "1", they might collide with this filename )
A vast array of additional settings for this important configuration file are available at Keir Fraser's FF.CFG Configuration File webpage
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Add *.IMG And/Or *.OUT Samples + Boot Disk Image Files To The USB Stick
All of your *.IMG and/or *.OUT Sample Disk files and Boot Disk image files should be copied to the Root Directory of the USB Stick
There are some large sample collections already converted over to the *.IMG and *.OUT format which are available for free downloading at the llamamusic.com Samples Webpage and... don't forget to add the appropriate Boot Disk Image File (shown below) and FF.CFG file customized for your sampler model
Special Notes:
1) FlashFloppy added direct support for Roland *.OUT image files starting with v2.12. Versions prior to v2.12 must use the *.IMG extender
2) For those of you who are obsessively organized, it is possible to add folders to your USB stick and categorize different groups of sound disks. For example, you could place all Common Instruments in one folder, all Sound FX in another folder and all Percussion in another folder. These can then be accessed using menu selections via the rotary encoder push button. Personally, I like to keep all of my sound disk files in one large group on the USB stick. I find it is easier to manage by simply turning the rotary encoder knob to cycle through all the filenames. However, if you have hundreds of sound disk files on one USB stick or share the same USB stick with different model samplers, categorizing might be the best method for you
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Plug In The Updated GOTEK And Test
Don't forget to remove the two temporary jumpers which were installed during the firmware update in an earlier step!
* Special Note For S-550 Owners *
Over The Years, I Have Opened Up And Repaired Eleven S‑550's. All Of Them Had The 34-Pin FDD IDC Ribbon Cable Connector Installed Backwards At The Factory!!!!! Be Sure To Double‑Check That Pin #1 Is On The Correct Side When Plugging It Into The 34‑Pin Connector Because The Polarizing Notch Will Most Likely Be Reversed!!!!!
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Future Firmware Updates
When new firmware updates are released, they are much easier to install than the process detailed above (i.e. using extra jumpers, computer programs, etc...) Since you have already flashed a version of the full firmware, you can make future firmware updates easily by copying a *.upd config file onto a USB stick, simply plug it into the USB port on the GOTEK and turn the power on with both buttons pressed
Detailed instructions are available at
Keir Fraser's Firmware Update webpage
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