Using SDiskW, OmniFlop or "dd" depends on the method and hardware used when creating Roland 3.5" floppy sample disks or *.OUT sample image files. Each utility has an advantage over the other
| WHICH ONE IS BEST FOR YOU? | ||||
| UTILITY | O/S | USER LEVEL | DENSITY | SPECIAL HARDWARE OR DRIVERS REQUIRED? |
| ➤ SDiskW | Windows | Beginner | DS/DD 720KB Only | No - Works with internal -or- various external 3.5" USB FDD's |
| ➤ OmniFlop | Windows | Advanced | DS/DD 720KB & DS/HD 1.44MB | Yes ‑ Antique 3.5" FDD Hardware And Special Windows Drivers Are Required |
| ➤ "dd" | Mac OS X | Expert | DS/DD 720KB & DS/HD 1.44MB | No - Works with various external 3.5" USB FDD's |
➤ SDiskW v1.7 offers the advantage of being able to work with either an internal 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) -or- an External USB 3.5" FDD allowing use on more current model Windows PC's. SDiskW v1.7 is able to load an *.OUT, *.IMG, *.S50, *.S33, or *.W30 disk image file and write it onto a physical 3.5" floppy disk. However, it will not allow you to read Roland 3.5" floppy disks and save it as an *.OUT, *.IMG, *.S50, *.S33, or *.W30 disk image file (i.e. saving a disk image file onto a hard drive, SD Card, USB Stick, etc... will not work). This utility will only work with DS/DD 720KB disks so it is unable to read/save DS/HD 1.44MB disks. This means it is unable to read/save S‑760 DS/HD Boot Disks, S‑750/760/770 DS/HD Sound Disks or DJ‑70/DJ‑70MKII DS/HD Sound Disks
➤ OmniFlop has a more user‑friendly GUI Windows interface and also works with other sampler/synth brands such as AKAI, E‑Mu, Ensoniq, etc.... However, it does not support external USB drives. This requires OmniFlop to be used only on older model Windows PC's with older FDD hardware. The big advantage OmniFlop has is that it can read 3.5" floppy disks and create *.OUT files ‑ and ‑ also read *.OUT files and create 3.5" floppy disks. Special Windows drivers need to be installed for OmniFlop to work and are included in the download file. This utility will work with DS/DD 720KB ‑ and ‑ DS/HD 1.44MB disk formats so it is able to read/save disks for the entire family of DJ‑70, W‑30, S‑50, S‑330, S‑550 and S‑7xx Series samplers
➤ "dd" is a command line Terminal utility which many users will find difficult to use. It works on Mac OS X systems with an external 3.5" USB FDD. The big advantage "dd" has over the other programs is that it can read 3.5" floppy disks and create *.OUT files ‑ and ‑ also read *.OUT files and create 3.5" floppy disks without requiring an antique 3.5" FDD. I have been able to use "dd" with several models of external USB 3.5" FDD's connected to the Mac (Note: I'm currently working on a tutorial for using a free version of a "dd" utility for Windows). This utility will work with DS/DD 720KB ‑ and ‑ DS/HD 1.44MB disk formats so it is able to read/save disks for the entire family of DJ‑70, W‑30, S‑50, S‑330, S‑550 and S‑7xx Series samplers
MY SDiskW v1.7 INSTALLATION NOTES
Special thanks go out to Alexandre Souza for compatibility info re: external USB FDD's!
I have installed and tested SDiskW v1.7 with Windows 10 Pro (64‑bit), Windows 7 Ultimate (32‑bit), Windows XP Pro (64‑Bit) and Windows XP Home SP3 (32‑Bit) using an External 3.5" USB FDD (IBM Model#: FD‑05PUB) and also a run‑of‑the‑mill internal 3.5" FDD. Both FDD's were able to read/write 720KB 3.5" disks for the S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 and W‑30 samplers. When pressing the READ button from the menu, the program will automatically detect the density of the 3.5" floppy disk. Likewise, the WRITE button will autoselect and format the diskette for the proper density. This utility will only work with DS/DD 720KB disks so it is unable to read/save DS/HD 1.44MB disks. This means it is unable to read/save an S‑760 Boot Disk, S‑750/760/770 DS/HD Sound Disks or DJ‑70/DJ‑70MKII DS/HD Sound Disks
To create a physical 3.5" floppy disk from an *.OUT, *.IMG, *.S50, or *.W30, disk image file, insert a 3.5" floppy disk and select A: or B: then press the Write button. Choose an *.OUT, *.IMG, *.S50, or *.W30, disk image file and the program will format and write a new 3.5" floppy disk
Note: SDiskW v1.7 will not allow you to read Roland 3.5" floppy disks and save them as an *.OUT, *.IMG, *.S50, *.S33, or *.W30 disk image file (i.e. saving a disk image file onto a hard drive, SD Card, USB Stick, etc... will not work)
SDiskW v1.7 can be downloaded at this link
NOTE: The website hosting the SDiskW v1.7 download disappeared at the beginning of 2022. Access via
the Wayback Machine also shows a blank webpage. I'm not sure if this is temporary or not so I am adding
a verified working version I downloaded from the original "w30.svetlik.be" website in 2017
MY OMNIFLOP INSTALLATION NOTES
I installed and tested OmniFlop v3.0 with Windows XP (SP3) and also Windows 7 Ultimate (32‑bit) and various internal 720KB 3.5" FDD's
OmniFlop requires an Internal 3.5" 720KB 3.5" FDD with a 34‑pin ribbon cable. External and USB FDD's are not supported !!!
In order to get OmniFlop to work with the Roland disk formats, you will need to install the OmniFlop drivers which are included in the *.ZIP file. I followed the instructions in the PDF file and the new driver installation was hassle‑free*
OmniFlop can be downloaded here 
*One thing I would watch out for is that the OmniFlop driver will overwrite your existing Windows FDD driver and will also overwrite your Floppy Disk Controller driver. You might want to play it safe and back‑up these two driver files prior to installing OmniFlop. The original drivers for both of my Windows systems (WinXP Pro SP3 and Win7 Ultimate 32‑Bit) were located at:
\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\flpydisk.sys
\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\fdc.sys
My first attempt at using OmniFlop failed because the MITSUMI Model D353M3D 3.5" FDD was incompatible with OmniFlop and the Roland disk format. I wanted to point out this particular FDD because the specifications say this model is able to read/write 1.44MB disks and also 720KB disks. However, for unknown reasons, the 720KB mode does not work with OmniFlop and this model
So... I replaced it with a different brand and model, the NEC FD1231T. This new one works great. This model reads/writes both 720KB and 1.44MB disk formats. I have been able to create Boot and Sound Disks for the S‑50, S‑550, S‑330, W‑30 and S‑760 without any issues
Update - March 2018 - I've since tested two other 3.5" FDD's which also work well with OmniFlop
MITSUBISHI MF355F and TEAC FD-235HG
USING OMNIFLOP
- To create a 3.5" floppy disk image file to share with others
- Insert a 3.5" diskette into the computer's disk drive (with the write protect tab on!)
Example: Insert the diskette labeled "RSB_5504_5 - Industrial Strength Techno" into the PC
- Run the OMNIFLOP utility
- Choose Read Disk
- Choose 80/2/9x512 Roland S5xx, S7xx, DD‑disk 720KB then click the NEXT button
- Choose a unique filename (Click the BROWSE button if you want to use a different directory)
- Choose the sampler format you are using
- To create an S‑50 diskette, choose S50 image (*.S50). To create an S‑550, S‑330, S‑760 or W‑30 diskette, choose Roland S5xx, S7xx, DD‑disk 720KB image (*.OUT)
Note: You can't use an S‑50 diskette to create an S‑550, S‑760 or W‑30 disk image file. All disks must remain true to their respective sampler model
- The disk image file you just created (*.S50, *.S55, *.S33, *.W30, *.out, etc...) can now be uploaded and shared with others. When someone downloads the disk image file, they can use OMNIFLOP, SDISK, SDiskW, SCAT, SAMATARI or another sampler utility to create their own S‑50 or S‑550 3.5" sampler sound library diskette
- To let others know the sampler your new disk image file is intended for, it's good practice to rename the file extender to *.S50, *.S55, *.S33 or *.W30
- Insert a 3.5" diskette into the computer's disk drive (with the write protect tab on!)
MY "dd" NOTES
No installation is required for using the "dd" Utility on a Mac and everything you need to know is explained at this link
I have been able to verify the following external 3.5" USB FDD's will work with the SDiskW and "dd" utilities
IBM P/N: FD‑05PUB
IBM P/N: MPF82E
IBM P/N: 19308803-19
DELL P/N: FD05PUB
TARGUS P/N: PA905
The Information On This Page Is Current As Of