Save your Commodore disks! // Build a Greaseweazle box and get .D64, .AFD, or physical backups

Are your vintage floppy disks degrading? It's time to back them up! In this project, we are building a multi-drive Greaseweazle setup to preserve disks for the C64 and Amiga with future expansion coming for 1.2 MB IBM, and an Commodore 1MB SFD 1001 disks. By gutting a generic CD/DVD duplicator case that only cost $19, I created a custom enclosure to house multiple vintage drives. I'll walk you through the entire hardware installation, cabling, and software configuration needed to read and write raw floppy flux data directly via USB! We test out the new setup by archiving classic C64 titles to .SCP format then writing out an actual physical disk and .D64 images to try on a Commodore 64 Ultimate. ~Timeline~ 00:00 - Intro & Project Overview 01:45 - Disassembling the CD/DVD Duplicator Case 04:28 - Prepping the 3.5" Sony Drive & Adapter 07:31 - Floppy Cable Setup: Drive A vs. Drive B 10:00 - Installing the 5.25" TEAC 55B Drive 12:46 - Modding the Case for the Greaseweazle V4.1 17:36 - Downloading Essential Preservation Software 19:18 - The Proper Power-On Sequence 20:20 - Archiving C64 Disks 22:15 - Why an 88% Track Read is Normal for C64 24:40 - Visually Analyzing Tracks with HxC Emulator 26:01 - Writing Flux Data Back to a Physical Floppy and Creating a .D64 31:18 - Final Test on the Commodore Ultimate 🛠️ Hardware Setup🛠️ The base is a repurposed generic CD duplicator tower. For 3.5-inch disks, I'm installing a Sony MPF920 drive mounted in a black StarTech adapter. For 5.25-inch disks, I'm using a TEAC 55B that is a 48 TPI drive. The brain of the operation is a Greaseweazle V4.1 installed in a hidden drawer. To connect everything I use a universal floppy cable with a twist, which sets the 5.25-inch drive as Drive A and the 3.5-inch drive as Drive B. 💾 Software Used💾 Greaseweazle Tools: Developed by Keir Fraser, this is the core command-line software that interacts directly with the controller. https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle Greaseweazle GUI: A helpful user interface that acts as a front-end to make command-line operations easier, developed by Don Mankin. https://desertsagesolutions.com/greas... HxC Floppy Emulator: By Jean-François Del Nero, this program is used to view the track data. https://github.com/jfdelnero/HxCFlopp... 🧠 Did You Know? 🧠 Flux-Level Preservation: Keir Fraser's Greaseweazle doesn't just read files; it captures the raw magnetic flux transitions from the disk via USB. This allows modern PCs to read and write non-PC formats seamlessly, bypassing standard modern hardware limitations. The Legendary TEAC 55B: The TEAC 55B used in this build is a Double-Sided Double-Density (DSDD) drive that spins at 300 RPM. It is widely considered one of the most durable and reliable 5.25-inch drives ever manufactured, making it a highly sought-after component for modern retro preservationists. The 40-Track Read on a C64: Standard Commodore 64 disks only use tracks 1 through 35. However, it is normal to scan up to track 40 with a Greaseweazle. This naturally results in an 88% sector detection rate, which is completely normal and nothing to panic about. None of the products featured in this video were from sponsorships -- all items were purchased. Here's where you can find everything featured in this video. NOTE: I am a member of the Amazon affiliate program. Purchases through those links support the channel at NO EXTRA COST to you. The Greaseweazel is available on eBay or from retro stores. Workpro folding utility knife: https://amzn.to/4wgdoTZ Mini handheld vacuum: https://amzn.to/48nEGxx Air duster: https://amzn.to/4tV9QoR StarTech.com 3.5" to 5.25" Front Bay Mounting Bracket: https://amzn.to/4eFlsH0 CablesOnline 24-inch Universal Floppy Drive Ribbon Cable for 3.5" or 5.25" Drives: https://amzn.to/3QnxT11 CablesOnline,8-inch 34-Pin 2.54mm-Pitch IDC Flat Ribbon Extension Cable: https://amzn.to/3QFtK8L Syba I/O Crest Blank Tray Storage Box Drawer for 5.25" Bay: https://amzn.to/4v2lYom Anker 10 ft USB-C to USB-A cable https://amzn.to/49XQOWM Dowell Wire Cutter: https://amzn.to/3Q0JAe1 S-721H professional tape head cleaner: https://amzn.to/42nmQHu PJ Miaolai SA-1000: https://amzn.to/4cTSh12 Douk Audio VU9 Pixie Tube Sound Level Meter: https://amzn.to/4d8Rk65 Also... Get $10 off a C64 Ultimate (or other merch) for new Commodore members: http://www.commodore.net/referral/e8d... Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and add some COMMENTs. Until next time, reboot and remember the past! ██████╗░  ░██████╗  ██████╗░ ██╔══██╗  ██╔════╝  ██╔══██╗ ██████╔╝  ╚█████╗░  ██████╔╝ ██╔══██╗  ░╚═══██╗  ██╔══██╗ ██║░░██║  ██████╔╝  ██║░░██║ ╚═╝░░╚═╝  ╚═════╝░  ╚═╝░░╚═╝ DISCLAIMER: Everything seen in this video is 100% real through video and audio capture, however AI assistance was used during pre-production. #Greaseweazle #RetroComputing #Commodore64 #FloppyDisk #DataPreservation #C64 #HardwareMod #Amiga #TEAC55B #FlashFloppy #BBS #8bit #commodore #Nostalgia #90svibes #80svibes