Dialog Flux Read Disk
The Read Disk dialog reads data from a physical floppy disk using a configured Greaseweazle device and prepares the result for import or saving.
The dialog supports traditional image-based workflows, raw flux capture, and a dual output mode where a flux image set and a companion image are produced in the same pass. A Refine mode allows selective re-reading of an existing flux image set, and a Verify action compares a captured flux set against a Kryoflux analysis when both toolchains are available.
- Menu: Flux -> Read Disk
This dialog is available only when Greaseweazle support is configured in Options -> Flux Configuration.
The dialog includes the Windows Help (?) button in the title bar.
- Click the ? button, then click any control to display a short description of what the control does.
- Tooltips and help text are populated from the application's Help string resources and are included in the installed language packs.
Read Disk operates in two distinct modes depending on the selected Output Type:
-
Image Output Modes
(Basic Sector Image, HxC HFE Image)
The disk is read into a single image that can be previewed and imported into the DiskImageTool workspace. -
Flux Output Mode
(Flux Image Set)
Raw flux data is captured to a folder of.rawtrack files. The flux image set can be saved, optionally verified, converted, or refined by re-reading selected tracks.
A secondary image (Basic Sector or HxC HFE) can optionally be produced at the same time as the flux capture.
Most controls are shared between modes, but naming, buttons, and workflows differ where appropriate.
| Output Type | Result | Importable | Convertible | Refinable | Verifiable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Sector Image | Sector-based image | Yes | No | No | No |
| HxC HFE Image | HFE image | Yes | No | No | No |
| Flux Image Set | Raw flux image set | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Verification requires Kryoflux to also be configured.
Selects the physical drive to read from.
Available drives are determined by the Greaseweazle configuration.
Drive selection is remembered between sessions.
Selects how disk data is captured for the primary output:
- Basic Sector Image
- HxC HFE Image
- Flux Image Set
Changing the output type updates available options throughout the dialog.
When the primary Output Type is Flux Image Set, a second output type can be produced alongside the flux data:
- None — produce only the flux image set (default)
- Basic Sector Image
- HxC HFE Image
The secondary image is generated in the same pass as the flux capture and can be imported or saved independently. This allows a single read to produce both archival flux data and a ready-to-use image.
Each output type has its own extension selector:
- Basic Sector Image — available extensions depend on the selected format. The selected extension is remembered between sessions.
-
HxC HFE Image — fixed to
.hfe. -
Flux Image Set — fixed to
.raw.
The layout of this area changes depending on the selected output type.
When the primary output is Basic Sector Image or HxC HFE Image, a single File Name field specifies the filename used when importing the image.
A name must be entered before importing.
When the primary output is Flux Image Set, the following fields are shown:
-
Folder Name
The parent folder used to store the raw flux data. Required before reading. -
Prefix
The filename prefix used for individual.rawtrack files inside the folder. Defaults totrack.
If a secondary image is selected (Output Type 2), an additional File Name field is shown for the secondary image.
A numeric template can be created in any name field by enclosing a number in
angle brackets (for example, Disk<1>).
- The Toggle Sequence button (shown as
< >) next to a name field inserts or removes a template around the current selection.
The keyboard shortcut is Alt+S when a name field has focus. - When a template is used, the name is retained between reads and the numeric value is incremented automatically after each successful import or save.
- Without a template, the name is cleared after each read and import.
These fields determine where output files are written.
-
Root Folder
The root directory used to store flux image sets.
Available only for Flux Image Set. Selected via the Browse button or by clicking an empty field. The selected folder is remembered between sessions. -
Image Location
Available only when a secondary image is produced (Output Type 2 is not None). Selects where the secondary image is written:- Root Folder — same as the configured flux root folder
- Flux Folder — inside the flux image set folder itself
- Custom — a user-chosen location
-
Image Folder
Shown only when Image Location is Custom. Specifies the folder used for the secondary image. Selected via the Browse button.
Specifies the expected disk format.
The list includes common 5.25" and 3.5" formats as well as special layouts such as ProCopy, DMF, XDF, and 2HD.
Some formats restrict the available output types:
- Certain advanced formats are limited to HxC HFE Image and Flux Image Set
- Selecting Custom Format forces the output type to Flux Image Set (the output type selector is disabled)
When a format restricts output types, the output type selector is updated accordingly.
The Detect button reads the first track of the disk and attempts to identify the format using information from the BIOS Parameter Block.
These options correspond to Greaseweazle read parameters:
-
Revs
Number of revolutions read per track.
The default changes based on the output type (fewer revs for image output, more for flux capture). -
Retries
Number of retries when read errors occur. -
Seek Retries
Number of retries when seek errors occur.
The track grid displays a numeric map of all tracks for each disk side.
- A separate grid is shown for Side 0 and Side 1
- The grid uses a base-10 layout:
- Rows represent the tens digit of the track number
- Columns represent the ones digit
- Each cell corresponds to a single physical track
The grid provides visual feedback during reads and supports selective re-reading.
During a read or verify operation, the track grid uses color coding to indicate activity and results for each track:
- Light Blue — Track is currently being read
- Yellow — Track is being retried
- Light Green — Track was read successfully
- Red — Track read failed
- Yellow (Unexpected Sectors) — Track contains unexpected sectors
- Gray — Track is out of range for the selected format
When the grid is backed by the Kryoflux status (during a Verify operation), Kryoflux-specific colors and flag indicators may also appear. See Convert Flux Image for the full Kryoflux color legend.
In addition to color coding, grid cells may display indicators reflecting the current state or outcome:
- R — Track is currently being read
- Retry count — Number of retries that have occurred
- Bad sector count — Number of bad sectors detected on the track
Hovering over a track cell displays additional information.
The tooltip will always display the track identifier:
- Track nn.n
Additional details appear when applicable:
- Retries: nn — Displayed if retries occurred
- Sectors: nn bad — Displayed if bad sectors were detected
-
Bad Sector Ids — Lists affected sector IDs grouped into ranges
(for example:1-2, 4-5, 9) -
Unexpected Sectors — Listed individually in the format:
C:n H:n R:n N:n (nnnn)
Where:- C — Cylinder
- H — Head
- R — Sector ID
- N — Size ID
After a disk has been read once, individual tracks in the grid can be checked to restrict subsequent Read or Refine operations to just those tracks.
Reads the first track and displays a preview of the disk contents.
- Before a full read, preview shows:
- Summary panel
- Root directory only
- After a full read, preview shows:
- Summary panel
- Checksums panel
- Complete file listing
Reads the disk using the selected options.
- Before any output exists, Read performs a fresh read of all tracks (or only the tracks selected in the grid).
- After a Flux Image Set has been produced, Read becomes a re-read of the entire disk, replacing the previous output. A confirmation prompt is shown if a secondary image would be discarded.
Progress and command output are displayed in the console output area.
Available after a Flux Image Set has been captured.
Re-reads only the tracks currently checked in the track grid and merges the new data into the existing flux image set. This is useful when specific tracks did not read cleanly on the first pass.
Opens the Convert Flux Image dialog pre-loaded with the current flux image set.
Discards the currently read data and resets the dialog state.
The buttons available at the bottom of the dialog depend on the selected output type.
When the primary output is Basic Sector Image or HxC HFE Image:
-
Import
Imports the currently read image and leaves the dialog open. -
Import and Close
Imports the image and closes the dialog. -
Close
Closes the dialog without importing.
Each of the Import buttons is a split button whose alternate action can be selected from its dropdown; the two buttons are kept synchronized so their primary actions remain complementary.
When the primary output is Flux Image Set:
-
Save / Save and Close
Saves the current flux image set to its Root Folder location. Save and Close additionally closes the dialog.
If a secondary image is present, both are saved together and the Import buttons change wording accordingly. -
Verify (requires Kryoflux configured)
Runs the captured flux image set through the Kryoflux toolchain and updates the track grid with Kryoflux's analysis. Useful as an independent check on the quality of a flux capture. -
Convert
Opens the Convert Flux Image dialog (see Actions above). -
Close
Closes the dialog without saving.
A checkbox on the top row enables or disables automatic saving of the console output when the output is saved or imported. The saved log is placed alongside the image or flux image set and its state is remembered between sessions.
Displays real-time output from the read, refine, and verify operations.
This output is read-only and reflects the underlying device and command execution.
-
Device Reset
Resets the Greaseweazle device. Equivalent to issuing aresetcommand. -
Save Log (button)
Saves the contents of the console output window to a log file. -
Cancel
Closes the dialog. Equivalent to Close during an idle state.
When a read or verify is in progress, Cancel aborts the current operation.
Greaseweazle itself is driven through the embedded .NET API, so actions run as in-process asynchronous operations rather than external command-line invocations.
The status bar displays live status information during disk operations:
-
Track nn Side n
Indicates the track and side currently being read. -
Action
Displays the current operation (Reading, Retrying, Failed, Complete, Aborted, Error). During a Verify operation, Kryoflux status labels are shown instead. -
Total Bad Sectors
Displays the total number of bad sectors detected during the operation. Appears only when one or more bad sectors are found. -
Total Unexpected Sectors
Displays the total number of unexpected sectors detected during the operation. Appears only when one or more unexpected sectors are found.
- Flux Image Sets are not loaded directly into the workspace
- Conversion is optional and always initiated explicitly
- Verification requires Kryoflux to be configured in addition to Greaseweazle
- Refine merges re-read data into the existing flux image set, rather than replacing it
- Filename templates persist across reads; plain names are cleared after each successful import or save
- Behavior depends on the selected output type, format, and hardware configuration