(Creating 3.5' Sound Disks From *.IMG or *.OUT Disk Image Files) (Creating 3.5' Boot Disks From An *.IMG or *.OUT Disk Image Files) (Creating 3.5' Boot Disks From *.IMG or *.OUT Disk Image Files)

Working with a Mac and Roland sampler 3.5' floppy disks on this page is divided into five sections

Chances are good they will because the 'dd' command has been around for decades and its operation hasn't changed much over time It is unknown if these commands will work on older versions of Mac OS X. ❖ All commands used below were tested on Mac OS X Catalina v10.15.7 (Intel) through macOS Ventura v13.2.1 (M1). I have been able to verify that the TARGUS PA905, IBM MPF82E and DELL FD05PUB will also work Most people seem to have great luck with the IBM model shown at the top of this page (IBM Model: FD‑05PUB). ❖ Not all USB external 3.5' floppy disk drives will work using this method. Thus, the ' dd' command should be used with extreme caution! It's also humorously called the 'Disk Destroyer' because if you have a typo in your command, it's very easy to erase your Mac system's hard drive. For all you trivia buffs out there, dd is an abbreviation for 'Data Definition'. The key is using the command newfs_msdos with special formatting options and the dd command to make a bit‑by‑bit copy of a sampler Boot Disk or a Sound Disk file. Both methods are useful for trading your sample libraries with other sampler owners, archiving your old 3.5' floppy disks and creating new 3.5' floppy disks. The same process also allows you to create new *.IMG and *.OUT sampler disk image files from your existing 3.5' floppy disk collection.

The following is a ' somewhat' advanced process for experienced Mac users which enables you to take Roland *.IMG and *.OUT sampler disk image files and create 3.5' floppy disks using the Terminal app which is built into Mac OS. I just kicked my Windows 7 PC to the curb! I can finally break that chain and I now use my Mac with a USB external 3.5' floppy disk drive. Until recently, that was the only way I knew how to create and/or archive 3.5' floppy disks for my Roland samplers. I have been tied to my ball & chain Windows 7 PC, SDISKW and OmniFlop for years. Mac users who want to create 3.5' floppy disks for their Roland samplers have always been at a disadvantage ever since Apple did away with 3.5' floppy drive hardware and support.

Format floppy disk mac