This guide shows how to install Greaseweazle software (created by Keir Fraser) with an easy to use graphic user interface on a Windows PC
Main Greaseweazle Windows Software
https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle/releases/download/v1.23/greaseweazle-1.23-win64.zip
Graphic User Interface for Greaseweazle from Desert Sage Solutions
https://desertsagesolutions.com/software/greaseweazle/windows/GreaseweazleGUI-v2.128.zip
Unzip the main Greaseweazle folder to your Windows desktop from the first download link
Unzip all the files from the second download link and copy it into the first Greaseweazle folder you just extracted
**Note (ALL GUI file need to be inside the main Greaseweazle Folder to work correctly)
Now open GreaseweazleGUI.exe, by double clicking and you will see the menu screen below
Greaseweazle GUI Settings
If your Greaseweazle hardware is connected it will show as a device inside the USB Serial ports window, to ensure the hardware is working reliably you first need to check the data speed, It’s recommended to only use a direct connection to your PC motherboard USB 2 or faster ports, front panel USB ports and hubs may slow down the connection and cause problems and errors.
Now to test the connection speed, select “Measure Bandwidth” from the middle row, then click the “Select” button
You will now see a command window and it will give a speed reading, the test will tell you if your connection is too slow to be reliable, run the test a few times to get a consistent reading, if your connection is too slow try a different USB port on your computer or use different or shorter usb cable.
Once the speed test has passed successfully you are then ready to read and write floppy disc images, if you get verify errors when trying to write a disk try a different disk, many Double Density disks will now be over 30 year old and may be contaminated with dirt or dust or have degraded magnetic coating this can cause verify read and write errors, for older disks try using the “erase disk” function first before trying to write an image to disk.
Setting DiskDefs
To update Disk image Definition’s supplied with the greasweazle gui download, select “Globals” – then choose “Use DiskDefs File“, then select diskdefs.cfg – now latest disk definitions will then be available in the the “Format” drop down box when writing disk images
Mac and Linux Greaseweazle Host Tools Software Direct Download Link
https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle/releases/download/v1.23/greaseweazle-1.23.zip
FloppyBridge Support – Use Real Disks with WinUAE & Amiberry Emulators
You can also use your Greaseweazle to read Amiga floppy disks directly into WinUae Emulator using the the floppybridge plugin, see guide linked below
https://trumouse.com/use-real-floppy-disks-on-winuae-amiga-emulator-with-floppybridge/
Double Density Vs High Density Floppy Disks
**Note you will need to use the correct disk type for writing disk an example Amiga and Atari ST use Double Density disks, later IBM PC’s usehigh density disks, the floppy drive can tell if the wrong disk in inserted because they have write protect holes on different sides of the disk
Greaseweazle Github Page is https://github.com/keirf/greaseweazle