SAMdisk is a command-line disk image utility for Windows 2000 or later. The utility supports transfers between floppy disks and disk images, and is designed to work with almost any soft-sectored disk format compatible with the PC floppy controller, including some copy-protected formats.

Low-level floppy device access requires the fdrawcmd.sys driver to be installed.

SAMDISK [copy|scan|format|list|view|info|dir|rpm] <args>
-c, --cyls=N cylinder count (N) or range (A-B)
-h, --head=N single head select (0 or 1)
-s, --sector[s] sector count for format, or single sector select
-r, --retries=N retry count for data errors (default=5)
-R, --rescan[s=N] rescan track to locate faint sectors
-d, --double-step step floppy head twice between tracks
-f, --force suppress confirmation prompts (careful!)

The following apply to regular disk formats only:
-n, --no-format skip formatting stage when writing
-m, --minimal read/write only used MGT tracks
-g, --gap3=N override gap3 inter-sector spacing (default=auto)
-i, --interleave=N override sector interleave (default=0)
-k, --skew=N override inter-track skew (default=1)
-z, --size=N override sector size code (default=2; 512 bytes)
-b, --base=N override lowest sector number (default=1)
-0, --head[0|1]=N override head 0 or 1 value

First, ensure your BIOS floppy drive type is set correctly, or to the closest available type. Setting a non-1.44M type will reduce the head stepping rate, to avoid missed pulses, and disable use of the disk-change line. This will often be needed for older floppy drive units.

1. Disk to Image
To create a disk image from an existing floppy disk:
SAMdisk a: image.dsk

This reads all tracks from the source drive into a disk image. The output file extension determines the disk image type created, as well as the method used to read the disk.

The BIOS floppy drive type is used to determine the range of tracks available on the source disk, so it's recommended that is set correctly. Alternatively, you can use -cN to specify a cylinder count and/or -hN to select a single head.

2. Image to Disk
To write a disk image back to floppy disk:
SAMdisk image.dsk a:

This writes all tracks from the source image to the target drive. Any special writing requirements, including known copy-protections, are handled automatically.

SAMdisk automatically formats as it writes, but that may be suppressed when writing simple disk images by using --no-format.

The license of this software is Freeware, you can free download and free use this disk management software.