Using Floppy Disks with Windows Virtual PC

Windows Virtual PC does support the use of floppy disks – but as this feature is only used by a small subset of users – we did not expose this in the user interface.  To use floppy disks you need to have a script to help you.  And here are the scripts:

VBScript:

Option Explicit

' Define constants for floppy drive attachment types

CONST vmFloppyDrive_None = 0

CONST vmFloppyDrive_Image = 1

CONST vmFloppyDrive_HostDrive = 2

Dim namedArguments, argumentError, vpc, vm, vmName, action, floppy, vmFloppyDrive

' Check that the script is running at the command line.

If UCase(Right(Wscript.FullName, 11)) = "WSCRIPT.EXE" Then

WScript.Echo "This script must be run under CScript."

WScript.Quit

End If

' Get the virtual machine name / floppy commands from the command-line arguments

Set namedArguments = WScript.Arguments.Named

argumentError = false

If namedArguments.Exists("vm") Then

vmName = namedArguments.Item("vm")

Else

argumentError = true

End If

If namedArguments.Exists("action") Then

action = namedArguments.Item("action")

Else

argumentError = true

End If

If namedArguments.Exists("floppy") Then

floppy = namedArguments.Item("floppy")

Else

If (not ((action = "info") or (action = "disconnect"))) Then

argumentError = true

End If

End If

' Display usage information if wrong arguments are provided

if argumentError then

WScript.Echo "Missing command-line argument"

WScript.Echo

WScript.Echo "Usage: FloppyDrive.vbs /vm:" & chr(34) & "Name of virtual machine to be started" & chr(34)

WScript.Echo

WScript.Echo "                       /action:info       - to display information about the current floppy configuration"

WScript.Echo "                               disconnect - to disconnect any attached floppy disk or floppy disk image"

WScript.Echo "                               vfd        - to attach a virtual floppy disk image"

WScript.Echo "                               physical   - to attach a physical floppy disk"

WScript.Echo

WScript.Echo "                       /floppy:name       - where name is either the full name and path for a virtual"

WScript.Echo "                                            floppy disk or the letter of a physical disk to attach"

WScript.Echo

WScript.Quit

end if

' Attempt to connect to Virtual PC

On Error Resume Next

Set vpc = CreateObject("VirtualPC.Application")

If Err.Number <> 0 Then

WScript.Echo "Unable to connect to Virtual PC."

WScript.Quit

End if

On Error Goto 0

' Get virtual machine object

Set vm = vpc.FindVirtualMachine(vmName)

' Get the floppy drive

set vmFloppyDrive = vm.FloppyDrives.item(1)

' Perform the specified action

Select Case action

' Display floppy disk information

case "info"

wscript.echo "Floppy disk information"

wscript.echo "======================="

' Different information is needed for each attachment type

select case vmFloppyDrive.Attachment

case vmFloppyDrive_None 

wscript.echo "Floppy Attachment : No floppy disk attached"

wscript.echo "Drive Number      : " & vmFloppyDrive.DriveNumber

case vmFloppyDrive_Image 

wscript.echo "Floppy Attachment : Floppy disk image attached"

wscript.echo "Drive Number      : " & vmFloppyDrive.DriveNumber

wscript.echo "Image File        : " & vmFloppyDrive.ImageFile 

case vmFloppyDrive_HostDrive 

wscript.echo "Floppy Attachment : Physical floppy disk attached"

wscript.echo "Drive Number      : " & vmFloppyDrive.DriveNumber

wscript.echo "Host Drive Letter : " & vmFloppyDrive.HostDriveLetter 

end select

' Disconnect the current floppy disk

case "disconnect"

wscript.echo "Disconnecting the floppy disk."

' A different method is used to disconnect a floppy disk image than for a physical disk 

select case vmFloppyDrive.Attachment

case vmFloppyDrive_Image 

vmFloppyDrive.ReleaseImage

case vmFloppyDrive_HostDrive 

vmFloppyDrive.ReleaseHostDrive

end select

' Attach a floppy disk image

case "vfd"

wscript.echo "Attaching " & floppy & " to the floppy drive."

vmFloppyDrive.AttachImage(floppy)

' Attach a physical floppy disk

case "physical"

wscript.echo "Attaching physical disk " & floppy & ": to the floppy drive."

vmFloppyDrive.AttachHostDrive(floppy)

' Catch invalid actions

case else

wscript.echo "Invalid action provided. Info, disconnect, vfd and physical are valid options."

end select

wscript.echo

PowerShell:

param([string]$vmName, [string]$action, [string]$floppy)

$argumentError = 0

# Check for correct command-line arguments

If ($vmName -eq "")

{$argumentError = 1}

If ($action -eq "")

{$argumentError = 1}

If ($floppy -eq "")

{

if ((!([string]::Compare($action, "vfd", $True))) -or (!([string]::Compare($action, "physical", $True))))

{$argumentError = 1}

}

# Display usage information if wrong arguments are provided

If ($argumentError -eq 1)

{

write-host "Missing command-line argument."

write-host "USage: FloppyDrive.ps1 -vmName `"Name of virtual machine`""

write-host "                       -action info       - to display information about the current floppy configuration"

write-host "                               disconnect - to disconnect any attached floppy disk or floppy disk image"

write-host "                               vfd        - to attach a virtual floppy disk image"

write-host "                               physical   - to attach a physical floppy disk"

write-host

write-host "                       -floppy name       - where name is either the full name and path for a virtual"

write-host "                                            floppy disk or the letter of a physical disk to attach"

exit

}

# Connect to Virtual PC

$vpc=new-object –com VirtualPC.Application –Strict

# Get virtual machine object

$vm = $vpc.FindVirtualMachine($vmName)

# Get the floppy drive

$vmFloppyDrive = $vm.FloppyDrives.item(1)

# Perform the specified action

switch ($action) 

{

# Display floppy disk information

"info" {

write-host "Floppy disk information"

write-host "======================="

# Different information is needed for each attachment type

switch ($vmFloppyDrive.Attachment)

{

0 {

write-host "Floppy Attachment : No floppy disk attached"

write-host "Drive Number      : " $vmFloppyDrive.DriveNumber}

1 { 

write-host "Floppy Attachment : Floppy disk image attached"

write-host "Drive Number      : " $vmFloppyDrive.DriveNumber

write-host "Image File        : " $vmFloppyDrive.ImageFile }

2 { 

write-host "Floppy Attachment : Physical floppy disk attached"

write-host "Drive Number      : " $vmFloppyDrive.DriveNumber

write-host "Host Drive Letter : " $vmFloppyDrive.HostDriveLetter }

}

}

# Disconnect the current floppy disk

"disconnect" {

write-host "Disconnecting the floppy disk."

# A different method is used to disconnect a floppy disk image than for a physical disk 

switch ($vmFloppyDrive.Attachment)

{

1 {$vmFloppyDrive.ReleaseImage()}

2 {$vmFloppyDrive.ReleaseHostDrive()}

}

}

# Attach a floppy disk image

"vfd" {

write-host "Attaching " $floppy " to the floppy drive."

$vmFloppyDrive.AttachImage($floppy)

}

# Attach a physical floppy disk

"physical"  {

write-host "Attaching physical disk " $floppy ": to the floppy drive."

$vmFloppyDrive.AttachHostDrive($floppy)

}

# Catch invalid actions

default {write-host "Invalid action provided. Info, disconnect, vfd and physical are valid options."}

}