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Repair guide

Fit a Gotek floppy emulator to an Amiga

A Gotek swaps the original floppy drive for a unit that reads disk images from a USB stick. The usual route is to flash it with the free FlashFloppy firmware, set the jumpers for Amiga and mount it in place of the old drive.

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Drive · Medium · about 60 minutes. Worth doing. Reports say this fix helps on many machines.

You are in the right place if: The internal Amiga floppy drive is worn or slow and you want to load disk images from a USB stick.

Before you start

  • Unplug the Amiga before opening it.
  • The Gotek takes its power from the Amiga drive power connector. Check the connector orientation before you plug it in.
  • Handle the board with care; flashing the wrong firmware can leave it unresponsive.

Board revisions and models

Jumper and cable settings differ between the A500, A600, A1200 and A2000. Check a model-specific page.

Parts you may need

  • Gotek USB floppy emulator. The emulator itself Amazon · eBay
  • Gotek mounting bracket. Fit it in place of the drive Amazon · eBay
  • USB stick, small, FAT32. Holds disk images Amazon · eBay
  • Rotary encoder / OLED upgrade. Easier image selection Amazon · eBay

Tools

  • USB to TTL programmer. For flashing firmware Amazon · eBay
  • Small screwdriver set. Open the Amiga Amazon · eBay
  • Soldering iron. If fitting a rotary encoder Amazon · eBay

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Step by step

  1. Choose and prepare a Gotek Buy a Gotek with a USB port and check the firmware options; most owners flash FlashFloppy before fitting.
  2. Flash FlashFloppy Follow the firmware project's instructions to flash the Gotek, and test it on the bench first.
  3. Set jumpers for Amiga Set the drive-select jumper to match your Amiga's expected drive number (check the manual for your model).
  4. Open the Amiga Unplug, open the case and photograph how the drive is cabled and mounted.
  5. Remove the old drive Unscrew the drive and unplug its ribbon and power cable. Keep the original in case you want to refit it.
  6. Mount the Gotek Mount it with brackets or a case and route the ribbon and power cable. Check nothing touches the shield.
  7. Prepare the USB stick Format a USB stick as FAT32 and copy ADF disk images in the folder structure FlashFloppy expects.
  8. Power on and test Boot with a known ADF and check the Amiga sees the disk.
  9. Configure the display and selector Use the Gotek's buttons and display to choose images, and set the config file if needed.

Tips, tales and maybes

Found in write-ups and forum threads. These are other people's reports, not tested by us.

  • Maybe (Low confidence). FlashFloppy is the free firmware most Gotek owners flash; check its project page for supported models and image formats. General technique, no source.
  • Maybe (Low confidence). A Greaseweazle is a better choice for imaging real disks; a Gotek is for playing images. General technique, no source.

Sources

We wrote this one from general technique and have no source to credit for it yet. Treat it as a starting point, and read or watch a guide for your exact model before you begin.

Boards and models vary, so check what is in front of you. A repair can involve hot tools, chemicals and, on some machines, dangerous voltages. You do it at your own risk.

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