This Raspberry Pi automatically archives a stack of Amiga floppy disks

Originally published on tomshardware.com by Ash Hill on 8 November 2024

Graham Tinkers has created a groundbreaking system that modernizes the process of preserving vintage data by automating floppy disk backups. Using parts salvaged from disk duplicators and a Raspberry Pi 3B, he built a machine capable of archiving stacks of floppy disks onto a USB drive with minimal user intervention. The setup leverages a motorized mechanism to feed up to 50 disks into a duplicator system for processing, with finished disks neatly ejected into a pile. Despite minor setbacks, like label-related jams, Graham equipped the system with error codes to ensure smooth operation.

The archival process is powered by the Raspberry Pi, which runs Greaseweazle, an open-source tool for reading floppy disk data. The system captures disk images, likely in the ADF format, and stores them on a USB drive. Additionally, a Raspberry Pi camera module snaps images of each floppy disk as it’s processed, saving them alongside the corresponding disk files with matching filenames. This dual archival approach not only preserves the data but also records visual details of the disks themselves, which could be valuable for cataloging and historical reference.

Graham originally designed the system to back up his own collection of over 800 Commodore Amiga floppy disks, many of which hail from the golden era of cracked software and disk copy parties. His clever use of a disk duplicator’s mechanics allowed him to create a rig that automates this tedious task. Once his own archiving is complete, Graham plans to donate the machine to a makerspace in Berlin, ensuring that others can preserve their floppy disk collections efficiently. If you’re curious about this innovative project, check out the original thread Graham shared on X (formerly Twitter).

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