To use HostFS, load your files to a subdirectory (or "folder") on your computer, and use the -fsroot parameter to tell the emulator where to find those files. My launch command looks like this:
C:\cx16\emulator\x16emu.exe -fsroot C:\cx16\root -scale 2 -echo
If you DO need an image file, here's how to create one in Windows:
Here's how to create a VHD file that you can mount as an SD image for the Commander X16 emulator:
This method requires Windows 10, and the resulting VHD file will be mountable on a Windows 10 computer by just double-clicking it. (Remember to "Eject" it from File Explorer before trying to run the emulator.)
- Open Computer Management (click start and type the name)
- Select Disk Management on the left side
- Pull down Action and select Create VHD
- Enter the location and filename in the box. I used CX16_40MB.vhd and placed this in the same directory as my emulator.
- Select VHD (not VHDX) and Fixed Size
- Make the file at least 40MB.
- This will create the VHD and attach it as a drive in the list on the bottom half of the Disk Management window.
- Right click in the box on the left column for that new disk.
- Select Initialize.
- Select MBR and click OK
- Now right click on the RIGHT side (the 40MB Unallocated side) and select New Simple Volume
- Use the defaults on the first page and second page of the wizard (click Next twice)
- In the third page, select Format the volume with the following settings
- File System: FAT32
- Allocation unit size: Default
- Volume label: whatever you want
- UN-check Perform a quick format. (If you're distributing this, you want the sectors cleared, to make this file easier to compress.)
- Click Next
You should now have a new drive letter.
- Copy files in the usual way; this works like a floppy or USB drive.
- When you're done, eject the virtual drive by right-clicking the drive letter in File Explorer and selecting Eject. (You can't mount it in
- the emulator until you eject it from Windows.)
- Later, you can re-mount this image in Disk Management.
x16emu -sdcard CX16_40MB.vhd -scale 2 -echo
Replace CX16_40MB.vhd with the name of the image file you created, if needed.
Finally, I've attached a 40MB disk image. Feel free to copy and use this image with your emulator.
