Storage Upgrades
& Modernisation
Replace failing mechanical drives with solid-state CF cards. Add a Gotek floppy emulator and say goodbye to hunting for disks. Upgrade your BIOS for better compatibility. Modern reliability, vintage hardware.
$60–$150
Per upgrade
Depending on upgrade
0dB
Noise after CF
Silent operation
HxC
Gotek firmware
Or FlashFloppy
Tested
Every install
Full boot verification
What does it cost?
Typical price range
$60 – $150
Per upgrade, including parts and labour
Multiple upgrades can often be combined for better value — ask when booking
The benefits of solid-state
Silent operation
No mechanical drives means no clicking, grinding or whirring. Pure silence.
Faster load times
CF and SD cards are significantly faster than original HDDs for sequential reads.
No more floppy hunting
Gotek with HxC firmware reads disk images from USB. Your entire floppy collection on one drive.
No mechanical failure
Solid-state storage doesn't have bearings, platters or heads. Nothing to wear out.
How it works
Receive
System received and assessed. We verify compatibility before sourcing any parts.
Assess Compatibility
BIOS limitations, drive size constraints and firmware compatibility all checked for your specific hardware.
Source Parts
We source appropriate CF cards, SD adapters or Gotek units matched to your hardware's requirements.
Install
Hardware installed cleanly — no bodge wiring, proper mounting, cable routing done right.
Configure Firmware
Gotek flashed with latest HxC or FlashFloppy firmware. BIOS programmed and verified. CF card partitioned.
Test All Functions
Full boot test, all drives verified, BIOS settings confirmed stable. OS installation tested where applicable.
Return
System returned with documentation of everything installed and configured.
Receive
System received and assessed. We verify compatibility before sourcing any parts.
Assess Compatibility
BIOS limitations, drive size constraints and firmware compatibility all checked for your specific hardware.
Source Parts
We source appropriate CF cards, SD adapters or Gotek units matched to your hardware's requirements.
Install
Hardware installed cleanly — no bodge wiring, proper mounting, cable routing done right.
Configure Firmware
Gotek flashed with latest HxC or FlashFloppy firmware. BIOS programmed and verified. CF card partitioned.
Test All Functions
Full boot test, all drives verified, BIOS settings confirmed stable. OS installation tested where applicable.
Return
System returned with documentation of everything installed and configured.
What's included
What we upgrade
If it has an IDE connector or a socketed BIOS chip, we can likely upgrade it. Ask us.
💡 Combine upgrades for better value
Common questions
Will a CF card work with my old BIOS?
It depends on the BIOS and the drive size. Very old BIOSes have geometry limitations — LBA support, 504MB, 8GB and 32GB limits are common barriers. We check this as part of the compatibility assessment and will either configure the CF card to work within your BIOS limits or recommend a BIOS upgrade to remove the restriction.
What firmware does the Gotek run?
We flash Gotek units with either HxC Floppy Emulator firmware or FlashFloppy — both are excellent and support a wide range of disk image formats. The choice depends on your hardware and preference. Both support USB flash drives loaded with disk images.
Can you program any BIOS ROM?
We can program most common BIOS ROMs including AMI, Award, Phoenix and proprietary variants. We also stock common BIOS chip types for direct replacement. If your BIOS chip is soldered, we can remove it and fit a socket for future upgrades.
What CF card size should I use?
Smaller is often better for vintage systems. 4GB or 8GB cards are ideal for most setups — they're within BIOS limits on most systems, widely compatible, and you don't need more space than that for a vintage OS installation. We'll select the appropriate size during our compatibility assessment.
Ready to modernise your hardware?
Submit your system and we'll assess compatibility and quote before we start. Australia-wide mail-in accepted.