Editing MSX (section)

===Floppy disk drives===
Early MSX models did not have a built-in disk drive, so software were initially published on cartridge and cassette tape.<ref name="dvorakmsx" />

Mitsumi [[QuickDisk]]s were originally launched as a proprietary extension for the MSX in early 1984,<ref>[https://www.msx.org/wiki/Category:QuickDisk_BASIC Category:QuickDisk BASIC - MSX Wiki] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223234854/https://www.msx.org/wiki/Category:QuickDisk_BASIC|date=February 23, 2023}} Mitsumi QuickDisk BASIC Copyright screen</ref> but they never really caught on, as they were quickly surpassed by the standard floppy disk interface released a few months later. Only a handful of titles were released in this format.

Sony also created a battery backed RAM cartridge the [[HBI-55]] "data cartridge" in 1984 for some computers in their "Hit-Bit" line of MSX systems, that could be used to store programs or data as an alternative to cassette tapes.<ref>[http://www.clive.nl/retro-computer-hardware/data-cartridge-hbi-55-sony-hit-bit-4k-bytes picture of HBI-55 data cartridge] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029062026/http://www.clive.nl/retro-computer-hardware/data-cartridge-hbi-55-sony-hit-bit-4k-bytes |date=2013-10-29 }}</ref> Many Yamaha Music software are also compatible with this cartridge.

Traditional [[floppy disk]] drives were made available for MSX in 1984, either built-in or in the form of a cartridge containing the disk interface electronics and a BIOS extension ROM (the floppy disk drive interface), connected to an external case with the drive. In South America, many of these systems used a {{convert|5.25|in|mm|abbr=on}} floppy disk drive, but in Europe, {{convert|3.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} drives were more popular. In Japan, some MSX1 systems included a built-in 3.5-inch disk drive, like the Panasonic (previously named National) CF-3300. In Europe, a range of Philips MSX2 systems NMS 8230, 8235, 8245, 8250 and above featured either 360 or 720&nbsp;KB 3.5-inch floppy drives.

In 1985, the MSX2 was released, and these systems often (but not always) also included a built-in 3.5-inch disk drive. Consequently, the popular media for games and other software shifted to floppy disks.

The [[MSX-DOS]] [[disk operating system]] had [[binary code compatibility|binary compatibility]] with [[CP/M]], but used the same [[file allocation table|FAT]] [[file system]] as [[MS-DOS]]. Its user commands were also similar to early MS-DOS versions. In this way, Microsoft could promote MSX for home use while promoting [[MS-DOS]] based [[personal computer]]s in office environments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/MSXTechnicalDataBook|title=MSX Technical Data Book|date=May 12, 1984|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

The MSX 3.5-inch floppy disks are directly compatible with MS-DOS (although some details like [[Undeletion|file undeletion]] and [[boot sector]] code were different). Like MS-DOS&nbsp;1, MSX disks (formatted) under MSX-DOS&nbsp;1 have no support for [[subdirectories]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=MSX-DOS 2 section |url=http://www.faq.msxnet.org/dos2.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812050348/http://www.faq.msxnet.org/dos2.html |archive-date=August 12, 2019 |access-date=2011-06-22 |website=The Ultimate MSX FAQ |publisher=Faq.msxnet.org}}</ref>

In September 2012, AGE Labs extended the standard by including support for 1.44Mb 3.5-inch format. The 1.44Mb diskette size goes in two configurations: Standard (1 sector per cluster, 9 FAT sectors), and Compatible (4 sectors per cluster, 3 FAT sectors).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Storage subsystem v.3.0 Manual |url=http://www.gr8bit.ru/GR8BIT-Knowledge-Base/GR8BIT-DN0003-Storage-subsystem-v-3-0-Manual.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109214406/http://www.gr8bit.ru/GR8BIT-Knowledge-Base/GR8BIT-DN0003-Storage-subsystem-v-3-0-Manual.pdf |archive-date=November 9, 2013 |access-date=23 June 2013 |website=AGE Labs}}</ref>