OpenCBM, CBMXfer: how to install XUM1541 drivers on Windows 10

In this video tutorial, we see how to connect the adapter XUM 1541 to the PC and how to install the XUM1541 drivers on Windows 10. Let's also see how to install the various software used to transfer files: OpenCBM and CBM Transfer (written CBMXfer). The XUM1541 interface (sometimes pronounced Zoom1541) allows you to connect the original Commodore 1541 drive to the USB port of a normal Windows PC, to transfer files without using the Commodore 64!

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In the video, I also explain how to transfer files to and from the diskette. We also create D64 files from physical diskettes and vice versa. We also see the various commands to rename a file, delete it, format the diskette, create D64 files, etc... All steps on using the XUM1541 will be available shortly in another article.

If you are interested in assembling the XUM1541 kit, you can consult this article.

XUM1541: connections

The Commodore 1541 floppy disk drive connects to the XUM 1541 interface via an IEC serial cable. The XUM 1541 interface connects to the Windows PC via the USB port.

XUM1541 USB adapter interface serial cable IEC floppy disk drive Commodore 1541 Teensy2

You can turn on the floppy disk drive later, when the drivers and programs are installed and we will do the tests. To install the XUM1541 drivers on Windows 10, it doesn't matter when you turn on the floppy, rather it is important that the XUM1541 interface is connected to the USB port of the computer.

How to install XUM1541 drivers on Windows 10

The installation, on Windows 10, is a bit cumbersome and I relied on the software recommended by the interface manufacturer. To install XUM1541 drivers on Windows 10, Administrator privileges are required.

Unzip the “XUM-1541-OpenCBM-103-CBMXfer-110.zip” file (which you find in the link at the bottom of this page) in “C:XUM1541 103”, this is the installation folder, the name is not strictly important.

OpenCBM XUM1541 CBMXfer CBMlink CBM Transfer installazione paccketto software e driver X-Cable Windows 10

From the Control Panel of Windows 10, in the section Device management, we verify that the computer recognizes the XUM 1541 interface. It is not possible to install the driver directly, as it would give an error on the digital signature, which is missing.

OpenCBM XUM1541 driver installation error on Windows 10, digital signature, unable to install drivers, does not work

You must first disable driver signature checking. To do this, from the command prompt, type the command shutdown (or copy and paste), with the following options:

shutdown.exe /r /o /f /t 00

Windows shows the blue options screen. Be careful not to press the wrong buttons!

Click with the mouse on Troubleshooting.

Windows 10 disable blue screen driver signature enforcement check, troubleshooting

Then click on Advanced options.

Windows 10 disable blue screen driver signature enforcement check, troubleshoot advanced options

Then click on Startup Settings. Click on the button Restart.

Windows 10 disable blue screen driver signature enforcement check, startup settings

After rebooting, Windows shows the blue startup settings screen. You have to press the key 7 on the keyboard, to disable driver signature enforcement. At this point, Windows starts normally.

Windows 10 disable disable blue screen driver signature enforcement 7 key

We keep the window open Device management of the Control Panel, to check that the OpenCBM drivers for the XUM1541 are installed correctly.

From the folder “2 OpenCBM version 0.4.99.103”, I modified the “install.cmd” file to install the software in “C: OpenCBM” and not in the programs folder, which is protected in Windows 10. It is now possible to run the "install.cmd" file as an administrator.

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OpenCBM Spiro Trikaliotis XUM1541 Windows 10 installation, run install.cmd as administrator

During installation, the computer asks if we also want to install the drivers: type Y to accept, followed by RETURN, on the keyboard.

OpenCBM Spiro Trikaliotis XUM1541 Windows 10 installation, install driver install

The drivers are unsigned, so you must confirm to Windows to install the driver software anyway.

Once the installation is complete, you must press RETURN a couple of times.

OpenCBM XUM1541 Windows 10 installation, unable to verify publisher, install driver software

Through thebrowse files, we can see that the "C: OpenCBM" folder has been correctly created and that all the files are inside.

OpenCBM installed in C:  OpenCBM, out of programs, file list, Windows 10 admin user

Let's proceed with assigning the driver to the XUM1541 device. From Device management (which we found earlier in the Control Panel), click with the right mouse button on the XUM1541 interface line, then click on Update Driver and Automatically searches for drivers.

OpenCBM XUM1541 Teensy2 generic update Windows 10 unsigned driver, Control Panel, Device Manager
XUM1541 floppy adapter Teensy2 generic automatically searches for unsigned drivers Windows 10, Control Panel, Device Manager, Update Driver, Search for drivers automatically

If all goes as it should, the interface is assigned the driver we installed before and the question marks and attention signs disappear from the icon.

XUM1541 floppy adapter Teensy2 generic unsigned driver installed Windows 10 successfully, Windows completed driver update
XUM1541 floppy adapter Teensy2 generic unsigned driver installed Windows 10 control panel device manager

The ComDlg32.OCX add-on

Now that the driver is installed, we can proceed to register the “ComDlg32.ocx” component which is used for CBM Transfer (CBMXfer). The program present in the “3 ComDlg32” folder is used. After starting the “Registrador.exe” program, press the button Register.

BMXfer CBM Transfer comdlg32.ocx setup registration registrador.exe register

Installing CBM Transfer (CBMXfer)

From the folder “4 CBM-Transfer110”, we copy all the files in “C: OpenCBM”.

CBMXfer 110 1.10 CBM-Transfer installation and use Windows 10, copy file in OpenCBM
CBMXfer 110 1.10 installation and use Windows 10, paste file in C:  OpenCBM

From the “5 CBM-Transfer missing files” folder, we copy all the files to “C:OpenCBM”. In fact, CBM Transfer version 1.10 is an update of the previous version. The files were present in the installer of the previous version and I extracted them from this CAB file. In the package, of which I link in the description, you will not find the CAB from which I extracted the missing files, but only the files to copy in "C:OpenCBM".

CBMXfer 110 1.10 CBM-Transfer file mancanti Windows 10, c1541.exe nibconv.exe nibread.exe nibwrite.exe incolla file in C:OpenCBM

We are almost there, copy the “cbmlink.exe” file, present in the “6 CBMlink” folder, and put it in the usual folder where we are installing the software: “C: OpenCBM”.

CBMXfer 110 1.10 missing file Windows 10, cbmlink.exe paste file into C:  OpenCBM

Starting CBM Transfer (CBMXfer)

Now we can create a CBM Transfer link on the desktop, and then start it.

Remember to connect the XUM 1541 interface and turn on the Commodore 1541 drive before starting CBMXfer.

From the screen of Windows Defender SmartScreen, confirm that you still want to run the program. Then click on Further information.

CBMXfer 110 1.10 Startup Using Windows 10, Windows Defender Smart Screen Do Not Run, Protection, More Information, Windows Protected PC

Then, still with the mouse, click on Run anyway. This window will no longer be shown.

CBMXfer 110 1.10 CBM-Transfer boot using Windows 10, Windows Defender Smart Screen run anyway, Windows protected PC

If all goes well, the CBM Transfer settings open. We confirm the settings window as it is (Default Destination Mode: X-Cable) e…

CBMXfer 110 1.10 CBM-Transfer options settings confirm, X-Cable

Here we are in the program to transfer files to and from the Commodore 1541 floppy disk drive!

OpenCBM XUM1541 CBMXfer CBM Transfer, utilizzo software Windows 10

Download driver XUM1541 e software OpenCBM, CBMXfer, CBMLink per Windows 10

As promised, here is the ZIP file containing all the software and drivers to use XUM1541 on Windows 10.

XUM-1541-OpenCBM-103-CBMXfer-110.zip

Detect XUM1541 firmware version on Windows 10

After installing the software and drivers as indicated above, it may be useful to read the firmware version from the Teensy2 module of the XUM1541. Of course, the interface must be connected to the USB port of the computer.

The command you use is xum1541cfg, which is a file in the "C:OpenCBM" folder.

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The same command is also used to update the firmware, should updates be released.

In my case, the answer was as follows:

C:\OpenCBM>xum1541cfg devinfo
finding device...
xum1541 device, model 4 (TEENSY2), firmware version 7

Credits: in the video tutorial, SID music is Noisy Pillars by Jeroen Tel.

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11 Comments

  1. Ciao,
    it appears to me that a file in XUM-1541-OpenCBM-103-CBMXfer-110.zip is a Trojan. Specifically the .cbmforng file.exe
    To you it turns out?

  2. I just downloaded the zip file and followed your installation instructions. It works perfectly on the first shot . Congratulations a simple and well done tutorial and then thanks to the pre-packaged files the program works immediately. Thank you very much

  3. Hello a few years ago I installed the program OpenCbm on a PC with windows 10 and worked perfectly. Now I bought a laptop used to carry out tests, always with windows 10, and an interface XU1541 . I followed as the previous installation all your instructions but I could not get the program to work. Or rather the program could not access the interface and consequently the floppy disk 1571. After several attempts I edited the INSTALL.BAT file.
    In particular the line : set OC_VARIANT_DEFAULT=xum1541
    It has been changed to: set OC_VARIANT_DEFAULT=xu1541
    Now it works perfectly. I hope I did something nice to communicate this small update as it can happen, like me, to waste hours behind research on the internet without arriving at a solution to the problem. Hello

  4. Hello! Yes, it works well! I also noticed that the procedure can be different, depending on the type of XUM you use. Thank you for sharing your experience!

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