diff --git a/apps/codecs.c b/apps/codecs.c
index 29a6644..93b1b6b 100644
--- a/apps/codecs.c
+++ b/apps/codecs.c
@@ -55,7 +55,11 @@
 #include "logf.h"
 
 #if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED)
-
+#if  !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
+#  define FS_PREFIX(_x_) sim_ ## _x_
+# else
+#  define FS_PREFIX(_x_) _x_
+# endif
 #define PREFIX(_x_) sim_ ## _x_
 #if CONFIG_CODEC == SWCODEC
 unsigned char codecbuf[CODEC_SIZE];
@@ -66,6 +70,7 @@ void sim_codec_close(void *pd);
 #else /* !PLATFORM_HOSTED */
 
 #define PREFIX
+#define FS_PREFIX
 #define sim_codec_close(x)
 
 #endif
@@ -77,7 +82,7 @@ extern void* plugin_get_audio_buffer(size_t *buffer_size);
 #undef open
 static int open(const char* pathname, int flags, ...)
 {
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
     int fd;
     if (flags & O_CREAT)
     {
@@ -178,11 +183,11 @@ struct codec_api ci = {
     enc_unget_pcm_data,
 
     /* file */
-    (open_func)PREFIX(open),
-    PREFIX(close),
-    (read_func)PREFIX(read),
-    PREFIX(lseek),
-    (write_func)PREFIX(write),
+    (open_func)FS_PREFIX(open),
+    FS_PREFIX(close),
+    (read_func)FS_PREFIX(read),
+    FS_PREFIX(lseek),
+    (write_func)FS_PREFIX(write),
     round_value_to_list32,
 
 #endif /* HAVE_RECORDING */
diff --git a/apps/main.c b/apps/main.c
index 67cd6d2..2973bd8 100644
--- a/apps/main.c
+++ b/apps/main.c
@@ -353,7 +353,39 @@ static void init(void)
     sb_skin_init();
     viewportmanager_init();
 
+#if defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
+    disk_init_subsystem();
+    int rc = storage_init();
+    if(rc)
+        panicf("storage error: %d", rc);
+    rc = disk_mount_all();
+    if(rc <= 0)
+    {
+        printf("disk_mount error: %d\n", rc);
+        lcd_clear_display();
+        lcd_puts(0, 0, "No partition");
+        lcd_puts(0, 1, "found.");
+        lcd_puts(0, 2, "Continue ?");
+
+        lcd_update();
+
+        while(true)
+        {
+            int button = get_action(CONTEXT_YESNOSCREEN, HZ*5);
+            switch (button)
+            {
+                case ACTION_YESNO_ACCEPT: goto Lcontinue;
+                case ACTION_NONE: continue;
+                default: exit(1);
+            }
+        }
+
+        Lcontinue:
+        printf("continue without partition !\n");
+    }
+#else /* defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
     storage_init();
+#endif
     settings_reset();
     settings_load(SETTINGS_ALL);
     settings_apply(true);
diff --git a/apps/plugin.c b/apps/plugin.c
index b3baea7..ae1e9cf 100644
--- a/apps/plugin.c
+++ b/apps/plugin.c
@@ -59,9 +59,15 @@
 #endif
 
 #if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED)
+#if  !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
+#  define FS_PREFIX(_x_) sim_ ## _x_
+# else
+#  define FS_PREFIX(_x_) _x_
+# endif
 #define PREFIX(_x_) sim_ ## _x_
 #else
 #define PREFIX
+#define FS_PREFIX
 #endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_PLUGIN_CHECK_OPEN_CLOSE) && (MAX_OPEN_FILES>32)
@@ -306,20 +312,20 @@ static const struct plugin_api rockbox_api = {
 #ifdef HAVE_PLUGIN_CHECK_OPEN_CLOSE
     close_wrapper,
 #else
-    PREFIX(close),
+    FS_PREFIX(close),
 #endif
-    (read_func)PREFIX(read),
-    PREFIX(lseek),
+    (read_func)FS_PREFIX(read),
+    FS_PREFIX(lseek),
 #ifdef HAVE_PLUGIN_CHECK_OPEN_CLOSE
     (creat_func)creat_wrapper,
 #else
-    (creat_func)PREFIX(creat),
+    (creat_func)FS_PREFIX(creat),
 #endif
-    (write_func)PREFIX(write),
-    PREFIX(remove),
-    PREFIX(rename),
-    PREFIX(ftruncate),
-    PREFIX(filesize),
+    (write_func)FS_PREFIX(write),
+    FS_PREFIX(remove),
+    FS_PREFIX(rename),
+    FS_PREFIX(ftruncate),
+    FS_PREFIX(filesize),
     fdprintf,
     read_line,
     settings_parseline,
@@ -991,7 +997,7 @@ static int open_wrapper(const char* pathname, int flags, ...)
 /* we don't have an 'open' function. it's a define. and we need
  * the real file_open, hence PREFIX() doesn't work here */
     int fd;
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
     if (flags & O_CREAT)
     {
         va_list ap;
diff --git a/firmware/SOURCES b/firmware/SOURCES
index d8cfade..5c50637 100644
--- a/firmware/SOURCES
+++ b/firmware/SOURCES
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ common/crc32.c
 #ifdef MI4_FORMAT
 common/crc32-mi4.c
 #endif
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE) || \
+    ((CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER))
 common/dir_uncached.c
 common/file.c
 common/disk.c
@@ -185,7 +186,8 @@ drivers/touchscreen.c
 
 
 /* Storage */
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE) || \
+    ((CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER))
 #if (CONFIG_STORAGE & STORAGE_MMC)
 drivers/ata_mmc.c
 #endif
diff --git a/firmware/export/config/sim.h b/firmware/export/config/sim.h
index 5dcb4f6..f359a7b 100644
--- a/firmware/export/config/sim.h
+++ b/firmware/export/config/sim.h
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@
 
 #undef AMS_OF_SIZE
 
+#if !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
 #undef HAVE_MULTIDRIVE
 #undef NUM_DRIVES
 #undef HAVE_HOTSWAP
 #undef HAVE_HOTSWAP_STORAGE_AS_MAIN
 
 #undef CONFIG_STORAGE
+#endif /* !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
 
 #undef CONFIG_USBOTG
 
diff --git a/firmware/export/sd.h b/firmware/export/sd.h
index c798f54..f207421 100644
--- a/firmware/export/sd.h
+++ b/firmware/export/sd.h
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ void sd_sleepnow(void);
 bool sd_disk_is_active(void);
 int  sd_soft_reset(void);
 int  sd_init(void);
-void sd_close(void);
 int  sd_read_sectors(IF_MD2(int drive,) unsigned long start, int count, void* buf);
 int  sd_write_sectors(IF_MD2(int drive,) unsigned long start, int count, const void* buf);
 void sd_spin(void);
diff --git a/firmware/export/storage.h b/firmware/export/storage.h
index e59a5e5..b6e8acf 100644
--- a/firmware/export/storage.h
+++ b/firmware/export/storage.h
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ struct storage_info
     char *revision;
 };
 
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE) && !defined(CONFIG_STORAGE_MULTI)
+#if ((CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE) && !defined(CONFIG_STORAGE_MULTI)) || \
+    ((CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) && !defined(CONFIG_STORAGE_MULTI))
 /* storage_spindown, storage_sleep and storage_spin are passed as
  * pointers, which doesn't work with argument-macros.
  */
diff --git a/firmware/include/dir_uncached.h b/firmware/include/dir_uncached.h
index f225cf8..38663ca 100644
--- a/firmware/include/dir_uncached.h
+++ b/firmware/include/dir_uncached.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #define ATTR_ARCHIVE     0x20
 #define ATTR_VOLUME      0x40 /* this is a volume, not a real directory */
 
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
 #define dirent_uncached sim_dirent
 #define DIR_UNCACHED SIM_DIR
 #define opendir_uncached sim_opendir
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ struct dirent_uncached {
 #include "fat.h"
 
 typedef struct {
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE) || \
+    ((CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER))
     bool busy;
     long startcluster;
     struct fat_dir fatdir;
diff --git a/firmware/include/file.h b/firmware/include/file.h
index a9d1d05..ff7164a 100644
--- a/firmware/include/file.h
+++ b/firmware/include/file.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 #define O_TRUNC  0x10
 #endif
 
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && !defined(PLUGIN) && !defined(CODEC)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && !defined(PLUGIN) && !defined(CODEC) && !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
 #define open(x, ...) sim_open(x, __VA_ARGS__)
 #define creat(x,m) sim_creat(x,m)
 #define remove(x) sim_remove(x)
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ extern int fsync(int fd);
 extern ssize_t read(int fd, void *buf, size_t count);
 extern off_t lseek(int fildes, off_t offset, int whence);
 extern int file_creat(const char *pathname);
-#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE)
+#if (CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_NATIVE) || \
+    ((CONFIG_PLATFORM & PLATFORM_HOSTED) && defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER))
 /* posix compatibility function */
 static inline int creat(const char *pathname, mode_t mode)
 {
diff --git a/uisimulator/common/SOURCES b/uisimulator/common/SOURCES
index a30b5ab..243c994 100644
--- a/uisimulator/common/SOURCES
+++ b/uisimulator/common/SOURCES
@@ -12,5 +12,9 @@ backlight-sim.c
 /* this is still needed for application since it has some stubs */
 powermgmt-sim.c
 io.c
+debug.c
 sim_tasks.c
 stubs.c
+#if defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
+storage.c
+#endif
diff --git a/uisimulator/common/io.c b/uisimulator/common/io.c
index 260e880..b1e76bc 100644
--- a/uisimulator/common/io.c
+++ b/uisimulator/common/io.c
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ void dircache_rename(const char *oldname, const char *newname);
 #define SIMULATOR_DEFAULT_ROOT "simdisk"
 extern const char *sim_root_dir;
 
+#if !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
 static int num_openfiles = 0;
 
 struct sim_dirent {
@@ -170,26 +171,6 @@ struct mydir {
 
 typedef struct mydir MYDIR;
 
-#if 1 /* maybe this needs disabling for MSVC... */
-static unsigned int rockbox2sim(int opt)
-{
-    int newopt = O_BINARY;
-
-    if(opt & 1)
-        newopt |= O_WRONLY;
-    if(opt & 2)
-        newopt |= O_RDWR;
-    if(opt & 4)
-        newopt |= O_CREAT;
-    if(opt & 8)
-        newopt |= O_APPEND;
-    if(opt & 0x10)
-        newopt |= O_TRUNC;
-
-    return newopt;
-}
-#endif
-
 /** Simulator I/O engine routines **/
 #define IO_YIELD_THRESHOLD 512
 
@@ -212,6 +193,26 @@ struct sim_io
 
 static struct sim_io io;
 
+#if 1 /* maybe this needs disabling for MSVC... */
+static unsigned int rockbox2sim(int opt)
+{
+    int newopt = O_BINARY;
+
+    if(opt & 1)
+        newopt |= O_WRONLY;
+    if(opt & 2)
+        newopt |= O_RDWR;
+    if(opt & 4)
+        newopt |= O_CREAT;
+    if(opt & 8)
+        newopt |= O_APPEND;
+    if(opt & 0x10)
+        newopt |= O_TRUNC;
+
+    return newopt;
+}
+#endif
+
 int ata_init(void)
 {
     /* Initialize the rockbox kernel objects on a rockbox thread */
@@ -256,6 +257,7 @@ static ssize_t io_trigger_and_wait(int cmd)
 
     return result;
 }
+#endif /* !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
 
 #if !defined(__PCTOOL__) && !defined(APPLICATION)
 static const char *get_sim_pathname(const char *name)
@@ -275,6 +277,7 @@ static const char *get_sim_pathname(const char *name)
 #define get_sim_pathname(name) name
 #endif
 
+#if !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
 MYDIR *sim_opendir(const char *name)
 {
     DIR_T *dir;
@@ -509,6 +512,18 @@ int sim_fsync(int fd)
 #endif
 }
 
+/* rockbox off_t may be different from system off_t */
+int sim_ftruncate(int fd, long length)
+{
+#ifdef WIN32
+    return _chsize(fd, length);
+#else
+    return ftruncate(fd, length);
+#endif
+}
+
+#endif /* !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
+
 #ifdef WIN32
 /* sim-win32 */
 #define dlopen(_x_, _y_) LoadLibraryW(UTF8_TO_OS(_x_))
@@ -586,6 +601,8 @@ void sim_codec_close(void *pd)
 
 void *sim_plugin_load(char *plugin, void **pd)
 {
+#if !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
+    
     void *hdr;
     char path[MAX_PATH];
 #ifdef WIN32
@@ -614,60 +631,15 @@ void *sim_plugin_load(char *plugin, void **pd)
         hdr = dlsym(*pd, "___header");
 
     return hdr;    /* maybe NULL if symbol not present */
-}
-
-void sim_plugin_close(void *pd)
-{
-    dlclose(pd);
-}
-
-#ifdef WIN32
-static unsigned old_cp;
-
-void debug_exit(void)
-{
-    /* Reset console output codepage */
-    SetConsoleOutputCP(old_cp);
-}
 
-void debug_init(void)
-{
-    old_cp = GetConsoleOutputCP();
-    /* Set console output codepage to UTF8. Only works
-     * correctly when the console uses a truetype font. */
-    SetConsoleOutputCP(65001);
-    atexit(debug_exit);
-}
-#else
-void debug_init(void)
-{
-    /* nothing to be done */
-}
-#endif
+#else /* !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
 
-void debugf(const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-    va_list ap;
-    va_start( ap, fmt );
-    vfprintf( stderr, fmt, ap );
-    va_end( ap );
-}
+    return NULL;
 
-void ldebugf(const char* file, int line, const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-    va_list ap;
-    va_start( ap, fmt );
-    fprintf( stderr, "%s:%d ", file, line );
-    vfprintf( stderr, fmt, ap );
-    va_end( ap );
+#endif /* !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
 }
 
-/* rockbox off_t may be different from system off_t */
-int sim_ftruncate(int fd, long length)
+void sim_plugin_close(void *pd)
 {
-#ifdef WIN32
-    return _chsize(fd, length);
-#else
-    return ftruncate(fd, length);
-#endif
+    dlclose(pd);
 }
diff --git a/uisimulator/common/stubs.c b/uisimulator/common/stubs.c
index 6d7d7de..0063f0d 100644
--- a/uisimulator/common/stubs.c
+++ b/uisimulator/common/stubs.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #include "ata.h" /* for volume definitions */
 
 extern char having_new_lcd;
-static bool storage_spinning = false;
 
 #if CONFIG_CODEC != SWCODEC
 void audio_set_buffer_margin(int seconds)
@@ -45,6 +44,9 @@ void audio_set_buffer_margin(int seconds)
 }
 #endif
 
+#if !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER)
+static bool storage_spinning = false;
+
 int fat_startsector(void)
 {
     return 63;
@@ -131,6 +133,8 @@ void storage_spindown(int s)
     storage_spinning = false;
 }
 
+#endif /* !defined(ROCKBOX_SIMULATE_STORAGE_LAYER) */
+
 void rtc_init(void)
 {
 }