modern removable media drives

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Wed Nov 11 21:55:59 1998

[Continuing a discussion about modern removable-media disk drives, which
would be off-topic except that we want to use modern drives on old
computers.]

>> On the other hand, I've had nothing but good luck with ZIP drives (which
>
> I won't use zip drives either. I refuse to use an undocumented device to
> store my data. When somebody produces a service manual and a bit-level
> description of the disk (as I have for all my minicomputer drives) then
> I'll consider it.

You may as well forget about using any modern magnetic disk drives, then.
Service manuals don't exist (or are useless). Descriptions of the low-level
format are only available if the format has been blessed by a standards
committee such as ECMA. I'd love to see an ECMA standard for ZIP disks, but I
doubt that it will happen.

On the other hand, ECMA has published standards for various optical
media, including CD-ROM, PD, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and +RW.

>> I think the problems with removable rigid media stem
>> from the lack of any effective measure to keep contamination out of the
>> drive and disk cartridge; they've tried to use Winchester drive technology
>> without understanding its inherent limitations.
>
> You mean they _don't_ haev the proper air filters? Ouch. High density
> media needs a cleaner environment than the old RK05 units, and those have
> pretty serious filters in them.

Air filters? Ha! They have nothing but a shutter on the cartridge and a door
flap on the drive. Absolute rubbish. It's miraculous that they work even for
a few weeks.
Received on Wed Nov 11 1998 - 21:55:59 GMT