modern removable media drives

From: Hans Franke <franke_at_sbs.de>
Date: Thu Nov 12 07:36:11 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.]

I'm using ZIPs on all Macs and some early PCs -> on topic .)

>>> 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.

But these are prety tough compared to traditional magnetig
medias (and after All, a Zip is just a high class diskette).

>>> 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.

Dame has been said on 8" FD: These will be damaged within hours
when the head engraves any particle ... But they worked well
and all FD technologies thereafter.

And on the other hand - in what way poor iomega could
gain this amount of money, other than selling cheap
tech at monopol prices.

Gruss
Hans

--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Received on Thu Nov 12 1998 - 07:36:11 GMT

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