need 720k 3 1/2" disks

From: Stuart Johnson <ssj152_at_charter.net>
Date: Mon Jun 9 21:57:00 2003

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Johnson" <ssj152_at_charter.net>
To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 9:26 PM
Subject: Re: need 720k 3 1/2" disks


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "jamesd" <jdickens_at_ameritech.net>
> To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 9:20 PM
> Subject: need 720k 3 1/2" disks
>
>
> > I I need a couple 3 1/2" diskette for an old 8086 six laptop too boot
> with
> > ... i don't have any good ones... if someone would like to offer to sell
> me 2
> > or 3 for around a buck apiece i would greatly appreciate it.. ebay only
> has
> > them in 25 and 50 packs and i really don't even need 10 just one to boot
> and
> > a backup... just going to use the laptop as a serial terminal
> >
> > I have a paypal account... if that makes it easier
> >
> > James Dickens
>
> Have you tried using a HD floppy and putting tape over BOTH sides of the
> hole that marks the disk as HD? I should think that you could then format
> the floppy as a 720 easily. I haven't tried this myself, but "Logic is the
> art of going wrong - with confidence". I write enable factory-made
read-only
> 1.44 floppies in this manner, and I use ordinary frosted "scotch" tape
with
> great success.
>
> Stuart Johnson

I realize that answering one's own post isn't the best netiquette, but I
took time to try my suggestion and discovered that Windows XP Pro cannot
format a floppy EXCEPT as a 1.44. If you have a 720 floppy and need to
format it, you are SOL. This is in the XP documentation. This is an
IMPROVEMENT? :-(

Stuart Johnson
Received on Mon Jun 09 2003 - 21:57:00 BST