need 720k 3 1/2" disks

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Tue Jun 10 00:16:00 2003

On Mon, 9 Jun 2003, jamesd wrote:
> my question was could a DSHD disk formated using 720k parameters on a DSDD
> drive be readable on a DSDD drive was the question... i know a DSDD disk is
> readaple and formatable on a DSHD drive it just that a DSHD drive can't be
> fooled to write a usuable DSDD disk by covering the whole or any other
> message... because the media on the DSHD disk is different..

It is not VERY different.
YES, it WILL work. It will produce a somewhat unreliable, but working
disk. (600 v 750 oersted) The media is different by less than 25% in
coercivity. That is close enough that people who are not serious about
reliability will claim that it works "just fine".

In other words, in an emergency, you are likely to "get away with
it". But use the correct diskette if there is any way to do so.

In order to play with, or check out, the machine until you get some of the
correct diskettes, you CAN play with HD diskettes. Just don't use them
for any data that you aren't willing to lose.

But your question also prompted discussion of HOW to "make do" with the
wrong diskette (tape, etc.) and the issue that XP doesn't make it easy to
format 720K (even with the right diskettes).


If you are still having problems finding real 720K's let me know; I can
certainly dig up a handful. But I intend to hang onto the early
shutterless and manual shutter ones.
Received on Tue Jun 10 2003 - 00:16:00 BST