21 Jan
2023
21 Jan
'23
9:38 p.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Brain via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: 21 January 2023 19:51
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Cc: Jim Brain <brain(a)jbrain.com>
Subject: [cctalk] Re: Computer Museum uses GreaseWeazle to help exonerate
Maryland Man
On 1/21/2023 1:36 PM, Chris via cctalk wrote:
It depends. 1.2Mb drives write a narrower track so if you put in a 360 or 640 disk in
that’s already been written and write to it, then existing data may not be properly erased
on a write.
So long as you only ever write on the 1.2MB drive its fine....
The 720kbs are ~60% more money. You have to have
one of those for an
Atari ST, Amiga, etc. I hate overpaying. I'm quite the tight wad.
I feel like you may be confusing the two threads here.
FLashFLoppy works with Gotek hardware and requires no actual drive, as it
replaces the floppy drive. Most people run the FlashFloppy firmware on the unit.
FF can support 720kB disk images
GreaseWeazle requires a floppy drive, as it plays the part of the floppy
controller. I don't use a 3.5" drive/GW combination, since all of the disks I
would ever need to archive are 5.25", but I *think* you cna safely write 720kB
disks in a 1.44MB drive using GW. IN that case, using a 1.44MB drive should
work fine, but I'll defer to others who have used that combo.
That said, I believe there were issues in the day in using a 1.2MB 5.25"
drive to write 360kB disks, due to drive head size and power output and
such. So, the conventional wisdom was to not try to write 360kB disks in a
1.2MB drive. Assuming that was not a tall tale, the same issue would occur with
GW, as it's still bound by the specific characteristics of the drive head in use.
Jim
--
Jim Brain
brain(a)jbrain.com
www.jbrain.com
Dave