FW: Third round of Diskette Experiments completed (results)

Hi, I thought some of you might be interested in Pauls experiments. Has anyone here conducted similar experiments? Regards, Andrew B aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk --- Paul Panks <lumberjacks76 at lycos.com> wrote: The third phase of the now infamous '5.25" Diskette Experiments' have been completed. These experiments began back in 2003 and are in their third (and thankfully final) installment. I did the tests this evening and came to some (not surprising) conclusions. Here were the three tests: The Diskette Experiments, Phase III ---------------------------------- The Test Disks -------------- I used three separate test disks, one for each of the three tests. On Track 17-0 through 15-5 was placed a 61 block file (15,419 bytes), Cleve Blakemore's Dark Fortress (typed in from the January 1987 issue of Ahoy! magazine). On Track 19-0 through 22-1 was placed a 61 block file, the same aforementioned Cleve Blakemore game. The desire was to have two reasonably sized programs as the first two programs on disk, occupying an aggregate total of 122 disk blocks. The tests would determine three things about each disk: 1) Could a disk still be read by the disk drive? 2) If so, could the original data (both programs) be read and verified without a single bit error? 3) Thirdly, could the disk then be formatted and a simple read/write performed to it? The results of the tests are as follows, with some surprises: Drunk Disk ---------- The original test was going to be beer (1/2 cup) and water (1/2 cup) for thirty minutes. This test was later modified from using beer to oatmeal (1 package), non-fat dry milk (1/2 cup) and water (three 8 oz. cups), mixed in a bowl, which I then let stand for thirty minutes. The disk was then removed and allowed to quickly dry via a paper towel, wiped gently against both sides. The result was a disk that did not read, as the internal mylar floppy could very barely be moved by force from side to side by this person (more than any of the experiments, the oatmeal, water and dry milk mixture really stuck the disk to the jacket quite solidly). Conclusion: The disk is unreadable due to a physical (non-bit) failure of the disk jacket and internal disk mylar heavily sticking to the jacket itself. The Hot and Cold Affair ----------------------- This test called for putting ice cubes on the front side of the disk, while simultaneously holding the back side of the disk over a stovetop range at Medium heat (held approximately 3/4th of a foot from the surface of the stovetop due to overwhelming heat and potential hand burn considerations). The disk was held over the surface for a period of ten (10) minutes, while carefully juggling the ice cubes on the 1st surface simultaneously. The disk was allowed to cool for a period of 20 minutes, then read. The result was a disk that did not read, as the internal mylar floppy could barely be moved by force from side to side by this person. Conclusion: The disk is unreadable due to a physical (non-bit) failure of the disk jacket and internal disk mylar semi-sticking to the jacket itself. The Walk About -------------- This round of testing required walking on a disk using three separate shoes, using moderate pressure, for a period of 1 minute each. The shoes were: two business dress-style shoes, with small platform-like heels, and golf shoes (non-metal spikes used). The disk was walked on using moderate pressure and substituting each shoe for 20 seconds each, for a total of 1 minute aggregate time. The disk was then immediately read by the disk drive. The result was a disk that did not read, as the internal mylar floppy could barely be moved (though easier than the first experiment) by force from side to side by this person. Conclusion: The disk is unreadable due to a physical (non-bit) failure of the disk jacket and internal disk mylar semi-sticking to the jacket itself. Experiment Phase III Conclusions -------------------------------- The disks were a total loss, as the experiment never progressed beyond the first question asked ("Could a disk still be read by the disk drive ?"). Disks are not impervious to permanent and irreversible physical damage from oatmeal, milk, water, heat ( >= 250 degrees F ), ice cubes, shoes and golf spikes. It is strongly recommended by this person that end users strictly avoid such implements (as described above) when at, near or around a floppy disk or drive. Paul