19 Jan
2006
19 Jan
'06
12:23 p.m.
At 12:01 PM 1/19/2006 -0600, you wrote:
Subject: deformatting floppies
I would have thought it best to take a magnet to a hd
disk before popping in a 720k drive to be formatted,
but it seems to not have any (or much) effect. Even
using a chunky rare earth magnet! Can someone explain?
NOT a good idea: using a PERMANENT magnet. Could leave permanent magnetism
on the HEADS. I have been successful using a "bulk tape eraser" from Radio
Shack.. The kind useable on tape cassettes would be OK.. Move the disk
around a few times in contact with the eraser, then turn at right angles
and SLOWLY draw it away. Think slowly decreasing sine wave. This should
demagnetize the disk well, and MOST disks that give "Bad Media or Track
Zero" can be formatted.
Regards, Terry King ...On The Mediterranean in Carthage, Tunisia
terry at terryking.us