24 Sep
2001
24 Sep
'01
1:31 p.m.
On Mon, 24 Sep 2001, David Betz wrote:
I just acquired an Apple IIgs (thanks Rich!) and am
anxious to try it out. I
have downloaded the system software from the Apple site but an unsure how to
go about making 800K disks for use on the IIgs as none of my local computer
stores stock 800K floppies. Is it possible to cover over the hole that tells
the drive that it is a HD disk and format it as an 800K disk? Will the 800K
drive on the IIgs be able to read it? Or do I have to find a source for real
800K media?
800K diskettes (aka 720K) are about 600 Oerstedt. 1.4M diskettes are about
750 Oerstedt. While it's not "right", it is close enough that you will
usually get away with it, most of the time, for unimportant stuff, if
you're lucky. (unlike 360K v 1.2M, which are 300 and 600 Oerstedts
respectively and too different)
IOW, you CAN make a poor quality 800K diskette out of a good 1.4M
diskette.
MOST 720K/800K drives don't even have a media type sensor, and won't
care. But to use a 1.4M diskette as 720K/800K in a modern 1.4M drive,
cover the hole with opague tape.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com