4 May
2005
4 May
'05
11:08 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Leonard" <trixter at oldskool.org>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2005 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: Modern floppy disk question...
PC-land)
Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> That's a really good question. I'd like an answer myself. I routinely
> read disks that are 20-25-30 years old with few problems, yet I can't
walk
> 10 feet to another computer and recover a file I
just copied onto a
modern
3.5" disk
without the disk going bad. Go figure.
Two words: Track density. Old 5.25" disks spread (in the case of IBM
180KB per side of 5.25" surface area... later
disks crammed four times as
much
in roughly half the surface area. I have had exactly
one 5.25" disk go
bad in
storage in the last 25 years, but my 3.5" disks
haven't been as lucky.
them
Once you do find one, hang on to it. They're
becoming as precious as
gold.
ebay auctions are good for lots of 100 or more 3.5" disks for $15 or so...
they're old disks, so the quality is probably better, and you can format all and ditch the ones that have errors. Works for
me.
--
Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org)
http://www.oldskool.org/
Want to help an ambitious games project?
http://www.mobygames.com/
Or check out some trippy MindCandy at
http://www.mindcandydvd.com/
ebay currently has a seller selling Mac formatted 1.44 disks for $6.99 BIN
and $5 shipping for 250PCs
look for quasiman Item number 5191185070