24 Jun
2016
24 Jun
'16
9:13 p.m.
> 2) It's been too long so I don't remember,
but don't you use normal pc
> floppies (5.25) and PUTR can format them?
On Fri, 24 Jun 2016, Ethan Dicks
wrote:
Yes, but you need the right type of PC floppy because
RX50 are
single-sided and 80 tpi and 10 sectors-per-track (400K on one side).
I'm sure there are FAQs and instructions all over about the process...
I just don't recall off the top of my head which keywords to shop for
that are merely good enough for TRS-80s and C-64s and which will do
for RX50s. Single Sided Single Density will not cut it, not that uber
cheap floppies abound these days (Elephant? BASF? Only if you like
cleaning your heads between each diskette).
That would be 80 TRACKS at 96 tracks per inch.
Those would be the 300 Oersted disks, same diskettes as "360K".
Do NOT use the 600 Oersted "1.2M"/"HD" disks.
Being Single Sided, it really won't hurt to use just the first side of a
Double Sided disk.
80 track V 40 track both call for the same chemistry of the coating, but
you should probably bulk erase whatever you get.
If you use a PC to format them, the requirements are essentially
the same as for a "720K" 5.25". Formatting can not be done with a
"360K" (40 track) drive, but can be done with a 1.2M drive, or with a 720K
5.25" (which aren't common in the PC world).
There are a couple of potential complications to using a 1.2M drive, that
can be gotten around in software.
(96tpi track spacing,
same write current, rotational speed and data transfer rate as for 360K)
We all have our favorite and hated brands.
Ones you buy now, would likely be used or New stale stock, but that
probably won't be a problem if they were stored well.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com