12 Jun
2005
12 Jun
'05
10:41 a.m.
Subject: Re: Wild-hair floppy drive question
From: Scott Stevens <chenmel at earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 09:28:37 -0500
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org>
On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 20:01:12 -0500
Doc Shipley <doc at mdrconsult.com> wrote:
I still do this in my Kapro 4/84. In a pinch 1.44media will work fine
if the media select hole (not write protect) is filled.
Fortunatly I have a box of 720k media.
Allison
Eric Smith wrote:
Years back, I had good luck using a 720K (DSDD) 3-1/2" drive in place of
the 720K '80 track' 5-1/4" drive in an Intel PDS workstation. I
'converted over' all the original media from 5-1/4" by installing the 3
and 5 inch drives in a 'dual drive' configuration then ran the disk copy
utility.
Blank new 720K 3-1/2" media itself has become scarce now, though. Doc asks:
Sorry, no, I meant a 3.5" floppy drive. As soon as Allison replied
I
realized the question was ambiguous.
I've found something intersting about the Compaq m/b that hosts my
1.2MB 5.25" disk drive, though.
That board auto-detects all its hardware on every boot. If I boot
with a DSQD disk in that drive, the BIOS auto-updates the settings to
'3.5" 1.44MB Drive".
Which is what prompted my question in the first place.
Doc Would a DSHD floppy drive with a DSHD disk in
it
You mean a 96 TPI high-density 5.25" disk and drive (e.g., IBM 1.2M
format that was introduced with the PC/AT)? 
12 Jun
12 Jun
1:31 p.m.
From: "Allison" <ajp166 at bellatlantic.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:41 AM
3.5" DSDD media is still available and cheap but you may need to special
order it.
Randy
www.s100-manuals.com
> From: Scott Stevens <chenmel at
earthlink.net>
> Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 09:28:37 -0500
<snip>
Years back, I
had good luck using a 720K (DSDD) 3-1/2" drive in place of
the 720K '80 track' 5-1/4" drive in an Intel PDS workstation. I
'converted over' all the original media from 5-1/4" by installing the 3
and 5 inch drives in a 'dual drive' configuration then ran the disk copy
utility.
Blank new 720K 3-1/2" media itself has become scarce now, though.
I still do this in my Kapro 4/84. In a pinch 1.44media will work fine
if the media select hole (not write protect) is filled.
Fortunatly I have a box of 720k media.
Allison 
3:22 p.m.
Randy McLaughlin wrote:
From: "Allison" <ajp166 at
bellatlantic.net>
Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:41 AM
3.5" DSDD media is still available and cheap but you may need to special
order it.
I'd like to throw in here - there are a couple of office surplus
houses here that I haunt on a monthly basis. I've gotten NOS media
ranging from a couple of Black Watch 6250bpi 9-track reels to DVD-R
blanks and used floppies out the wazoo. Last month I picked up 8 10-pc
boxes of 3.5" DSDD disks for $0.50/box.
The deal is that the used office supply places seem to get more
floppy media and want a lot less for it than the computer shops. In
fact, one of these places used to throw all that away till I started
asking for it. Now he chucks it in a carton till I get to pick over it,
then puts it out on the shelf for a month or so before he tosses it.
Mike says I'm not the only buyer for "the weird stuff". ;)
Doc
> From: Scott Stevens <chenmel at
earthlink.net>
> Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 09:28:37 -0500
<snip>
Years
back, I had good luck using a 720K (DSDD) 3-1/2" drive in place of
the 720K '80 track' 5-1/4" drive in an Intel PDS workstation. I
'converted over' all the original media from 5-1/4" by installing the 3
and 5 inch drives in a 'dual drive' configuration then ran the disk copy
utility.
Blank new 720K 3-1/2" media itself has become scarce now, though.
I still do this in my Kapro 4/84. In a pinch 1.44media will work fine
if the media select hole (not write protect) is filled.
Fortunatly I have a box of 720k media.
Allison 
6:39 p.m.
On Sun, 12 Jun 2005, Allison wrote:
Or in a drive that
doesn't have a sensor (such as most early 720Ks, IBM
PS/2 1.4M, etc.)
The coercivity difference of 600 v 750 is close enough that you will
often/usually get away with it (unlike the 300 v 600 of 360 v 1.2M)
Blank new 720K
3-1/2" media itself has become scarce now, though.
I still do this in my Kapro 4/84. In a pinch 1.44media will work fine
if the media select hole (not write protect) is filled. Fortunatly I have a box of 720k media.
I trust
that it is a BIG box!
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at xenosoft.com
7014
days inactive
7014
days old
3 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
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doc＠mdrconsult.com