----------Original Message: Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:10:17 -0800 From: "Chuck Guzis" <cclist at sydex.com> Subject: Re: RFC: Floppy reader/writer project (recovering UniPlus Unix for the Lisa) In my humble opinion, what's really needed is a quick and reliable non-contact method of recovering floppy data. Perhaps one of the more modern head technologies, such as GMR might be suitable for a head that doesn't contact the media. Or maybe we need to revive the "magnasee and laser" method. Increasingly, I'm seeing 5.25" diskettes with media flaking. There's no way that I'm going to stick one of those into a standard floppy drive, even after baking. It might be that we're starting to approach the "use by" date with some brands and need to resort to other approaches. Cheers, Chuck ---------Reply: Just a thought, for a one-or-two-off: Is there anything with which you could coat the disk surface to protect it that would be cohesive enough to hold down any flakes? Spray-on Urethane? Saran Wrap? Research is needed... ;-) mike