🚀 go-pugleaf

Robert Blackshaw wrote in message <6jk0a5$qg9$1@clarknet.clark.net>...
>tupps@labyrinth.net.au (Luke Tupper) wrote:
>
>>In article <6jicmo$8q2$4@clarknet.clark.net>, blckshaw@clark.net wrote:
>
>>>Poole <nospan@ibm.net> wrote:
>
>>>
>>>Hmm? I have encountered this problem and usually correct the problem
>>>by formatting the diskette on my MAC. If the MAC says it's bad then I
>>>pitch the floppy, but 90% of the time it formats the floppy and then,
>>>once it has been blessed by Apple :-), Windoze95 accepts the floppy.
>>>
>>>Bob
>
>>What is actually happening there is once a mac formats a disk it then
>>verifies the disk, rejecting it if the verify fails. So is there a
program
>>for Win95/NT that will format and verify floppy disks???
>
>Well when I ask Windoze95 to format an already formatted diskette
>it comes up with a message "Verifying 1..44 format" so I guess that
>it does some form of verification. The MAC's is more obvious as it
>is a two step function - format then verify. I have even rescued
>diskettes that had the 'bad track 0' message by running a very
>strong magnet over them, or a degausser, either one seems to
>work.
>
>Bob


I would NOT recommend passing a strong magnet over them.  You could end up
so strongly magnetizing the disk that it could end up magnetizing your
drive's head!  I  have had this happen and had to demag the drive to get it
to work again.  The drive also destroyed all disks put in it until it was
demagged!  Best bet is a bulk demagnetizer (degauser).  Also; make sure you
follow the directions, improperly used a demagnetizer can also strongly
magnetize a disk!  If you do use a magnet make sure you use wide sweeping
motions to pass the magnet over the disk.  Do not hold it in one place over
the disk.  With bulk demagnetizers also use sweeping motions, but also make
sure you do not activate or deactivate the demagnetizer near the disk.
It's also a good idea to do it in another room far from your computer or
any other disks!  Some demagnetizers are pretty darn strong.

 I too have rescued many a bad disk this way.  Fixes a lot of those
annoying "track 0 bad" messages. I must agree with the others though,
floppies have gone to hell.  When I use floppies to transfer data nowadays
I make a least two, and sometimes three copies in the faint hope that one
will make it...   The problem is especially pronounced when transferring
between different computers.

One other point, when Windows says "verifying 1.44 meg" that means it's
detected a existed format and it will then simply verify it.  Use the /u
switch to force a true format.  You may then do a regular format to
"verify" the first one.  That's a bit like what the Mac does. However;
there is an advantage to NOT doing a true format, if windows finds a sector
that is bad from the original format it will map it out and this can help
map out sectors that are weak.

Working with floppies has become an art form...

Mdg