🚀 go-pugleaf

Chris Genly writes:
>    1) Why can't I format a DS HD diskette as a DS DD disk?
>    
  The DS HD diskette uses a different type of medium for recording.  It
is designed to hold a weaker magnetic "charge" for each bit written so
that the data can be written more densely within the same area.  This
makes it impossible to use a DS DD disk for HD because the magnetic
field generated by the head on an HD drive is too weak for the medium.
However, there is no good reason why you can't format the HD as DD.  I
have done this many times, sometimes on 360K drives.

>    2) Is there a slot or hole somewhere in the floppy jacket that tells
>       the drive what capacity disk is inserted?

  Not on the 5-1/4" disks.  The difference in medium is only important
for the HD drives, and they can quickly detect a DD disk because they
can't read back to verify the first write.  Your DD drive should be
indifferent to the medium.
>    
>    2) What are the various diskette formats available now, and what
>       are thier capacities?

   The popular ones are:     5-1/4"            3-1/2"
                   DS DD       360K            720K
                   DS HD       1.2M            1.44M

   The old ones are: (all 5-1/4")
                   DS DD       320K
                   SS DD       180K
                   SS DD       160K
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
   You're welcome, even if you did ask three questions for the price of
2! :-)

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