Re: My laser 128

[Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com>]

Kevin Dady <kevin@hackaday.com> wrote:
> On Jan 8, 11:57 am, Michael J. Mahon <mjma...@aol.com> wrote:
>> Bill Hicks <billwebz...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Jan 8, 6:53 am, Bill Hicks <billwebz...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On Jan 7, 7:52 pm, "ict@ccess" <gids...@sasktel.net> wrote:
>> 
>>>>> On Jan 7, 3:03 pm, Bill Hicks <billwebz...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>>>>> This week, while waiting for blank discs I ordered on eBay I wired up
>>>>>> a serial cable using an old pc keyboard adapter and a 9 pinn to 25
>>>>>> serial cable. Using Adtpro and a few old commodore plus 4 discs I was
>>>>>> able to get a dos disk setup.
>> 
>>>>>> Today I received the blank discs and they are not the ds dd 360k ones
>>>>>> I expected, but ds hd 1.2 mb ones. Before I open the box, will they
>>>>>> work? It has been so long I don't even remember if it mattered going
>>>>>> from high to double, though I know you can't go the other way.
>> 
>>>>>> Also, I pulled the keyboard apart on the 128, and was able to wash
>>>>>> every bit if it. Works like a champ now.
>> 
>>>>>> Bill
>> 
>>>>> You were able to transfer data to your laser to create a DOS disk
>>>>> setup without a bootup disk on your Laser?
>> 
>>>>> Rob
>> 
>>>> Yes using Adtpro. I made a null modem serial cable and was able to get
>>>> the basic dos across to it and "init hello" 2 old disks I had laying
>>>> around. I wasn't able to make a prodos disk though. I either would get
>>>> format errors or I would get a screen of garbage when I booted from
>>>> it.
>> 
>>>> I just ordered another batch of disks from eBay, this time I hope for
>>>> better luck. Also I posted on the local free cycle looking of any old
>>>> floppies. May be able to score a bunch used that way.
>> 
>>>> Today I am going to write a basic program to make a color test so I
>>>> can adjust the color of the old Sony tv I am using. My son thought it
>>>> was "neat" to be able to change the colors when he was using the tv
>>>> and it is ll out of adjustment.
>> 
>>>> Bill
>>> I had forgotten that we used to punch a new read write notch in the
>>> disk and use the other side on the ]['s when I was in high school and
>>> disks cost $5 a piece, is this doable with the 128? I also remember
>>> that you take chance of dirt being released from the inside jacket
>>> ( reminds me I have to finds disk head cleaner online just in case )
>> 
>>> Bill
>> 
>> Using your disks as "flippies" will work fine.
>> 
>> The old paranoia was a myth for any disk of reasonable quality.
>> 
>> -michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II:http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon
> 
> I have 1 "single sided" disk and it works fine as a flippy, of course
> almost all of them are dual sided shortly after anyway

Exactly. There was a short window when "single sided" disks were actually
single sided. 

And Apple's method of formatting is more tolerant of isolated surface
imperfections than others. 

-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon