Re: Question:Is the AE 3 1/2 HD drive hardware or software?

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <51feii$hcu@news.sas.ab.ca>,  <speedy@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca> wrote:
>Edhel Iaur (drsmooth@relex.com) wrote:
>: I'd just cover it (the HD hole) with tape >:) (I don't know if the
>: drive uses a light for a sensor, so clear tape may not work.) If
>: you're really fancy, you could fill it in with color-matched epoxy, I
>: suppose...

>AE 3.5" drives, unlike their Apple 3.5" drive counterparts, will not 
>reliably work with HD disks, whether you cover the hole or not. It isn't 
>testing it; they just physically don't work. This really baffles me, 
>since I always thought that HD disks were just DD disks with a hole in 
>them (there used to be marketed a mechanism that would punch the hole and 
>save you money.).

   Nope. Different magnetic properties in the media between DD and HD
disks. Sure, punching or filling in a hole will probably work, but
they're got a pretty high chance of not being readable in a few
months.  Do NOT put anything important on a disk of the write type
that you don't have (multiple) proper backups of.

   This falls under the quick hack category. Sure, it'll work for a
minute.  Odds are not good it'll work in a few months.

Nathan Mates

--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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