Re: Copying Mac MFS disks on an Apple II

["Paul Grammens" <grammens@svn.net>]

"Bill Garber" <willy46pa@comcast.net> wrote in message
vZKcneZfhv4xsNCiXTWJkw@comcast.com">news:vZKcneZfhv4xsNCiXTWJkw@comcast.com...
>
> "Paul Grammens" <grammens@svn.net> wrote in message
> vkqar7ho9tf18e@corp.supernews.com">news:vkqar7ho9tf18e@corp.supernews.com...
> >
> > "Bill Garber" <willy46pa@comcast.net> wrote
> > >
> > > I was going to say that I just snagged one of those drives on eBay,
> > > but it isn't here yet. I was hoping to see if I can write 400k disks
on
> > > my IIgs. Do you need to have special disks for this?, or will it write
> > > an 800k disk to 400k?
> > >
> > The disks are the same as 800K disks.  But why would you want to use a
> 400K
> > drive when you could get 800K from the same disk?
>
> Kool, then I have disks I can use on it. Let me answer part 2 in this way.
> Why do people want their Apple IIs online when they can get to all the
> same places and more with a newer Mac or PC? To see if they can and
> because it's fun. That is the Spirit of the Apple II, is it not?
>

Heh heh!   OK, that's a good answer.


> > BTW, those 400K drives had a severe problem with grease that turns to
glue
> > over time.  You have to use some sort of solvent to dissolve it, and
then
> > the optical sensors tend to temporarily stop working. If that happens,
let
> > them sit for a few days to let the solvent evaporate and they should
start
> > working again.
> > -Paul
>
> Thank you, that info will be a God-Send I am sure. That will be the first
> thing I do is open it up and check. Oh, and to answer the 2nd part of the
> 1st part further, I thought I might be able to use it as a casing for my
now
> case-less UniDisk 3.5 drive. ;-)
>

I think the 400K mechanism is taller than 800K, so you might have trouble
retrofitting your UniDisk 3.5.
BTW, what happens with the hardened grease is that the disk doesn't
autoinject or autoeject-  It's a pain to clean, I think I used a toothbrush
(not mine, my wife's ;-) )  and worked the drive mechanism manually to
gradually dissolve the hardened grease. It's in between sliding sheetmetal
parts, so you can't get at it directly.
-Paul