Re: Creating IIGS Disk Images w/limited hardware

["Roger Johnstone" <rojaws@mac.com>]

In article <u3ec19l5fpjr3b@corp.supernews.com>, "Donald A. Newell Jr." 
<donewell@charter.net> wrote:

> I have a similar problem:  copying old Apple2 disks.
> But, what type of (modern) floppy disks should I uase?
> I have a GS II with both size floppy drives: 3.5 & 5.25.
> Do I buy an IBM 720K and reformat it to an Apple disk?
> Or an IBM 1.2 MB disk and reformat it to Apple2?
>
> Have a Mac Plus & a Mac Performa.
> Any ideas/hints will be appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Don Newell

The Apple II 5.25" disk drive stores 140KB on a double-density,
singled-sided disk. IBM PCs used to use the same disks, normally called
360KB disks. They used double-sided drives, so stored 2x180KB per disk. The
high-density disks (1.2MB) have a different recording surface and aren't
reliable in a double-density drive.

The Apple II 3.5" disk drive is the same as the drive in your Mac Plus,
800KB on a double-density, doubled-sided disk. PC 720KB disks are the same
disks, they just need to be formatted. Again, don't use 1.4MB disks.

If you only have high-density disks you can often use them, just don't trust
them. For 3.5" disks the HD versions normally work fine, but the data's life
expectancy if much shorter. If you're using them to transfer software
to/from a Mac with a 1.4MB drive, cover the HD indicator hole in the disk
with a bit of tape, otherwise the Mac will assume it's a 1.4MB disk. For
5.25" drives the HD disks will often fail to format at all, but sometimes
will work. I wouldn't use them for anything more than trying out disk images
though.

--
Roger Johnstone, Invercargill, New Zealand
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