Re: assistance with disk ][ and modern 1.2M floppies

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:

>Supertimer <supertimer@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> The Disk II will store to only one side but you should notch
>> the disk to use the other side.  Why waste it?  ;-)
>> 
>> The disks are certified double sided after all, so they will
>> store 280k.  One volume on each side.

286k to be exact.

>There is a potential problem with this technique, though it may be a
>myth.
>
>I have heard claims that 5.25" disks have a dirt collection layer inside
>the case, which gathers dust and other gunk when the disk revolves in
>one direction, but will deposit it back onto the disk if the revolution
>is reversed (as when flipping the disk over).

I think this is a myth.  I've extracted the mylar disk from
the case before and looked at said layer.  On the disks
I examined, they appear to be honeycombed diamonds
of fabric in design.  Any dust that leaves because of
reverse revolution will be picked up again after just one
or two millimeters of travel.

>I don't know whether to believe this.  I've personally used flipped over
>and double notched disks without major problems.  Just to play it safe,
>I'd be inclined to avoid flipping a disk which contains important data.

But Apple and all the major software publishers used
both sides!

>(Not that I've used 5.25" disks much in the last five years.)

Same here.  I do not even HAVE a 5.25" drive anymore.