conner@carina.unm.edu (Steven Conner) (07/21/90)
In Computer Shopper magazine I saw an advertisment for a tool that would punch a hole in the corner of your 3.5" DD disks. The ad claimed that this would allow you to safely format and use it as a HD disk. Has anyone had any experience with this or a similar tool? Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this will work in a safe and dependable way? Steven conner@carina.unm.edu
trljim@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (James Sonnenmeier) (07/22/90)
In article <1990Jul20.185341.9797@ariel.unm.edu>, conner@carina.unm.edu (Steven Conner) writes... > >In Computer Shopper magazine I saw an advertisment for a tool that would >punch a hole in the corner of your 3.5" DD disks. The ad claimed that this >would allow you to safely format and use it as a HD disk. > >Has anyone had any experience with this or a similar tool? > >Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this will work in a safe and >dependable way? > >Steven >conner@carina.unm.edu I've had success just simply drilling a hole where the other square hole should be. People will flame me 'till I'm brown and crisp on this one but it works!. You simply have to be careful not to get any chips of the case on the floppy. I've had no reliability problems this way. Just food for thought. ========================================================================== Jim Sonnenmeier ! TRLJIM@UBVMS.BITNET : BITNET ! :-) [72361,2133] : CompuServe ! I like to think that time and space University at Buffalo ! are ours to use :) ... The sky is my Department of Mechanical/ ! joy, the wind is my lift. Aerospace Engineering ! ==========================================================================
mfrohman@digi.lonestar.org (Matthew Frohman) (07/23/90)
In article <1990Jul20.185341.9797@ariel.unm.edu> conner@carina.unm.edu (Steven Conner) writes: > >In Computer Shopper magazine I saw an advertisment for a tool that would >punch a hole in the corner of your 3.5" DD disks. The ad claimed that this >would allow you to safely format and use it as a HD disk. > >Has anyone had any experience with this or a similar tool? > >Does anyone have an opinion as to whether this will work in a safe and >dependable way? > >Steven >conner@carina.unm.edu I have used the tool advertised in Computer Shopper for quite some time. I buy either BONUS or SONY DD disk and punch them. I have never had trouble with a single disk, though every time I copy information to them, I do a COMPARE. The only trouble I have had was with some mail order disks, but the compares failed, so I did not use them. However, currently I am trying to install a switch on the drive so I can TELL it that the disk is either HD, LD, or let it auto-detect. That way I don't have to punch the disks. By the way, if you decide to get the puncher out of Computer Shopper, get the all metal one. It is about $40 vs. $20 for the plastic one. The metal one is much easier to handle. Some disk take quite an effort to punch through. Others are flimsy plastic and may crack (like the mail order disks that wouldn't work).
newbie@inmet.UUCP (Chris Newbold) (07/23/90)
In article <31214@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> trljim@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu writes: >I've had success just simply drilling a hole where the other square hole >should be. People will flame me 'till I'm brown and crisp on this one but >it works!. You simply have to be careful not to get any chips of the case >on the floppy. I've had no reliability problems this way. Ok. That's nice, but it takes too long for me. I just whip out a largish pair of scissors and clip the corner off the disk. This is best done with a label already stuck on, as it will hold the two halves of the case together during and after the operation. So far, it works great. You just have to be careful not to take off too much... :-) Also, you don't have to worry about getting scraps from the drilling inside. One last note: Use caution when inserting so-modified disks into Macs. I have seen a couple get jammed on ejects because the case has caught on something and separated. No problems on PC's, though... Happing clipping! -- >>>> Chris Newbold <<<< | Murphy's Law: | Intermetrics, Inc | "Don't mess with Mrs. Murphy!" | Disclaimer: "All warranties expire upon payment of invoice." newbie@inmet.UUCP * inmet!newbie@uunet.uu.net * ctne_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu