NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #26/NN_1992_26.iso/spool/comp/sys/ibm/pc/hardware/29208

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-08 | 1.6 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!ukma!darwin.sura.net!haven.umd.edu!umd5!cygnus.umd.edu!adhir
From: [e-mail] (Alok Dhir)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Format 3.5 DD floppy as a HD, is it reliable?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 8 Nov 92 19:07:18 GMT
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>PS/2's didn't check for the hole because there was a bug in the controller
>software for the floppy.  Some other computer manufacturers had the same
>problem because they built with the same buggy specs.  New PS/2's do NOT
>allow this anymore, to the best of my knowledge.

My Model 90 at work allows it just fine.  So do the TEAC drives in my clone.
As a matter of fact, I haven't heard of a PC which DOES check for the HD
hole.

>Do *NOT* format double density disks at high density if you value your data.
>I've had several users at my site lose Lotus spreadsheets/databases within
>6 months of writing the file because their PS/2's allowed them to mis-format
>their disks (the current record for data self-degradation is two weeks).

I have had the same experience.  I've seen many people end up with trashed
data as a result of formatting a DD disk as HD.  I advise STRONGLY AGAINST
it.
--
 ============================================================================
 Al Dhir                                     Technical Consulting Staff
 Internet: [e-mail]           University of Maryland, College Park
 Bitnet:   adhir%cygnus.umd.edu@Interbit      [phone] * [phone]