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From: sac90286@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Kubla Khan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Low Density Disks in High Density Drives
Summary: How???
Keywords: HD Disk 1.2M 360K
Message-ID: <1836@garcon.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: 22 Aug 89 21:51:19 GMT
References: <1293@cbnewsd.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@garcon.cso.uiuc.edu
Reply-To: kubla@uiuc.edu (Kubla Khan)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lines: 18

In article <1293@cbnewsd.ATT.COM> bryan@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (bryan.k.delaney) writes:
>1.2M disks require a different write current
>than the 360/720K disks so you should not use them at 360/720K
>either.  

This raises yet another question: I have a 1.2M 5-1/4" drive in my AT clone.
It is able to read/write low density 360K diskettes (using the 360K format)
with no problems, and I swap 360K diskettes with my XT clone all the time
with no problems. How does the 1.2M drive know to change its write current
in order to successfully write a 360K floppy? Or, if it does not change its
write current, the how do you explain the ability of thousands to read/write
low density floppies in their high density drives?

Curiouser and curiouser,


Scott Coleman
kubla@uiuc.edu