Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!crdgw1!uunet!shaman!jiro
From: jiro@shaman.com (Jiro Nakamura)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: mouldy floppy diskettes
Keywords: mould, cleaning, diskette
Message-ID: <1991Apr12.152022.3459@shaman.com>
Date: 12 Apr 91 15:20:22 GMT
References: <1991Apr11.104807.20341@bhpcpd.kembla.oz.au>
Organization: Shaman Consulting
Lines: 34

In article <1991Apr11.104807.20341@bhpcpd.kembla.oz.au> quy@bhpcpd.kembla.oz.au (Ameuroceasifica) writes:
>Please advise the best way to clean mouldy floppy diskettes.
>The mould appears as dark stains on the visible portion of 
>the plastics. The drive makes loud grinding noises when attempting
>but failing to read the disk.

	I'd say "throw it out." The mold has most probably bonded with
the plastic (like some molds do: see tupperware in back of fridge with
2 year old spaghetti noodles). Whatsmore, the grinding sound is most 
probably said mold banging against drive head, greatly dirtying and possibly
damaging it.
	OK. What you should do:
		1) Get a drive cleaner and clean your drive head.
			Possibly, take your drive apart and clean the
			head with a Q-tip. It might be that the normal
			cleaners won't do a good job.

		2) Take your floppy out of the plastic cover/case and
			wash it gently with a sponge under cold water
			being careful not to put fingerprints or 
			those spaghetti noodles on it. Put back in
			case.

	Do 2 only if you really need the info. A $2 disk isn't worth
a $200 drive.

	- jiro

ps. I disclaim any responsibility for any damage caused by above procedures.
Be careful!
-- 
Jiro Nakamura				jiro@shaman.com
Shaman Consulting			(607) 253-0687 VOICE
"Bring your dead, dying shamans here!"	(607) 253-7809 FAX/Modem