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Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!hsi!genly!chris
From: chris@genly.UUCP (Chris Hind Genly)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: DS HD floppies
Message-ID: <chris.3717@genly.UUCP>
Date: 16 Jun 91 17:24:17 GMT
Organization: Eggplant Software Tools, CT, USA
Lines: 27
Sumamry:  Why can't I format a DS HD diskette as a DS DD disk?

I'd like some help understanding the various types of floppies.  I have a
really old machine at home, an 8088, with a 5 1/4 inch floppy drive that
works with DS DD disks. I'm running PCDOS 2.10.  I tried to format a 5 1/4
inch DS HD floppy on my machine and I got an error message along the lines of
'track 0 unwritable.' The two types of floppies appear identical to the eye. 
I assumed that I'd be able to format the HD floppy as a DD floppy and just
waste the bandwidth.  

    1) Why can't I format a DS HD diskette as a DS DD disk?
    
    2) Is there a slot or hole somewhere in the floppy jacket that tells
       the drive what capacity disk is inserted?
    
    2) What are the various diskette formats available now, and what
       are thier capacities?

Thanks in advance.

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        ______/   Eggplant Software Tools     \________
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/ Chris Hind Genly    chris@genly.uucp   uunet!hsi!genly!chris \
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