3.5' floppy discs DD format

Subject: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: GUEST,Buzz
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 02:24 PM

Any one out there know where i can find DD format discs, having loads of greif this end tracing any.

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 02:29 PM

Why would you only need DD disks?

About 3 years ago, I tossed out about 30 or 80 of them...

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Don Firth
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:24 PM

Unless you have a weird computer or there is something I don't know (how could that be?), HD should work perfectly well in DD floppy drive. Back in Ancient Times when I was using a KayPro II, I used DD floppies in a one-side single density drive, and never had a problem.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: GUEST,BUZZ
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:31 PM

If I save midi files on hd discs they will not play in my yamaha keyboard,it will only work with dd type discs.is there something i need to know?

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 03:37 PM

Try formatting your hd disks as 720kb disks.

Jon

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 04:08 PM

ya... what Jon said!

;-)

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: IvanB
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 06:49 PM

I have about 20-25 with old programs on them that I could move to other disks and send you. You might also try taping up the top left square hole (looking at the label side of the diskette). That may be what's throwing you keyboard off. If you want the disks I have, email me here:

Ivan Bradley's e-mail

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 10:11 PM

I just did a little reading on this and found something I was not aware of. Apparently the hd and dd disks and their drives (looks like a hd drive switches depending on the presence of the hole) use different strengths of magnetic fields or something like that. The bottom line seems to be that converting a hd to a dd is not advisable as there is quite a risk of data loss.

Jon

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: IvanB
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 10:49 PM

Jon, I just converted one and it took quite a bit of experimentation (I had to make sure the hole was covered on both sides) before it would format. Since Buzz is looking for the 720K floppies to be able to use in his keyboard, I'd assume he could have the files replicated on a more stable storage medium. In that case, he'd not have to worry about data loss on the diskette.

I did store some files on my reformatted floppy and it worked fine, but I tend to agree with you to the extent that I'd not store my only copy of any mission critical data on it.

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: NH Dave
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 04:44 PM

Not only is the flux density different between the high and double density disks and drives, but the HD drives lay down a more narrow track on the disk, to allow for cramming twice as much info on the same sized disk. While setting the drive to format the disk at 720K capacity will take care of the spacing between the tracks, and may help with the flux density, the drive will still only lay down a very narrow track, which double density drives, such as are in the Yamaha system may have difficulties reading.

This is akin to us older people having difficulties with smaller point type.

The solution may be to haunt a computer or electronic flea market to find a double density drive, and get a local computer friend to install it as another floppy drive in your computer; or get an older computer with a DD drive and use it to copy these songs onto the disks. This would be almost as cheap and would save messing around with your machine.

Dave

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From:
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 07:13 PM

I think I have a couple of DD drives, if someone wants one. Just pay the shipping and you've got it.

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Don Firth
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 07:58 PM

Sometimes installing an older drive in a fairly new computer can produce problems. I had a 5-1/4 inch floppy drive installed in my recently purchased (but now obsolescent) Pentium II so I could transfer files from my decomissioned Turbo XT, and although I was able to make the transfer (Windows 98 wouldn't recognize it -- I had to go to the DOS prompt), the drive is making a pain in the ass of itself. Error messages about not being able to access the drive even when I'm not trying to access it. High on the agenda is taking the computer back to the shop and having the old drive replaced with something else.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: Helen
Date: 13 Jun 01 - 07:57 PM

I have to use DD disks on my Amiga, which has a PC compatible drive, but to get stuff transferred onto my new PC I have to first copy it on the old laptop onto HD disks. It's a pain, but it works.

I bought a box of DD disks quite a while back so I haven't run out so far and I don't use the Amiga so much now, except that it is fantastic for graphics & the PC is cr*p.

Helen

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: pavane
Date: 14 Jun 01 - 05:13 AM

DD disks can still be purchased in bulk. As a user of MIDI equipment, I still need them and bought a box of 200 last month (here in the UK). I will look out and post the name of the suppliers later. Otherwise check with suppliers of MIDI backing tracks and ask where they get their supplies - that's what I did.

I checked with Roland and they have no plans for hardware upgrades to let their (now obsolete) equipment read HD disks.

It is correct that reformating an HD disk as DD will not usually work, because the narrower head only formats half the track width, the other half is not deleted and will may then conflict. Formatting an UNFORMATTED disk as DD should work, but you can't get those either.

Subject: RE: 3.5' floppy discs DD format
From: pavane
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 02:39 AM

I got my disks from

MRK Office supplies
Units 4 & 5
The Old Creamery
Huntspill Road
Highbridge
Somerset TA9 3DF
tel [phone]