[CoCo] 720kb vs 1.4mb 3.5" disks

[Boisy Pitre]

Stopping up the holes on two 1.44MB disks (one Maxell brand, the other 
Imation), I was able to format both with no problems under NitrOS-9.  
While I haven't done any extensive write tests on them, I was able to 
overlay the NitrOS-9/6309 disk images onto them from my Linux box and 
boot fine with them on my CoCo system.

That said, I am still wary about using these disks in such a fashion.  
Cloud-9's policy is to use 720K 3.5" floppies for NitrOS-9, and my 
suggestion is to use 720K floppies in a drive if you have them.  If 
not, then pick quality 1.44MB floppies, cover the HD hole, and use 
them.

On Dec 11, 2003, at 7:54 AM, Boisy Pitre wrote:

> All of this discussion has prompted me to set up an FD-502 unit with a 
> 1.44MB floppy drive as Drive 0, and move the original 5.25" DS drive 
> in the top position of the cabinet and set it to drive 1.
>
> Using 720K floppy disks (not 1.44MB with the hole covered) on my Linux 
> box, I transferred the latest NitrOS-9 image over to the floppy disk, 
> then inserted the floppy into the 1.44MB drive on the CoCo.  It booted 
> fine, and seems to be reading/writing to the floppy with no problems.
>
> I also formatted a 720K floppy disk in /d0, again with no problems.
>
> As a test, I have a 1.44MB floppy from a bundle that I bought.  These 
> floppies are new and were probably manufactured in the last year.  
> I'll cover up the hi-density hole, format it and see how reliable it 
> will be.
>
> All of this has prompted me to add a 720K disk image to the NitrOS-9 
> distribution build.  So the next release of NitrOS-9 will include a 
> 720K disk image in addition to the two 360K disk images already there.
>
> Boisy
>
>
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