[Coco] resurrecting 5" disks

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 13 May 2007, Bob Devries wrote:
>In the process of trying to make images of my Colour Computer disks, I have
>found quite a few which howl when put into a disk drive. Even some disks
>which have been carefully stored, seem to have accumulated a deposit on the
>surface of the magnetic media.
>
Howl?  Mmmm, I've heard them swish loudly, but howl?  The first thing I'd do 
is check the belt if the drive is a belt drive, it could possibly make a sort 
of a howl if it was slipping.  So a fresh belt might be in order.  Cleaning 
it probably won't help the slippage even if it did shut the howl up.  If the 
drive isn't a belt drive model, I might be tempted to see if I could get half 
a drop of oil into the bearing of the clamping rosette.

>I know there are others who are trying to do this; what method has been used
>to clean up and read those disks, and what success rate has been achieved?
>
>I have carefully wiped the disk surface with a moist soft cloth, and allowed
>the disk to dry before trying to read it again, with some degree of success.

Water makes the disk coating very very abrasive Bob, so it should have days in 
a hot, dry environment after that because there will be water trapped inside 
the sleeve.  Freeze dried in a vacuum chamber would be best, but who has one 
of those handy?  I sure don't, although I could cobble up the vacuum pretty 
easy.

>How have other people fared?
>
>--
>Regards, Bob Devries, Dalby, Queensland, Australia
>
>Isaiah 50:4 The sovereign Lord has given me
>the capacity to be his spokesman,
>so that I know how to help the weary.
>
>website: http://www.home.gil.com.au/~bdevasl
>my blog: http://bdevries.invigorated.org/
>
>
>--
>Coco mailing list
>Coco at maltedmedia.com
>http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco



-- 
Cheers, Gene
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
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-- Lady Blue