Proper
Diskette Usage and Care
- Never leave diskettes in the drive, as they can leak out of the disk
and corrode the inner mechanics of the drive. Diskettes should be rolled up and
stored in pencil holders.
- Diskettes should be cleaned and waxed once a week. Microscopic metal
particles may be removed by waving a powerful magnet over the surface of the
disk. Any stubborn metal shavings can be removed with scouring powder and steel
wool.
- When waxing a diskette, make sure the surface is even. This will allow the
diskette to spin faster, resulting in better access time.
- Do not fold diskettes unless they do not fit into the drive. "Big"
diskettes may be folded and used in "Little" drives.
- Never insert a diskette into the drive upside down. The data can fall off
the surface of the disk and jam the intricate mechanics of the drive.
- Diskettes cannot be backed up by running them through a photocopy machine.
If your data is going to need to be backed up, simply insert two diskettes into
your drive. Whenever you update a document, the data will be written onto both
disks.
- A handy tip for more legible backup copies: Keep a container of iron
filings at your desk. When you need to make two copies, sprinkle iron filings
liberally between the diskettes before inserting them into the drive.
- Diskettes should not be removed or inserted into the drive while the red
light is on or flashing. Doing so should result in smeared or possibly
unreadable text.
- Occasionally, the red light remains flashing I what is known as a "hung"
or "hooked" state. If your system is hooking, you will probably need
to insert a few coins before being allowed to access the slot.
- If your diskette is full and needs more storage space, remove the disk from
the drive and shake vigorously for two minutes. This will pack the data enough
(data compression) to allow for more storage.
- Be sure to cover all openings with Scotch tape to prevent loss of data.
- Data access time may be greatly improved by cutting more holes in the
diskette jacket. This will provide more simultaneous access points to the disk.
- Periodically spray diskettes with insecticide to prevent system bugs from
spreading.....
- You can keep your data fresh by storing disks in the vegetable compartment
of your refrigerator. Disks may be frozen, but remember to unthaw by
microwaving or briefly immersing I boiling water.
- "Little" diskettes must be removed from their box prior to use.
These containers are childproof to prevent tampering by unknowledgeable
youngsters.
- You can recover data from a damaged disk by using the DOS command FORMAT/U
or alternately by scratching new sector marks on the disk with a nail file.
- Diskettes become "hard" with age. It's important to back up your
"hard" disks before they become too brittle to use.
- Make sure you label your data. Staples are a good way to permanently affix
labels to your disks.
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