3.5" Disk Drive

Look on craigslist for an old computer that has one built in.
 
ron22 said:
I sold an old 8" floppy drive on ebay not that long ago.
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Do you remember the data capacity? I thought the 8" were 360k and the 5.25" were 720k. That sound right?
 
Captain said:
So...my plane updates the FMS database with these new high tech 3.5" floppy disks. I don't know why they call them floppy disks as they're hard plastic with a piece of metal that slides when inserted to expose the real floppy disk inside.

Here's my problem...

The plane has a disk reader installed in it. But to get the data ONTO the disks in the first place you need an external 3.5" drive the connects to your computer via USB. I've been to and called around and BestBuy and Staples actually laugh at me when I ask if they carry it. RadioShack didn't know what I was talking about.

I guess the technology is just too new.

Anybody have an idea where I can drive and pick one up today? Ordering one isn't an option. Thanks.
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Where are you these days? I'm pretty sure I have one, but I doubt I can find it today.
 
Henning said:
Where are you these days? I'm pretty sure I have one, but I doubt I can find it today.
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Too far. Out of state til Wednesday now. I'll get it taken care of when I get back now. No SIDs or stars or GPS approaches til then...
 
Marauder said:
Do you remember the data capacity? I thought the 8" were 360k and the 5.25" were 720k. That sound right?
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8" were a maximum of 1.2MB DSDD. 5 1/4" were all over the map because of differences standard formats. The IBM DSSD (Double sided single density) were 360KB. Apple II used a nearly complete software controlled setup which could have different numbers of sectors per track and some real oddball stuff was done as "copy protection" on that platform. The IBM AT used a high density 5 1/4" with more tracks which could handle 1.2MB. 3 1/2" inch SD were 720KB and then DD were 1.44MB.

Wow. I'm old. I lived (and worked) through all that. I've used disk doublers ( jigs for punching reference holes and notches in a single sided floppy to allow you to turn it over and use both sides, one at a time). I wrote floppy tape drivers for tape drives which connected to the floppy controller and pretended to be a floppy drive with really big sectors. Lots of rather strange stuff looking back at it.

John
 
Just for the sake of rounding out the thread...

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Captain,
I have a lenovo USB floppy drive right here in my junk drawer. It is brand new, never used. PM me your address.
 
USB 3.5's are around. I still use them because I have an older Yamaha Disklavier grand piano that still uses these.
 
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