[vcf-midatlantic] USB Floppies that are flexible? Cleaning a 3.5" drive?

[Dave McGuire]

   Hmm, I don't remember if I've actually formatted disks with it, but I 
can give it a shot and find out.  I've used it exclusively under Linux.

              -Dave

On 12/8/20 2:30 PM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> you mean format 720K too? a USB drive that formats 720K using what OS?
> b
> 
> On Tue, Dec 8, 2020 at 2:11 PM Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
> 
>>
>>     I have a LaCie USB 3.5" drive (model "MYFLOPPY3") that handles 720KB
>> disks just fine, I use it all the time for those.
>>
>>     These will never be able to do arbitrary non-PeeCee disk formats,
>> though.
>>
>>                 -Dave
>>
>> On 12/8/20 1:57 PM, Jason Perkins via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
>>> I have a ~2003 vintage NEC usb floppy drive that can read and write, but
>>> not format PC 720k disks. Inside it has a normal laptop disk mechanism,
>>> with an external USB converter board.
>>>
>>> I can look up the model if anyone is interested.
>>>
>>> On Tue, Dec 8, 2020 at 8:59 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <
>>> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> IMHO there is no modern solid USB substitute for the 720K disk drive,
>> for
>>>> both software and hardware reasons.  I'd set up a "tweener" PC for this
>>>> kind of work that has an actual 3.5" drive installed and an OS like
>> Windows
>>>> 2000.  You can also install a 5 1/4" drive..
>>>> Bill
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Dec 8, 2020 at 10:00 AM John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic <
>>>> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hey folks,  two asks -- I'm looking for advice:
>>>>>
>>>>> Are there any USB or external floppy drive arrangements that are
>> flexible
>>>>> like internal floppy drives for allowing formatting and/or reading of
>>>>> unusual sector sizes or formats?
>>>>>
>>>>> Ex:  800KB Atari ST floppies and PC DOS disks formatted in unusual
>> sizes
>>>>>
>>>>> ..
>>>>>
>>>>> Second question is -what is the easiest way to clean the heads on a
>> 3.5"
>>>>> floppy?   If I have a bunch of 'suspect' floppies that I want to clean
>>>> the
>>>>> head between every disk it seems a little painful to disassemble the
>>>> drive
>>>>> enough to see the heads and clean.  Are there any alternatives?
>>>>>
>>>>> (I'm used to 5.25" drives where there's often enough space in there to
>>>> wipe
>>>>> without disassembly).
>>>>> Maybe there's a good (modern) source of 3.5" cleaning floppies?
>>>>>
>>>>> (P.S.  I have a K6-3+ PC I can put a fresh OS on so I may be cleaning a
>>>>> legacy 3.5" drive instead of a USB floppy).
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>> John
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
>> New Kensington, PA
>>


-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA