Date   : Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:31:01 +0200
From   : rick@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: Floppy drive cleaner

Alex Taylor wrote:

> Ah, I've ruined stuff before by using WD40.

I'm not surprised. Put some inside an old lock. A lot more than I 
squirted in came out the sides. What, does it dissolve in the air or 
something!?!?


> I'll remember that one. I'm sure I've used plain A4 paper for cleaning
> things before though.

I think it has to be specifically brown paper as a lot of white is 
'coated'. It would be easier, brown envelopes are less and less common. 
Apparently the slightly ribbed ones are best, but they too seem rare.


> the visible supply reel inside the cassette shell shows a white
> powdery film on top.

That's not the problem. Wait 'til you see what is stuck on the actual 
tape surface! You might need to hold it squint to a bright light to see 
it, but it can clobber your player!


> Apparently, playing such tapes in a machine can then spread the
 > 'mould' to any tape subsequently played in it.

I'm not entirely sure I believe that. I mean, it makes sense in a 
bacteriological sense, but then it is worth considering that if tapes 
are stored in a situation that makes such a problem likely, then it is 
possible that ALL such tapes will suffer to a varying degree; hence a 
tape that played fine a couple of months ago might be 'mouldy' in 
another month and not because it was passed through an infected player 
but because it was just going to be.

All I can say, thank god I'm recording digitally nowadays. DVD-Rs might 
have an indeterminate lifespan (the 100 years idea is bogus as nobody 
has a 100 year old DVD), but so long as problems are noticed, copying is 
a lot less grief. Picture is better. Sound a lot better. Easier to 
handle. Smaller physical size. And I could stick my favourite scene of 
Aki Ross in a loop play forever and it would happily oblige (well, until 
the player's motor went pfffut!). Oh, and I never ever ever have to 
remember to rewind the things. :-) All good!


> aside for playing such tapes, just to be on the safe side.

It's a wise precaution, but if you notice tapes going a bit 'odd', check 
where they are stored. For me, I don't have a choice. In the winter the 
humidity can top 80%+. I actually have a Bush Box that is gently rusting 
underneath, yet, oddly, all the A5000's ironwork is fine, as is the 
E01S. Go figure!


Best wishes,

Rick.

-- 
Rick Murray, eeePC901 & ADSL WiFI'd into it, all ETLAs!
BBC B: DNFS, 2 x 5.25" floppies, EPROM prog, Acorn TTX
E01S FileStore, A3000/A5000/RiscPC/various PCs/blahblah...