Date   : Mon, 28 Mar 1988 05:17:47 GMT
From   : pyramid!uccba!hal!ncoast!mikes@decwrl.dec.com (Mike Squires)
Subject: 8" floppy drive probles

Philli Keen writes:

>Robert, although I reallize that 8" floppies are still good, but because you
>cannot find them hardly anymore I think you should get rid of your 8" floppy
>disk drives, but before that get 5 1/4" disk drives then get bunches of
>5 1/4" disks and copy your library over to the 5 1/4" disks and then get rid
>of your 8" disks and disk drives if you can.  Another reason I say this
is I've
>heard that 8" disks and disk drives are unreliable.  I don't know if this
>is true or not but it's a rumor I've heard.
>-- 

8" floppies are easily available from mail order houses and at surplus stores.

I have several 8" systems and several 5 1/4" systems; the reliability of the
8" drives is strictly a function of the controller implementation.  My
experience is that the 5 1/4" floppies are less reliable, overall, and the
8" drives are far more reliable than 5 1/4" drives.  I have my IMSAI with two
Tandon 848-2`s and a Tarbell DD controller set for 3ms step rates; it is still
very fast compared to an IBM PC when running WordStar, or a Televideo HD system
running CP/M.

Mike Squires Allegheny College Meadville, PA 16335 814 724 3360
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