How Old School Floppy Drives Worked
The 8-Bit Guy・14 minutes read
Floppy disks, particularly Sony brand ones, had issues with poor quality but were durable with proper care, lasting over 35 years. The evolution of storage media from floppy disks to CD-ROMs and the impending shift to solid-state storage in the next 5 to 10 years are also discussed.
Insights
- The speaker has a deep fascination with floppy disks, especially the 5 ¼ inch variant, due to their significant role in computing during the 1980s, showcasing unique features like relief notches and magnetic data storage across tracks.
- Commodore's innovative approach of integrating a full computer setup within their disk drives aimed to enhance functionality, reduce costs, and simplify data retrieval, addressing efficiency concerns with software cartridges like EPYX FastLoad.
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Recent questions
What are the external features of a floppy disk?
Floppy disks have relief notches, an index hole, and a write protect notch on their exterior, with a paper sleeve used for protection.
How did Commodore address efficiency issues with their disk drives?
Commodore addressed efficiency problems with their disk drives by introducing software cartridges like EPYX FastLoad, significantly improving loading times.
What unique functionalities did Commodore disk drives offer?
Commodore disk drives contained a full computer setup, including a 6502 CPU, I/O controllers, ROM, and RAM, allowing unique features like playing music independently.
What was the main purpose of including a computer in Commodore disk drives?
Commodore included a computer in their disk drives to reduce costs and simplify the data retrieval process compared to other systems like Apple.
What was a common issue with Sony brand floppy disks from around 2005?
Sony brand floppy disks from around 2005 were known for their poor quality, with a significant portion of each box being defective.
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Summary
00:00
Evolution of Floppy Disks in Computing
- Floppy disks, regardless of size, are a fascination for the speaker, who finds them more intriguing than other older storage mediums.
- Floppy drives have been in use since 1971, initially with large 8-inch disks, popularized by the movie WarGames in 1983.
- The 5 ¼ inch floppy disk is more recognizable from home computers in the 1980s, playing a significant role in the speaker's computing habits.
- The external features of a floppy disk include relief notches, an index hole, and a write protect notch, with a paper sleeve used for protection.
- Inside a floppy disk, magnetic material stores data across 40 tracks, with a stepper motor moving the read head to access different tracks.
- Different computer systems had varied sector formats for data storage on disks, leading to compatibility issues between manufacturers.
- Double-sided disks were used by some systems, like IBM, utilizing two read heads, while Commodore and Apple allowed flipping disks for additional storage.
- Commodore disk drives contained a full computer setup, including a 6502 CPU, I/O controllers, ROM, and RAM, leading to unique functionalities like playing music independently.
- Commodore's decision to include a computer in their disk drives aimed to reduce costs and simplify the data retrieval process compared to other systems like Apple.
- Efficiency issues with Commodore's disk drives were addressed with software cartridges like EPYX FastLoad, enhancing loading times significantly.
12:15
"Evolution of Storage Media: Floppy to SSD"
- Floppy disks, particularly Sony brand ones from around 2005, were known for their poor quality, with a significant portion of each box being defective. Despite their unreliability towards the end of their era, they were considered durable in their prime, with some disks lasting over 35 years, showcasing the importance of proper care for longevity.
- The evolution of storage media from floppy disks to optical media like CD-ROMs is highlighted, with a nod to the enduring track/sector concept in modern magnetic hard drives. The text also hints at the imminent obsolescence of moving disks in favor of solid-state storage within the next 5 to 10 years.
