5.25 floppy disks compatability question

[LYNXGUY]

I recently got a huge bundle (10 pack boxes) of 5.25 inch floppy disks from EBAY for 99 cents and I would like to know if they are compatible with ATARI computers.

 

SONY

MD-2HD

 

BASF

2S/HD

MS-DOS IBM FORMATTED

 

3M

DS,HD

IBM AT COMPATIBLE AND COMPAC 386 AND MOST OTHER DS,HD DRIVE SYSTEMS

 

MAXELL

MD/2D

COMPATIBLE WITH IBM PC,PC XT,AND OTHER COMPATIBLE 5 1/4" DOUBLE SIDED, DOUBLE DENSITY DRIVES

 

KODAK

2S*2D

COMPATIBLE WITH IBM PC, PC-JR, XT, HP-85,86,87 & 125,

WANG, EPSON QX-10 AND OTHER DOUBLE SIDED, SOFT SECTORED PC SYSTEMS

 

MEMOREX

2S/2D

COMPATIBILITY COMMODORE, HP, IBM AND OTHERS

 

3M

DOUBLE SIDED, HIGH DENSITY

COMPATIBLE WITH MAJOR MANUFACTURERS COMPUTER SYSTEMS

[Bryan]

You will be able to use the 2D disks, but not the HD ones.

[LYNXGUY]

If anyone can use my HD disks I have 8x 10packs and I will except any REASONABLE offer for them, either 1 ten pack or multiple 10 packs.

[LYNXGUY]

Please someone make an offer as I do not want to get stuck with 8 ten packs of floppy disks

[Fröhn]

5.25" HD disks can only be used in HD drives which usually only appear in old IBM-compatible PCs. For all those 8 bit homecomputers (C64, Atari XL/XE, VIC20 etc etc) they are useless.

[jhillestad]

Please someone make an offer as I do not want to get stuck with 8 ten packs of floppy disks

 

 

$1.05 ?

 

That leaves you a 6 cent profit and the DD disks free! Sound reasonable ?

[Clint Thompson]

I thought at one point I remember reading an article saying you can format HD to DD? I know this may not work in the 8bit world of things but just saying... I remember this in Dos for dummies or something?

[+Larry]

I thought at one point I remember reading an article saying you can format HD to DD? I know this may not work in the 8bit world of things but just saying... I remember this in Dos for dummies or something?

 

How about "maybe" for an answer?

 

There is a very good section on floppies here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floppy_disk

 

On a PC with a HD controller and drive, this is no problem (although later writing to that disk with a DD drive may cause problems). The reason is that they were designed to be able to do this operation.

 

The problem with doing the DD format with a DD controller on a HD disk is that the magnetic media is fundamentally different. In general, it takes a stronger recording signal to properly magnetize/align the HD media. So (again, in general) you end up with a disk that may have very short longevity of the data.

 

Having said that, these factors vary from disk manufacturer to manufacturer based on the magnetic formulations that they used for the media. I have seen it successful with some disks and not with others. (And likewise the corollary HD format on a DD Disk).

 

But if you value your files, it is not recommended.

 

-Larry