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800k floppy disk from Apple compatible with non-enhanced 512k??
Posted by: BadGoldEagle on 2016-10-21 04:25:12
Stumbled across this today. It's not mine, yet?

Capture.PNG

It's a HD20 startup disk. It says it's for the Mac 512 and the Plus but it seems it's a 800k disk...? Do you think it can work on a 512k with a 400k fdd? I wonder...

I know the 512Ke could read 800k disks, but it says 512k, not 512Ke.  :?:

Posted by: bibilit on 2016-10-21 04:59:01
I think is for the 512 ke only if the disk is written on both sides (800k)

I have seen a 512ke box lately, the label was 512k / 800 k not 512 ke.

Also the point that the floppy disk is double side type doesn't mean is written on both sides, so can also used in a 400 k drive if only one side is used.

last point this disk is for the HD20, not for the late 20 SC type, don't see a reason it would not work on a 512k.

Posted by: BadGoldEagle on 2016-10-21 09:59:43
Thanks Luis. I think I'll get this disk either way. The chances of it working with the 512k are almost nil...

There's a System Version 3.0 disk in the lot as well. I'm thinking 2€ per disk. 

Posted by: Gorgonops on 2016-10-21 10:13:06
My guess is it's just a disk that happens to have "double sided" printed on the shutter but is actually formatted single-sided, in which case it'll work just find in a 512k. I doubt they were making explicitly "single-sided" 3 1/2" media any later than the end of 1984.

Posted by: Anonymous Freak on 2016-10-21 10:34:47
Except Apple was fastidious about making sure that the disk only said double sided if it actually was.  Every Apple disk of that era I have either says nothing or "Single Sided" on the shutter if it's single sided, or "Double Sided" on the shutter if it's double sided.

Posted by: Gorgonops on 2016-10-21 10:50:48
The fact that the disk mentions the Plus on the label puts its manufacture date after January 1986, *and* it was made for the French market. Perhaps they simply didn't care.

Personally I'd bet a shiny nickel that it works on a 512k. If it didn't why would Apple have printed that on the label?

Posted by: BadGoldEagle on 2016-10-21 13:49:53
Only one way to find out... Still waiting for the seller's answer!

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