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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment.

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Old 7th May 2021, 7:20 pm   #1
Tractorfan
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Smile 3.5" floppies

Hi,
I'm just wondering if there is still any interest in, or use for 3.5" 1.44Mb floppies among the vintage computer fraternity? I have a few dozen of them that are written to, dating back to the days of Win 3.1! They contain my wife's nursing conversion course work, and are no longer needed.
I was about to take them to the tip, when I thought someone may be able to make use of them.
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 7th May 2021, 8:07 pm   #2
terrybull
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Default Re: 3.5" floppies

Hi Pete.
Yes please. I need floppies, blank and any software available. Windows 95 on floppy disks plus word processing etc.
I’ll PM you.
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Old 7th May 2021, 8:35 pm   #3
Tractorfan
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Smile Re: 3.5" floppies

Hi,
I assume they can be formatted and used again?
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 7th May 2021, 11:12 pm   #4
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Default Re: 3.5" floppies

Yes, as long as their write-protect slider is in the right position you can reformat / write to them.
There's no actual need to reformat, as can just delete the files, to get the space back. Although files can then be recovered by 'undeleting' as they are just marked as deleted and not erased, so normal reformatting should actually erase them fairly-well as well as test the disk for any bad sectors. (Although 'Quick-format' option won't)
You may also be able to format 'PC' 1.44MB ones at lower-densities / capacities to used on older 720KB PC drives / other systems, but it's usually better to use the right Double-Density etc. disks for those

I thought there may be some shops that still sold these disks, but (apart from coming across them at radio rallies/ car boot sales) it seems you can now only obtain online via the usual large online marketplaces. With brand-new ones now often being quite expensive. But the CfCH Museum does sell used / some new ones, if you need further ones: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/s...sks-and-Media/

You'll need quite a few disks to hold Windows 95 - the OEM OSR2 version used 26 although it seems the early one only needed 13 special higher capacity formatted ones. There's no doubt a copy on the 'net that you can use DOS rawrite / Windows RawWrite utility to re-create 1.44MB ones.
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