Floppy notching

[ohm]

I found some more 5.25" floppies for my VIC today, got about 20 for $2. They were from old software, one set was of Borland Turbo Pascal. The problem lays in that about half don't have notches, they are copy protected, so I need to notch them somehow so I can format and use them. I have tried looking for a notcher but can't seem to find one, even on ebay, do I just stick a notched disk on top of an un-notched disk and use it as a pattern for cutting the notch with a knife?

[carlsson]

Yes, that is how some of us did it in the 1980's before the notchers came out on the market. I've found true notchers going for ridiculous amounts on eBay so unless you really want one, a knife, a pair of scissors or something else will work just as well as a custom made notcher.

Be glad the VIC floppy drives don't check for an index hole (the small one in the disk surface). If they did, you would need to carefully punch a hole through the jacket on the opposite side of the small hole already in it.

[RobertBe]

...do I just stick a notched disk on top of an un-notched disk and use it as a pattern for cutting the notch with a knife?

Instead of using a knife, you can use a strong, single hole-punch bought from an office supply store or from the stationery section of a well-stocked store.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Catch the Fatman and Circuit Girl at
http://vimeo.com/jeri

[nbla000]

Instead of using a knife, you can use a strong, single hole-punch bought from an office supply store or from the stationery section of a well-stocked store.

Yes i used this method back in the 1980's too

[wiskow]

A company called Atlaz Computers still sells disk notchers. Here's a link to the product page. They charge $8 per notcher, and $9 shipping per order, so for just one, it's a bit expensive. But, if you buy more than one, it's still $9 for shipping. I bought a bunch of them a little over a year ago, kept one for myself, and sold the rest on eBay. By doing this, I was able to make the money back that I spent on the notchers in the first place. Anyway, the page doesn't have an image of the notcher, but here are a couple photos that I took of the notcher that they sell:

[PaulQ]

Personally, I just use an X-Acto knife. I turn one disk upside down on the other to locate the proper place, make two cuts, remove that disk, then make the third cut. There's something very satisfying about that ritual.

[Mayhem]

I use a hole punch or scissors...

[carlsson]

I have a genuine Suncom puncher and even the original box to it. I believe it would be worth quite a bit on fleaBay.

[ohm]

Cool I well just get a hole puncher and do that. Also can I notch both sides and write to the other side, I believe the 1541 is only a single sided drive, as these are double sided disks, has anyone tried this before?

[wiskow]

Cool I well just get a hole puncher and do that. Also can I notch both sides and write to the other side, I believe the 1541 is only a single sided drive, as these are double sided disks, has anyone tried this before?

Yes. This turns the disks into what is commonly known as a "flippy disk". I think it's pretty safe to say that we all do that.

[ral-clan]

I found some more 5.25" floppies for my VIC today, got about 20 for $2. They were from old software, one set was of Borland Turbo Pascal.

make sure these are double density discs and not high density, or anything else.

Cool I well just get a hole puncher and do that. Also can I notch both sides and write to the other side, I believe the 1541 is only a single sided drive, as these are double sided disks, has anyone tried this before?

I think you just might have just given away your age by that statement. I'm guessing you weren't a teen in the 80s. As Wiskow said, back in the 80s, everyone did this.

Either that, or you were a dedicated console guy.

[wiskow]

make sure these are double density discs and not high density, or anything else.

Good point. High density disks won't work on the 1541. This brings up a question, though... With commercial software on 5¼" disks or generic 5¼" disks without labels, is there any way to visually tell if a disk is high density or double density? For example, with 3½" disks, you can tell by the extra hole and the presence or absence of the "HD" symbol.

[ohm]

Generally I think the way to tell is if it has a reinforcing ring on the center hole, no reinforcing ring = HD. These all had rings, there were some that had no ring so I left them, and the ones I have done so far have formatted fine.

I think you just might have just gave away your age by that statement. I'm guessing you weren't a teen in the 80s. As Wiskow said, back in the 80s, everyone did this. Very Happy

Yep, I was born in '84 our first computer was an 8088 clone, so I have had some experience with the old school equipment

[ral-clan]

Generally I think the way to tell is if it has a reinforcing ring on the center hole, no reinforcing ring = HD. These all had rings, there were some that had no ring so I left them, and the ones I have done so far have formatted fine.

I'm pretty sure I have some DD disks with a re-inforcing hub....I'll have to check.

[Mike]

I'm pretty sure I have some DD disks with a re-inforcing hub....I'll have to check.

I also remember the DD's I used had that re-inforcing hub. I considered those discs without hub as cheap quality, and didn't use them.

And I simply used a pair of scissors to cut a equal-sided triangle (~1/3 inch, or 0.8 cm) at the right position.

Michael