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General Computers
Floppy Disk Care and Use
SUMMARY: Tips for those who still use floppy disks. Topics include handling, using, and caring for floppy disks.
Don't Rely on Floppies Forever
While floppy disks are good for emergency boot disks, transporting small documents between computers or friends, and temporary backups, they are not a good primary storage medium. Floppies are notorious for going bad when heavily used or even after relatively short periods of time, so they are not recommended for storing your latest novel, financial statements, important addresses, or other vital information. If you just want to transport a couple of small files between computers, however, floppies are great for that task.
Be Careful When Handling Floppies
Never touch the bottom circle on the bottom of a floppy disk as this could damage the media. Also, don't touch the metal read/write window either. Hold floppy disks carefully by their top edge to help prevent damage.
Always Scan Floppy Disks for Viruses
Every floppy disk that you insert into your computer should be scanned for viruses first, before use.
Period.
It is impossible to know where the floppy disk has travelled, as it may have been previously inserted in a computer containing viruses. Even if a friend hands you a floppy disk, you should still scan it, as they may not have the most up-to-date virus definitions, and some may not even know much about protecting computers from viruses.
Scan all floppy disks, before and after use, if you are using them to transport information while working at an Internet cafe, copy store, college or university, or other public or semi-public place.
Keep Away From Magnets
When handling floppy disks, be they 5 1/4 or 3 1/2's, be sure to keep them away from magnets or magnetic fields as they can possibly damage the media! This includes your computer monitor as well. Even refrigerator magnets, if placed nearby or on a floppy disk, can cause problems.
Keep at Room Temperature
To extend the life of your floppy disks, keep them at room temperature. Exposing floppy disks to very high or low temperatures might damage the media, making their contents unreadable or full of errors. If you must transport them in extreme conditions, consider purchasing a weatherproof case or other type of container to help protect them from the elements.
Don't use a Floppy Disk as a Working Document
Don't insert a floppy disk into your computer containing, for example, a Microsoft Word document, and open the file and modify it directly using Microsoft Word. First, copy the file from the floppy disk to your computer. Modify the copy on your computer, and then when you are done, copy the file back to your floppy. There are three good reasons:
1) If you mess up the document on your computer, you can always revert to the saved copy on your floppy.
2) Working off of a file on a floppy disk can slow you down. Some software packages do not read the full file into memory, so whenever they need to access a different part of the file, they must re-read the source file. Floppy disks are very slow compared to hard drives.
3) Floppies are not the most reliable form of storage, and constant read/writes on a particular document may damage the floppy disk, causing you to lose your entire document!
Make Two Emergency Boot Disks
Planning on creating an emergency boot / recovery disk? Great idea - these disks may help get access to your computer files if something keeps your PC from booting. However, while you're at it, why not make two emergency boot disks? Floppy disks are notorious for failing for no particular reason, so making two disks increases the chances that one will work if or when you need it.
External Floppy Disk Drive
In case your computer did not come with a floppy drive and you need to access data on a disk, all is not lost. Many companies sell external floppy disk drives that you can connect to your machine, usually via USB. Check your local computer store or an online computer or electronics store - most carry them.
Wait Before Removing That Floppy
Never, never, never remove a floppy disk before the light on your floppy disk drive turns off! If you are writing data to a floppy disk and you eject the disk, you will most likely damage the file, and you may have to even reformat the floppy! Even ejecting a disk when you are just reading information could cause problems; the read/write head is still moving, so forcefully ejecting a disk could in some very rare instances damage the floppy drive itself.
Always Label Your Floppies!
Still using floppy disks as temporary backups or for transferring data between machines? You should always label your floppy disks. There's nothing worse than either trying to find a particular file, or trying to find a blank floppy, when looking inside a box with 100 unlabeled disks. Write on the floppy labels first, then apply the labels to the disks to prevent damage that could occur by applying pen pressure to the disk.
Protect Your Floppy Disks From Dirt
Dirt, dust, and stray particles can damage your floppy disks, rendering them partially or completely unusable. To increase the life of your floppy disks, protect them from the elements by keeping them in proper boxes or storage containers.
Shredding Floppy Disks for Security
Even if you remove files from your floppy disk and format the data before disposal, there may still be ways others can retrieve information from your disk, given enough time and money.
If your floppy disks contain information that you are concerned about others having a chance of retrieving, you may want to consider shredding your floppy disks after formatting. You should be able to find floppy disk shredders at your local office supply store, or check Google for "multimedia shredder" or "floppy disk shredder". Note that some of these units can get quite expensive.
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