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DOS and Disks

Your computer is equipped with one or more diskette drives or a combination of diskette drives and a fixed (or hard) disk drive. DOS assigns different letter designations to disk drives. If you have a system with two diskette drives, the left-hand disk is normally logical disk A, while the right-hand disk is logical disk B. On some machines the disk drives are stacked. Check with the manufacturer to determine which is A and which is B.

This book assumes that the disk containing DOS is either a fixed disk (drive C) or a floppy diskette 
(drive A). Because most systems have fixed disks, drive C is most frequently used. If you have a floppy-disk system, substitute A: for C: in the practice activities.

Although many use the term diskette to refer to a removable, flexible (or floppy) diskette, and disk to refer to a fixed disk, the term disk is used in this blog to refer to both disks and diskettes. When a fixed disk is specifically referenced, the terms fixed or hard disk are used.

Disk Handling and Storage

Flexible disks are delicate and should be handled accordingly. This is particularly true with the popular 5.25-inch diskette. The 3.5-inches diskette configuration is encased in a hard plastic shell and is less susceptible to physical damage. Some suggestions for the handling and storage of flexible diskettes follow.

1. Never touch the exposed magnetic surfaces; always hold disks by their protective jackets.

2. Never expose disks to:
     a.  Magnetic fields (magnets, motors, heavy, metal objects
     b.  Extreme heat or cold
     c.  Direct sunlight
     d.  Moister or oil
               e.  Abrasive material or dust
 
3. Take care not to scratch, score or prick the disks or its protective cover.

4. Never eat, drink, or smoke in areas where disks are use or being stored.
 
5. Use a soft felt-tip marker when writing on disk labels, and write lightly; do not use pencils, ball-point or nylon-tip pens.

6. Store disks in a flat diskette case or box to avoid bending or folding.
 
Following these simple suggestions minimizes the possibility of damage to your valuable programs and stored information (or data) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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