Problems With

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSFERRING DATA ON 720 KB 3.5" DISKETTES

PURPOSE:
PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT 3.5" DISKETTE DRIVE (1.44 MB) FOR DISKETTE INTERCHANGEABILITY PROBLEMS BETWEEN 720 KB DISKETTE DRIVES AND 1.44 MB DISKETTE DRIVES.

THE FOLLOWING STEPS WILL ASSIST IN ISOLATING CUSTOMER PROBLEMS WITH TRANSFERRING DATA ON 720 KB 3.5" DISKETTES BETWEEN THE PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30, PC CONVERTIBLE, 4865 EXTERNAL 3.5" DISKETTE DRIVE OR PC AT/XT INTERNAL 3.5" DISKETTE OPTION, AND THE PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODELS 50, 60, OR 80.

VERIFY THE CUSTOMER HAS USED ONLY 3.5" DISKETTES LABELED "DOUBLE SIDED" OR "1.0 MB" IN THE PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30, PC CONVERTIBLE, 4865 EXTERNAL 3.5" AND PC AT/XT 3.5" DRIVE.
VERIFY THE 3.5" DOUBLE SIDED DISKETTES WERE FORMATTED CORRECTLY. THE CORRECT DOS COMMANDS ARE:
- PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30, PC CONVERTIBLE, PC AT/XT AND 3.5" EXTERNAL DRIVES: "FORMAT A:" (A: REPRESENTS LOGICAL DRIVE DESIGNATION)
- PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODELS 50, 60, 80: "FORMAT A: /N:9 /T:80" (A: REPRESENTS LOGICAL DRIVE DESIGNATION)
SOME CUSTOMERS HAVE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH READING "DOUBLE SIDED" OR "1.0 MB" DISKETTES IN A PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30, PC CONVERTIBLE, PC AT/XT OR 3.5" EXTERNAL DISKETTE DRIVE WHICH HAVE BEEN BOTH:
- FORMATTED (OR WRITTEN) IN A PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30, PC CONVERTIBLE, PC AT/XT OR EXTERNAL 3.5" DISKETTE DRIVE; AND,
- WRITTEN (OR REFORMATTED) BY A PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 50, 60, OR 80 1.44 MB DISKETTE DRIVE.
IF A FAILURE OF THIS TYPE IS ENCOUNTERED, THE FOLLOWING STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN:
1. FIRST, TO ALLOW THE CUSTOMER TO RECOVER THEIR DATA, THEY MUST DO THE FOLLOWING: A NEW, BLANK 1.0 MB DOUBLE SIDED DISKETTE MUST BE FORMATTED IN THE PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 50, 60 OR 80 USING THE "FORMAT A: /N:9 /T:80" COMMAND. THE DISKETTE WHICH WAS UNREADABLE CAN BE COPIED TO THE NEW DISKETTE IN THE PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 50, 60 OR 80 USING THE DOS COPY COMMANDS. THE NEW DISKETTE WILL NOW BE FULLY INTERCHANGEABLE BETWEEN THE PC CONVERTIBLE, PC AT/XT, 3.5" EXTERNAL DISKETTE DRIVE, PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30 AND PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODELS 50, 60 OR 80.
2. SECOND, IF THE 1.44 MB DISKETTE DRIVE (FRU P/N 72X8523) IN THE PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 50, 60 OR 80 HAS A STICKER IN THE LOWER LEFT REAR CORNER, LABELED D01, D02, D03, D04 OR D05, AND A BAR CODE LABEL BEGINNING WITH "B1BAO", IT SHOULD BE REPLACED.