This section explains how disks work and tells you how to do the following:

Cl Use different types of diskettes and diskette drives

0Care for your diskettes and diskette drives Cl Insert and remove diskettes

0Write-protect diskettes

Make backup copies of your diskettes Li Use a single diskette drive

Ll Use two diskette drives Cl Use a hard disk drive.

How Disks Store Data

The diskette you insert in your computer’s diskette drive is made of flexible plastic coated with magnetic material. It is enclosed in a square jacket that is either hard (3 ‘/z-inch diskettes) or slightly flexible (5 ‘/+-inch diskettes).

Unlike a diskette, a hard disk is rigid and fixed in place. It is sealed in a protective case to keep it free of dust and dirt. A hard disk stores data the same way that a diskette does, but it works much faster and has a much larger storage capacity.

All disks are divided into data storage compartments by sides, tracks, and sectors. Double-sided diskettes store data on both sides. On each side, there are concentric rings, called tracks (or cylinders), on which a disk can store data. Double-density diskettes have either 40 or 80 tracks on each side, and high- density diskettes have 80 tracks on each side.

3-10 Using the Equity 386SX