Write-protecting diskettes

As shown in Figure 3-1, the right edge of a diskette has a small, rectangular notch. If this notch is visible, you can copy new data to the diskette. If you cover the notch with an adhesive write-protect tab, you can retrieve and copy data from the diskette, but you cannot store new data on it or delete any files it contains. If you try to change data stored on a write-protected diskette, an error message tells you the diskette is write-protected. Write-protect tabs usually come with new diskettes when you buy them.

Write-protect notch

Figure 3-1. Write-protect notch

Using a Single Floppy Disk Drive

Usually, operating systems expect the computer to have at least two physical disk drives and display prompts and messages accordingly

If your Equity II has only one floppy disk drive, turn on (up) DIP switches l-7and 1-8 under the cover beneath the disk drives. When these switches are on, the operating system treats your single drive like two logical drives. This helps you perform operations that normally require two floppy disk drives.

For example, if you give a command to copy from one drive to another, MS-DOS copies from the first diskette you place in the drive to the computer’s memory. Then MS-DOS prompts you to insert another diskette and copies from memory to the diskette you place in the drive. When copying is complete, you see a prompt to insert the original disk- ette.

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