Using Diskettes

Diskette drives allow you to store data on diskettes and retrieve and use stored data. The Equity LT-286 has a 1.44MB 3 1/2-inch diskette drive; it also supports an optional external 5 1/4-inch diskette drive. This section explains how diskettes work and tells you how to do the following:

•Choose diskettes

•Care for diskettes

•Make backup copies

•Write-protect diskettes.

How Diskettes Work

The diskettes you use are made of plastic coated with a magnetic material and enclosed in a protective plastic case. Information is recorded in magnetic patterns on both surfaces of the diskette.

Because data is stored magnetically, you can retrieve, record over, and erase data, just as you play, record, and erase music on cassette tapes.

When you insert a diskette in a drive, a metal shutter above the access area moves aside, exposing the diskette surface. When your computer reads data from or writes data to the diskette, it causes the diskette to spin within its plastic casing. Then a small read/ write head positioned above and below the two diskette surface locates the appropriate position on the diskette and carries out the desired operation.

Choosing Diskettes for the Equity LT-286

Be sure to buy high-quality diskettes to use in your Equity LT-286. You can use two kinds of diskettes:

•3 1/2-inch 720KB, soft-sectored, double-sided, double-density, 135 TPI diskettes

•3 1/2-inch 1.44MB, soft-sectored, double-sided, high-density, 135 TPI diskettes.

Using the Equity LT-286

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