How to Reformat a Floppy disk originally formatted under Linux?

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I am running Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit. I have tried reformatting the disk through both the GUI and CMD, and have had no luck with either. Both times, I get an error that basically says it cannot format the disk. I know the disk isn't dead, however, because it is seen in the file explorer, as well as can be formatted on OS X. The disk in question is a 3M HD 1.44MB Floppy disk. I am using a Chuanganzhuo reader that I just purchased off Amazon.

I know for a fact the disk was formatted to work with CentOS, but I no longer have access to CentOS. Does anybody know either 1) A way to reformat the drive for Windows on a OS X system, or 2) A program that will do that for me on either OS X or Windows?

--EDIT--

I can, in Windows, make a MS-DOS bootup disk, but I cannot uncheck that box and still successfully format the disk.

QueueBot

Posted 2017-05-18T02:35:59.033

Reputation: 98

Question was closed 2017-05-18T13:16:13.407

What is your question? “Reformat Unix Floppy Drive” means what? – JakeGould – 2017-05-18T02:46:23.657

What file system is the disk. In any event MS-DOS (i.e. FAT) is what you should be using – Ramhound – 2017-05-18T02:47:33.787

I'm not sure, Ramhound. How do I check it? – QueueBot – 2017-05-18T02:48:32.163

@10813JJ You indicated you knew for a fact it was formatted to work with centOS, which means you have access to gparted – Ramhound – 2017-05-18T02:50:29.433

Yes, but I don't have said centOS system anymore. – QueueBot – 2017-05-18T02:51:26.417

Now your question reads, “How to Reformat Unix Floppy Drive?” and it still makes no sense. What is a “Unix Floppy Drive?” – JakeGould – 2017-05-18T02:55:40.933

As the post reads, "I know for a fact the drive was formatted to work with CentOS." CentOS is a distribution of Linux, which is Unix. – QueueBot – 2017-05-18T02:57:13.407

1You did not indicate you no longer have access to CentOS, No; Linux isn't Unix. Linux and Unix are different – Ramhound – 2017-05-18T03:12:22.440

How is your reader connected? Internally, like in the old days as A: or B:, or externally? Cabling is ok? Do you have another floppy to test? It could also be, that you address the wrong drive letter. Format X: should just work, whether the disk was formatted previously in whatever OS and with whatever system or not at all; it does it's own thing. – Herb – 2017-05-18T08:17:54.270

Wow you have a floppy disk!? – Nikhil Vartak – 2017-05-18T17:41:36.673

Answers

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When you reformat a floppy disk, it doesn't matter what was originally on the disk or if or how the floppy was formatted beofre: During formatting, everything that was on the floppy is overwritten.

So if you cannot format the disk, no matter under which OS, then either the floppy disk itself is bad, or your drive is bad. That's assuming you really format it, and don't just try to write new data or a new filesystem onto it.

It doesn't matter that you can see the disk in file explorer: Reading from a bad floppy disk may still work, at least for some sectors/tracks, while writing these or, more likely, other sectors/tracks may not work.

dirkt

Posted 2017-05-18T02:35:59.033

Reputation: 11 627

Sadly, the disk was bad. Thanks for your help. – QueueBot – 2017-05-24T22:11:04.657

Asked: 2017-05-18T02:35:59.033

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Active: 2017-05-18T07:16:06.387