How to reformat 100MB Zip disks from Mac to PC/DOS ?

wylbur37

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Mar 1, 2006, 10:00:49 AM3/1/06

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I was recently given a bunch of used 100MB zip disks.

The problem is, they're currently formatted for use on a Mac
(and I have a PC).

Can I just use the DOS FORMAT command to reformat them,
or do I have to use some special utility program?

(I'd like to be able to use them on a parallel-port 100MB Zip drive).

...

Richard Bonner

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Mar 1, 2006, 1:42:22 PM3/1/06

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wylbur37 wrote:
> I was recently given a bunch of used 100MB zip disks.

> The problem is, they're currently formatted for use on a Mac
> (and I have a PC).

> Can I just use the DOS FORMAT command to reformat them,
> or do I have to use some special utility program?

*** If there is no partitioning on them(*), then go ahead and format as
usual. I once got a number of Mac floppy discs and reformatted them under
DOS with no troubles.

Richard Bonner
http://www.chebucto.ca/~ak621/DOS/

(*) Can zip drive discs even be partitioned? I assume not.

R.

Martin Str|mberg

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Mar 1, 2006, 2:25:58 PM3/1/06

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In comp.os.msdos.misc Richard Bonner <ak...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
> (*) Can zip drive discs even be partitioned? I assume not.

Yes, they can.

Right,

MartinS

Eric

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Mar 1, 2006, 3:46:34 PM3/1/06

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You may need to use Iomega's format utility in order to preserve and reset
the Z tracks. I've never formatted one with the DOS format command so I'm
not sure what the results might be. Check out
http://pw2.netcom.com/~deepone/zipjaz/index.html for more information
regarding the different drivers that are available.

Eric

geothermal

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Mar 3, 2006, 12:22:51 AM3/3/06

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> wylbur37 wrote:
>
>>I was recently given a bunch of used 100MB zip disks.
>>The problem is, they're currently formatted for use on a Mac
>>(and I have a PC).
>>Can I just use the DOS FORMAT command to reformat them,
>>or do I have to use some special utility program?

http://www.iomega.com/support/manuals/zip1u/use_disks.html

CAUTION! Formatting a disk erases all data on the disk. Do not format
any disk that contains information you want to keep!

Mac® OS Users

1. Insert the disk you want to format into your Zip® drive.
2. Open the IomegaWare™ folder on your Mac® hard disk, then open
the Tools folder and double click the Tools icon.
3. In the main Tools window, click on the icon for the disk you
want to erase.
4. Select the Erase Disk tool.
5. Choose Short Erase if you want to erase all data on a disk so
you can reuse it; choose Long Erase if you are formatting a disk where
you have forgotten the password. (Use either option to change the
format type from PC to Mac®.)
6. Click Erase to start formatting the Zip® disk.

Windows® PC Users

1. Insert the disk you want to format into your Zip® drive.
2. Open My Computer and right mouse click on the Zip® drive icon.
3. Select Format from the drive shortcut menu.
4. Choose the format type:
*

Use Short Format if you want to quickly erase all data on a disk so
you can reuse it.
*

Use Long Format with Surface Verify if you are formatting a disk
where you have forgotten the password.
*

Use either option to change the format type from Mac® to PC.
5. Click Start to start formatting the Zip® disk.

=======================================================
geothermal

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David Raleigh Arnold

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Apr 11, 2006, 12:47:14 PM4/11/06

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DOS disks are, I think. Normally like /dev/?d4 I believe, with the
first three partitions empty. IIRC with a big I. daveA

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