question about Double Density vs. High Density

[rebeltaz]

It has been a LONG time since I've used 5¼" floppy disks, so I have forgotten a lot that I used to know. I know that when I had problems with a floppy disk not working correctly, I would bulk erase it with a cassette bulk eraser and then reformat the disk - usually using low-level software.

I know that the Commodore 1541 disk drive is a double density drive, but I am wondering if I can use high density disks in it. I'm not looking to read pre-existing data off the disks. I want to store data on them and read that data back off.

Can you use the HD disks as is? Would they need to be wiped and low-level formatted? Is that even possible with Commodore disks? Will they just not work at all?

Thank you for your help, in advance....

[MikeS]

I would suggest that the only place you use HD disks is in a 1.2M HD drive, and you use DD disks for everything else including Commodore drives.

You can use DD disks in an HD drive (as DD of course) as long as you only format & write on the same type of drive, i.e. if you format & write to them on the HD drive, don't then write to them on a DD drive (and vice versa), and it is a good idea to bulk erase them first.

But using HD disks in a DD or QD drive is definitely asking for trouble.

[carlsson]

No, you won't even be able to format a HD floppy in a 1541. The formatting routine will bail out. Save yourself the trouble and get some DD floppy disks, either NOS or used ones.

[rebeltaz]

Ok... That answers my question. Thanks...