Epson Apex, User Manual

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A small read/write head in the computer’s disk drive interprets
the magnetic patterns. When you put a diskette in a drive, the
read/write head is directly over the large oval hole. The hole
allows read/write head access to the diskette so you can store,
retrieve, and delete data. The data is stored magnetically so
you can retrieve it, record over it, and erase it - just as you
play, record, and erase music on cassette tapes.
Choosing diskettes for the Apex
The Apex uses diskettes that are 5 l/4-inch, double-sided,
double-density, 48 TPI (tracks per inch). The diskette boxes
are usually marked DS-DD or 2S-2D, soft sector, 48 TPI. Each
diskette can hold 360 KB of data, which is the equivalent of
about 150 pages of text. For best results, use only high-quality
diskettes with reinforced hub rings - the added reliability is
well worth the extra cost.
These diskettes are compatible with those used with the IBM
PC. This means you can use diskettes on the Apex that were
prepared and used on another IBM-compatible computer.
You need to format new diskettes before you can use them with
MS-DOS. The process of formatting erases all data on a diskette
and prepares it to receive new data, so be sure to format only
2-8 Using Your Apex