18
Handling Floppy Disks
The 3.5" 2HD/2DD floppy disk is a reliable and convenient medium for data storage, capable of
holding large amounts of data in a small package. The disk itself is a delicate piece of magnetic
film, which is protected from dust and dirt by a hard plastic cover and a shutter. This design is
capable of preserving your data against most contingencies. However, for the greatest reliability,
you should observe a few basic cautions when handling your disks.
• Use 2HD/2DD disks. The MDF3 is not designed to handle disks meeting other specifications.
• Never remove a disk from the disk drive while the disk access LED is lit. Doing so can damage
the floppy disk or the disk drive.
• Avoid touching the shutter of a disk. Never open the shutter and touch the actual disk surface.
• Avoid placing disks close to speakers, televisions, magnets, or other objects with magnetic
fields. Even weak magnetic fields can damage or erase the data on a disk.
• Do not leave your disks in cars or other locations where they may be exposed to extreme heat
or cold.
• Do not leave your disks in places where they may be exposed to condensation or extremely
high humidity.
• Avoid using or storing disks in places where they may be exposed to large amounts of dust or
dirt.
Follow these cautions scrupulously. Improper handling can render a disk useless, and may cause
damage to the MDF3’s disk drive as well.
