Chapter 8. Diskette Concepts - IBM 5110 User Manual

Chapter 8. Diskette Concepts
The IBM diskette is a thin, flexible disk permanently enclosed in a
semirigid, protective, plastic jacket. When the diskette is properly
inserted in the diskette drive, the disk turns freely within the jacket.
The diskette is inserted in the diskette drive as follows:
lower corner as the diskette
is inserted in the diskette drive.
The diskette drive door must be
closed and latched after the
diskette is inserted.
Data is written on the diskette at specific locations (addresses) by the
system. These addresses provide direct access to specific
information. Data written at an address remains there until it has been
replaced by new data. To read data, the desired address is found and
the data is read into the 5110.
Before being shipped to a user, each IBM-supplied diskette is
initialized. Initialization is a process whereby label information and data
addresses are recorded on the diskette. In this chapter, the following
topics are discussed:
• Diskette wear
• Diskette addressing and layout
• Diskette types and formats
• Diskette initialization
Diskette Concepts 81