Converting Raw file system...????

[avols143]

Hello friends...
I have a packet of new floppies. The file system on these floppies is RAW.. I am trying to format these under WindowsXP/98 and Linux... but I can't. Now I need your help to Format or to changing the file system from RAW to FAT/FAT16....BUT HOW??????????????

[nihil]

OK mate,

You have Win98?........................

<start>
<run>
type in winfile (the actual proggy is winfile.exe) and run it..............you get a new window............

At the top, select "disk" and then the format option.............

As I remember, it will be formatted as FAT12...............I do not think that 3.5" floppies have ever supported a more sophisticated format than that?

I have reformatted AppleMac floppies using this technique



Cheers

EDIT: I don't know about linux, but I believe that FAT12 is "IBM Formatted" on the box?

I did once format an NTFS floppy.............it took about 733k of the disk

[avols143]

Oh dear its not working.....

[nihil]

avols143,

Please give us a chance what "is not working"?.................what did you do, and what messages/responses did you get from your system...............

remember that you will have to boot into Windows98, then run winfile.exe, then select format disk?

Also, what is the true capacity of these disks?...............if they are 3.5" unformatted, they should be 2Mb, if they are IBM formatted (FAT12), they will be 1.44MB, or 720Kb..................the only Apple ones I have are 1.40Mb.

I am afraid that I need a little bit more information.

Cheers

[Spyder32]

Or you could go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > DriveConverter and that will help you convert your file system to a FAT32 file system.

[nihil]

Just had an awful thought?

What size (physical dimensions) are we talking here...............if they are 5.25" (the ones WITHOUT the hard plastic case), then they could be 320Kb..............that would not work

Cheers

[rcgreen]

I'm not sure I understand. Is this a file system named "RAW" or are you talking
about plain unformatted disks? Unformatted disks should format with no trouble
but if the disks have a non-DOS format already on them, some times Windows can fail to
format them. In that case check on the net for a program that has a little more
capability. There are many available.

http://www.floppysoftware.com/en/maxformat/

[SwordFish_13]

I'm not sure I understand. Is this a file system named "RAW"

Generally when some of my Floppie go bad ( i can't access it and it says" can't access the floppy device .the floppy is not formated do you wan to format it now") and i try to format it (in windows OS's) when i say format "a:\ " it shows the current File-system is RAW....and the new the new file system will be FAT...i am not sure RAW is a file system ...my guess is if the system detects no file system in the floppies it says it has RAW file System..simply formatting will change the file system to FAT

On Windoes OS's (Windows 98/2000/XP)

Go to "Command Prompt " (Start ->Run-> type"Command" press enter)

Symply type there on the command prompt "Format a:\" press Enter

or

open My Copmuter ..right Click on "3 1/2 Floppy "a:"" icon ..select format.

If it says "Bad Sector 0 " or " cannot read form the specified device" ..that means you will have to get some third party software.....they sometimes are able to still format the floppies......

i have stopped using floppies a long time back...IMHO it is the most unreliable data storage media...I used to have a Software called "HDcopy" which used to format these kind of floppies which windows is not able to format .......

When i buy new floppies they are pre-formatted with fat filesystem..so i have never seen a new floppie having a RAW File System...or maybe i always buy pre-formatted floppies....

type in winfile

oo dear something from the history (Windows 3.11 era).....i had almost forgot we had something called winfile still....


--Good Luck--

[avols143]

I have been tryed many methods to format or to change the than "RAW" file system to FAT, but I can't. As any some know about to access these floppies I mean how can I access these floppies. I think these floppies are secrete or official and force fully makes as RAW floppies..
But How??????????????

[nihil]

OK,

What does it say on the packet, or on the floppies themselves? What capacity are they supposed to be, what size are they (I am assuming 3.5")? Who made them?

You should see something like: MFD-2HD, IBM formatted 1.44Mb.

That means:

MFD = "Micro Floppy Disk"
2 = "Double sided"
HD = "High Density"

Are they new, or second hand?

I do not believe that it is a security feature, we don't allow floppies and stuff in high security environments............

What is the EXACT message you get from Windows when you try to format one?

What version of Windows are you using?

Have you tried formatting them on another machine?

Cheers