If it’s any help, i second the reformat completely a disk in a old pc. I had 
some issues many years ago where disks formatted on an ibm pc didn’t work 
correctly on a non- ibm pc. Reformatting and doing the error checking by 
reading and writing all sections fixed it. A quick format didn’t. 
There are lotsa 720k diskette’s available for sale… prices vary. Even Amazon 
has them! 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 30, 2024, at 15:39, Mike Katz <bit...@12bitsbest.com> wrote:
> 
> Thank you.  I didn't see any new procedures that I have already tried.
> 
> I do not have a problem with the drive or with trying to format a HD disk 
> with the HP-41 and therefore I was looking for a few DSDD disks instead of 
> DSHD disks.
> 
>> On 4/30/2024 5:13 PM, Wayne S wrote:
>> There is also these 2 procedures to try…. From 
>> https://literature.hpcalc.org/community/hp9114a-ms-en.pdf
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> TheHP9114Ausesdouble-sideddiscs.Dataiswrittenonboth sides of the disc. Thus 
>> the normal formatting procedure is double- sided formatting. Single-sided 
>> formatting is allowed for transferring data from older systems. See the next 
>> section for single-sided formatting.
>> Before a flexible disc can be used for the first time, it must be formatted. 
>> Formatting establishes the directory and volume label as 
>> wellasverifyingthatthemediaisnotdamaged.Shownnextare two ways to format 
>> discs. Insert a blank disc into the disc drive.
>> From the P.A.M. display, pressing the “File Manager” (f2) softkey gets you 
>> to a “Format” softkey. Press the key labeled ““Format” (f5) and answer the 
>> next questions.
>> “Enter the disc to format”. The first disc drive is assigned the letter C. 
>> Type C: and press return.
>> “Enter a volume label (optional).” The volume label is the name you want to 
>> call the disc. This can be up to 11 characters. For example, let’s call this 
>> disc “First”. Type First and press Return.
>> 
>>  The information is displayed on the first two lines below the 
>> cursor.PresstheStartFormatkey(f1)ifthesetwolinesarecorrect.
>> “Formatting Disc. Please wait.” appears on the display. Formatting a disc 
>> takes about 1 1/2 minutes. The interleave used with this 
>> formattingmethodis8,theoptimalforHP Portable/9114A operation.
>> After formatting is complete, pressing the “’Exit Format” (f8) softkey 
>> returns you to the main File Manager display. To exit File Manager press the 
>> “Exit File Manager” softkey. This ends the format procedure.
>> ThesecondmethodofformattingdiscsistousetheMSDOS Format command. From the 
>> initial P.A.M. display, tabbing over to the area called “DOS Commands” and 
>> pressing “Return” allows you to use the DOS command called Format. The 
>> interleave used inthiscommand is8whichisoptimalforyourHP Portable/9114A 
>> system.
>> Type FORMAT C: and press Return.
>> “Press any key to begin formatting C:” is displayed. Press any key on the 
>> keyboard. Formatting takes about 1 1/2 minutes.
>> After formatting is complete there is another prompt on the display ““Volume 
>> label (11 characters, Enter for none)?. *“Press “Return”if you don’t want a 
>> label or enter the name and press “Return” if you want to label the volume.
>> When completed “Format another (Y/N)?” appears on the display. Typing “N” 
>> gets you back to entering MS DOS commands. Type “EXIT” to return to P.A.M.
>> Formatting Single-sided
>> TheHPPortable/9114Asystemcanformatdouble-sideddiscsina single-sided format. 
>> This is allowed for data compatability with other 3 1/2-inch disc systems. 
>> There is a utility called “Format.Com”ontheutilitydiscsuppliedwithyourHP 
>> Portable computer.Youmustloadthe“Format.Com”utilityintoyourHP Portable. Use 
>> the following sequence.
>> PlacetheUtilitydiscintoyourHP9114A. TabovertotheDOS Command 
>> blockandpressStartApplic.
>> 
>>  From theMS DOS command displaytype: COPY C: FORMAT.COM A: and press Return
>> This loads the utility and allows you to use the extra parameters 
>> explainedinthefollowingFORMATcommand.
>> TheMS DOS command thatallowsthiscompatibilitywithits parameters isshown next.
>> Format C:/W -Single-sided
>> /X -Double-sided with 256 byte sectors
>> /Y -Double-sided with 512 byte sectors /Z -Double-sided with 1024 byte
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>>> On Apr 30, 2024, at 14:39, Mike Katz <bit...@12bitsbest.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Thank you for your help.
>>> 
>>> That is the command I am using on the 41 to try and format the disk.  With 
>>> a directory size of 60.
>>> 
>>> On 4/30/2024 4:22 PM, Wayne S via cctalk wrote:
>>>> Also this article refers to a set of commands for this drive. The NEWM 
>>>> command formats a new disk.
>>>> Link is 
>>>> https://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/hpmuseum/articles.cgi?read=78
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> 
>>>> On Apr 30, 2024, at 14:07, Wayne S <wayne.su...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> What kind of floppies did Hp recommend to use with this drive?
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> 
>>>> On Apr 30, 2024, at 13:55, Fred Cisin via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> On Tue, 30 Apr 2024, John Herron via cctalk wrote:
>>>> Yup, that's all I used to do. Some scotch tape over the floppy disk hole to
>>>> make the system see it as DD. If it didn't automatically format as 720, you
>>>> could specify size or sector count with format.com in dos.
>>>> 
>>>> Somemedia sensors are optical; use opaque taps.
>>>> 
>>>> I did hear folks say it wasn't always reliable (similar to 5.25 disks being
>>>> formated on a high density drive) but I never saw any problems in my
>>>> limited use.
>>>> 
>>>> 3.5" are 600 VS 750 oersted;
>>>> 5.25" are 300 vs 600 Oersted;
>>>> a low density 5.25 formatted as "high density" won't do well;
>>>> a high density 5.25" (1.2M) formatted as low density ("360K") sill self 
>>>> erase VERY soon, sometimes before you can even get it over to another 
>>>> machine.  We had a college purchasing agent in bed with "Roytype", who 
>>>> kept giving us "1.2M" floppies ofr out TRS80s; they self erased very soon.
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Grumpy Ol' Fred             ci...@xenosoft.com
>>> 
> 

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