Apple IIe - Manual (Page 12)

Page 12 of 74 IIe
Printed: Tuesday, March 4, 2003 10:40:15 AM
disk through the oval cutout or you defeat the purpose of the jacket.
Both the DuoDisk and the Disk II drives are designed for 5 1/4-inch, single-sided,
single-density disks.
The Write-Enable Notch
The notch in the upper-right corner of the disk jacket is called the write-enable notch.
If
that notch is covered, you can't write (save) things on the disk or otherwise change the
contents of the disk.
All you can do is read (load) things from the disk. If the notch is
uncovered, you can write on it. (Writing doesn't take place through the notch. The notch just
lets the disk drive know whether or not it's OK to write on the disk.)
Many programs that you buy don't have a write-enable notch because the manufacturer doesn't
want you to change the contents of the disk by mistake.
When you don't want the contents of
your data disks changed by mistake, you can cover the write-enable notch with a removable
write-protect tab.
(You'll find sheets of write-protect tabs packed with boxes of blank
disks.)
Two-Sided Disks:
The training disk packed with this manual has information recorded on both sides.
That's
possible because the disk is certified for double-sided use, and it's practical and economical
for disks like this one that won't be used on a daily basis.
Most disks are designed for
single-sided use (the disk drive uses only one side of the disk at a time anyway), and you risk
losing valuable programs and information if you use them any other way.
Blank disks are cheap
compared to the cost of reentering lost data, so don't cut corners by trying to use both sides
of disks designed for single-sided use.
Always put single-sided disks in the disk drive with the label facing up. If the disk doesn't
have a label, put it in the disk drive with the seams on the disk jacket facing down.
Care of Disks
Here are some general rules for handling disks:
Don't touch the disk (the part that's visible through the oval cutout).
Hold the disk by its label or any part of the jacket.
Store disks in the envelopes they came in.
Store disks vertically to keep dust from collecting on them.
Use a felt-tip pen to write on the disk label. Using a pencil or a ball-point pen can put
dents in the recording surface.
Don't use an eraser on a label. Eraser dust can damage the disk.
Don't attach paper clips to disks.
Keep disks away from direct sunlight, moisture, and extremes of heat and cold. On a hot day,
car trunks, dashboards, and glove compartments can be a disk's worst enemy.
Keep disks away from magnets or devices like telephones, television sets, and large motors.
(It's OK to lay them temporarily on the computer or disk drive.)