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> Before proceeding with this, I checked with someone at IBM tech > support, who was not surprised. He told me that > one can indeed format > ordinary HD disks for 2.88 -- but that they are > not as reliable for use in transferring data > between different machines. (They work best on > the drive that formatted them.) Not having access > to another 2.88 drive, I have not tested the > point. Way back when 2.88 was first invented, I had a 2.88 drive in my desktop machine and a special floppy controller to make it work. What a disappointment. I currently have formatted one HD 1.44 disk as a 2.88 with my ThinkPad, and use it to hold lots of DOS 6.1 stuff on it (for the purpose of screwing around from a booted floppy--but for safety reasons, it is definitely *not* the only one I have as a boot floppy!). You're right--it works. But I wouldn't rely on it. Just like the people who used to punch holes in 720K disks and format them as 1.44's. Big mistake. The bottom line is that they aren't built to the same tolerances. The magnetic media is not as dense, and therefore not as safe. Sure, you can format it for a higher density, but the liklihood of failure increases manyfold. If you plan to use 2.88 format with any regularity, keep those 2.88 ED disks you bought. If you do not, one day when you least expect it, one of those 1.44 disks you formatted to 2.88 will fail on you and you'll be quite unhappy. Isn't the extra 1 or 2 bucks worth it to keep that from happening at some critical juncture? ----- Randy Whittle whittle@scf.usc.edu University of Southern California School of Business (Fight on, Trojans!) - Motorcycle nut, HP 48 & 100LX user, and...*Proud* to be Conservative! "It's not denial, I'm just very selective about the reality I accept." -Calvin +-------------+--------------+---------------------------------------------+ | o o o o | <o o> | Just because we disagree doesn't | | <><><> <> | /-+-- --+X | mean I have to kill you. | | |||||| || | /> <\ | ...Unless, of course, I really want to... | +-------------+--------------+---------------------------------------------+ (Standard disclaimers apply--and if you're a liberal wacko, go soak your head.)