Mouldy floppy disks...

ElectroBlaster · 15 February 2011, 17:46

Any guides on the best way to clean these buggers? I got some disks that have really gone to town on the mushroom front...

Im thinking about ripping the disks open and then cleaning the actual media with alcohol tape cleaner or something. Ive never bothered before but these disks have data I really want to get off them!

prowler · 15 February 2011, 21:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroBlaster

Im thinking about ripping the disks open and then cleaning the actual media with alcohol tape cleaner or something. Ive never bothered before but these disks have data I really want to get off them!

That's not such a bad method of cleaning the disks' surfaces. However, be VERY CAREFUL not to let the solvent get too near the central steel hub. This is attached to the disk's surface with double-sided tape, and it could become separated if the solvent comes into contact with the adhesive.

If this happens, you will be very lucky to replace it in exactly the same position. If the hub is not replaced concentrically, then the disk will run out when rotated thus causing read errors.

Ze Emulatron · 15 February 2011, 21:53

I bought 335 amiga floppy disks back in september. I visually inspected them and decided if they were good enough to get tested in the drive. If I could see mould they got chucked. No point keeping them I have over 150 blank DSHD disks to use with Transdisk and ADF Sender that aren't mouldy and shouldn't contaminate my floppy drive and cause it to stop working. I suggest you just chuck out mouldy disks.

prowler · 15 February 2011, 22:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroBlaster

Ive never bothered before but these disks have data I really want to get off them!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ze Emulatron

No point keeping them I have over 150 blank DSHD disks to use with Transdisk and ADF Sender that aren't mouldy and shouldn't contaminate my floppy drive and cause it to stop working. I suggest you just chuck out mouldy disks.

It has been widely reported that mouldly disks will contaminate your floppy drive and cause it to stop working.

For this reason, ElectroBlaster is proposing to circumvent this by removing the mould before introducing them into his floppy drive. If the disks contain important data, then it is not very helpful to suggest that he just throws them away.

ElectroBlaster · 15 February 2011, 23:35

Evening guys

Had some fun with these disks. What really annoys me the most is that all the disks that are mouldy are from an old st collection of mine just before I jumped ship to the amiga, this was around 1990. I have ignored them mostly only saving what I could be bothered with at the time. Fast forward many many years and I cant get over how badly these disks have got! Everything that the amiga used is ok?

Anyway I got an old tape cleaning kit out and grabbed the fluid bottle, some q-tips and got cleaning... some worked and some didnt. I gummed up an atari ste disk drive and had to thrash it with a disk cleaner and I almost did the same to one of my teac drives on the pc

. I can say without doubt disks are a nightmare. Will teach me to hoard nearly 3000 of the dam things lol.

EDIT: And thanx for the help

Paul_s · 16 February 2011, 00:09

If you can prise the floppy disk case apart you can wash the media itself in soapy water. Probably much easier to do with 5 1/4" or 8" media but worth a go if it's something you really need.

15 February 2011, 17:46	#1
ElectroBlaster Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK Age: 49 Posts: 1,711	Mouldy floppy disks... Any guides on the best way to clean these buggers? I got some disks that have really gone to town on the mushroom front... Im thinking about ripping the disks open and then cleaning the actual media with alcohol tape cleaner or something. Ive never bothered before but these disks have data I really want to get off them!

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15 February 2011, 21:53	#3
Ze Emulatron Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Invercargill, New Zealand Posts: 176	I bought 335 amiga floppy disks back in september. I visually inspected them and decided if they were good enough to get tested in the drive. If I could see mould they got chucked. No point keeping them I have over 150 blank DSHD disks to use with Transdisk and ADF Sender that aren't mouldy and shouldn't contaminate my floppy drive and cause it to stop working. I suggest you just chuck out mouldy disks.

15 February 2011, 23:35	#5
ElectroBlaster Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK Age: 49 Posts: 1,711	Evening guys Had some fun with these disks. What really annoys me the most is that all the disks that are mouldy are from an old st collection of mine just before I jumped ship to the amiga, this was around 1990. I have ignored them mostly only saving what I could be bothered with at the time. Fast forward many many years and I cant get over how badly these disks have got! Everything that the amiga used is ok? Anyway I got an old tape cleaning kit out and grabbed the fluid bottle, some q-tips and got cleaning... some worked and some didnt. I gummed up an atari ste disk drive and had to thrash it with a disk cleaner and I almost did the same to one of my teac drives on the pc . I can say without doubt disks are a nightmare. Will teach me to hoard nearly 3000 of the dam things lol. EDIT: And thanx for the help

16 February 2011, 00:09	#6
Paul_s Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Amigaville Age: 46 Posts: 3,337	If you can prise the floppy disk case apart you can wash the media itself in soapy water. Probably much easier to do with 5 1/4" or 8" media but worth a go if it's something you really need.

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