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Northstar Hard Sector Diskettes

K

Ken Vaughn

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Messages
138
Location
Colorado, USA
I have a couple of questions concerning 5.25" Hard Sector Diskettes. (used in Northstar disk drives if it makes any difference)

1) Is there any source for these (new) today?

2) What do used diskettes (which test good) typically sell for?
Is there a market for these?
 
Athana will supply these on special request.

Other than for collectors, there isn't much of a market for these. The number of systems actually using 5.25" hard sector floppies was quite small.
 
Chuck(G) said:
Athana will supply these on special request.

Other than for collectors, there isn't much of a market for these. The number of systems actually using 5.25" hard sector floppies was quite small.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was assuming for collectors. Do antique computer collectors use their systems much, or are they primarily show case items?
 
Ken Vaughn said:
Yes, I was assuming for collectors. Do antique computer collectors use their systems much, or are they primarily show case items?
Click to expand...

That, sir, is a most excellent question. I've wondered about this for years.

There were also a few word processing systems that required hard-sector 5.25" floppies, though I don't know if they were the same sectoring as the Northstar. Perhaps Qyx or Lanier, I don't recall.

At any rate, no one, it seems collects old word processors and I suspect that anyone with a stock of old hard sector floppies from them will have retrieved the information from them by now--or consigned them to the trash.
 
Hi
I just posted some pictures and a note to the googles
group:
http://groups.google.com/group/sebhc

Look at the messages for:
Making 10hole disk

Look at the files section for:
10hole1.jpg
10hole2.jpg
10hole3.jpg

The only special tool I used was a Dremel to sharpen
the end of the bit and a small Searline lath/mill to
mill the aluminum blocks.
It isn't a production system but it takes obout 5 or
6 minutes to create each disk. I've only had one disk
not work and that was because I accidentally let
the flywheel turn a little before I punched it. This
usually isn't a problem because friction normally holds
things well enough.
Dwight
 
Last edited:
Dwight,
Very interesting. If I follow you, with your fixture, you can precisely rotate the media to the correct spots and punch holes through the index hole. The yield with your process is impressive. You are a good tool maker besides being a great computer designer. That is a rare combination as most logic designers I know have the dexterity of a brown bear.
-Dave

P.S. There is a typo in the url. Edit the link when you get a chance. http://groups.google.com/group/sebhc
 
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