Microsoft KB Archive/74709

= Cannot Format High Density Floppy Disk as Low Density =

Article ID: 74709

Article Last Modified on 11/16/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.2 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3a
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q74709



SUMMARY
When attempting to format a 3.5-inch high density (1.44 MB) floppy disk as a low density (720K) disk, the following error message may be displayed:

Invalid Media or Track 0 Bad - Disk Unusable.

This is due to the ability of some floppy drives to sense the media type of 3.5-inch disks. High density 3.5-inch disks have two holes in the disk shell. Low density 3.5-inch disks have only the write- protected hole. The disk will format correctly as a 1.44 MB disk.



MORE INFORMATION
To make a floppy drive recognize a high density disk as a low density disk, cover the second hole (not the write-protected hole) in the disk shell.

Additional query words: 3.20 3.30 3.31 4.00 4.01 4.01a 5.00 noupd

Keywords: KB74709

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