It's MO time ☺

[MrFahrenheit]

My experience has been that the 3.5” versions are very reliable, and I’ve had issues with 5.25” reliability.

The speeds are around 1-3MB/sec, which is faster than Zip.

The drives started being used in the late 80s, so 128MB or 230MB (the capacities first released), were a big size, especially for a transfer speed like that. Imagine on your SE/30 having access to 230MB removable disks in 1990, nearly as fast as a hard disk.

Costs were higher as a result. One MO drive and media were more than the cost of the same capacity hard drive (ie: a 128MB MO drive and a disk was more expensive than a 120MB hard disk), but you quickly regained that when buying more disks, increasing capacity for a lower cost/MB.

Zip was unveiled in late 94 and availability was early 1995. That’s a large gap in time in computer terms, and by 95 the magneto optical was at higher capacities already. I think at that time 540/640MB magneto optical drives and disks were available. Which is 5-6x the capacity of Zip, more reliable, higher speed.

Zip was more targeted at consumers at home and small business. MO was the professional choice.

 

[MrFahrenheit]

Here are 3 ads from early 1990. I couldn’t easily find anything about the 3.5” drives in MacWorld that far back, to compare against.

These ads mention 600/650MB 5.25” MO. The price for MO at $5000, was more than an equivalent hard disk at $3100, but a cartridge was $250. So if you wanted more than 600MB it was cheaper to get MO. You’d quickly recoup the costs vs buying multiple hard drives.

 

[ClassicGuyPhilly]

@MrFahrenheit great examples of early 90s tech advertising, brings back high school memories of reading through catalogs wishing I had money

 

[Daniël]

MOs are fun, they're that mix of retro tech, and futurism from a previous era. I have a small batch of disks, and so far have managed to obtain two working drives. Still want to try and mount the internal drive into my Quadra 800 behind the floppy bezel, that'd be a sweet upgrade/mod. I have some DB19 connectors to fabricate a port with for an external SuperDrive, so I can still use floppies on it when I feel like it. Bonus is that with a long enough cable, the external SuperDrive can be put on the desk, so I don't need to reach down for floppy swapping

 

[olePigeon]

Still want to try and mount the internal drive into my Quadra 800 behind the floppy bezel, that'd be a sweet upgrade/mod.

Should be relatively easy, especially since the Quadra's bezel is designed to work with manual drives. I did this exact scenario with my LC for the second floppy drive, but it's really designed for the auto-inject, which makes it a bit difficult to insert the MO disks (as you can see in my video.)

You'll also need some shims to level it correctly as it won't line up with the floppy bezel. I used plastic washers as spacers to get it the perfect height.

 

[joshc]

I’ve never touched or seen a MO drive in person. I can see the attraction.

Zip was indeed the standard way for graphic designers to share artwork files between the studio and print shops in the 90s. My dad moved away from unreliable SyQuest drives to Zip in the 90s. Zips weren’t perfect but they were a big step forward. Jaz never gained much traction.

This reminds me… I’ve got an external Zip drive and a bunch of Zip disks I need to test.

 

[Phipli]

This reminds me… I’ve got an external Zip drive and a bunch of Zip disks I need to test.

Be very careful. The click of death is contagious. A damaged disk causes the drive to keep resetting, which damages the drive... A damaged drive is able to damage a disk...

Etc.

 

[cobalt60]

if I recall correctly, the first Mission Impossible movie had a PowerBook 540c with a MO drive; did MO drives for PowerBooks actually exist?

edit: google says it was a 5300; I need to rewatch the movie coulda swore there was a 540
edit again, there was a 540c in the movie, and PowerBook MO drives are a thing:

 

[joshc]

Be very careful. The click of death is contagious. A damaged disk causes the drive to keep resetting, which damages the drive... A damaged drive is able to damage a disk...

Etc.

Yes, this is partly why I haven’t touched it yet. My G4 has an internal Zip drive and I had problems with it. I guess whatever happens happens. It’s not like I’m going to depend on it, just something that would be mildly useful now and then if it works. Zip disks are handy as boot / recovery / emergency disks.

 

[Phipli]

Yes, this is partly why I haven’t touched it yet. My G4 has an internal Zip drive and I had problems with it. I guess whatever happens happens. It’s not like I’m going to depend on it, just something that would be mildly useful now and then if it works. Zip disks are handy as boot / recovery / emergency disks.

Keep a eject paperclip to hand so if it starts clicking you can get the disk out. You can't eject while they struggle, so it goes and goes. Especially bad with internal drives... I think some apple bezels don't even have the hole for the eject pin, so planning for it is important.

Then have some labels to hand so you can label bad drives and not have to test them again.

 

[MrFahrenheit]

Keep a eject paperclip to hand so if it starts clicking you can get the disk out. You can't eject while they struggle, so it goes and goes. Especially bad with internal drives... I think some apple bezels don't even have the hole for the eject pin, so planning for it is important.

Then have some labels to hand so you can label bad drives and not have to test them again.

And better to test with a brand new disk. I’ve had used disks themselves cause a click of death and refuse to mount. Actually, I have a whole pile of them!

Many times the drive works just fine with a brand new disk, but other disks written on another drive cause clicks and problems.

The issue is kind of like a virus.

 

[olePigeon]

Where do you get your labels? I bought a pack of new old stock Avery floppy disk labels off eBay but the adhesive is very week...

I bought mine from the aptly named Sheet Labels website. I discovered that nearly all floppy labels came in 2 sizes and 2 styles: 2.688" x 2" and 2.75" x 2.75", both in either matte or gloss. The 2.75x2.75 is the kind that wraps around the spine and onto the rear of the floppy. The 2.688x2 is rectangular label that's only applied to the front of the floppy disk.

If you buy some from there, make sure to download the corresponding Sheet Labels template. They're not arranged the same as Avery labels.

 

[MrFahrenheit]

I bought mine from the aptly named Sheet Labels website. I discovered that nearly all floppy labels came in 2 sizes and 2 styles: 2.688" x 2" and 2.75" x 2.75", both in either matte or gloss. The 2.75x2.75 is the kind that wraps around the spine and onto the rear of the floppy. The 2.688x2 is rectangular label that's only applied to the front of the floppy disk.

If you buy some from there, make sure to download the corresponding Sheet Labels template. They're not arranged the same as Avery labels.

Have you tried the glossy labels and if so, what printer did you use?

Anything I’ve tried to print on anything glossy comes off on all 3 of my printers (black laser, color laser, color dye sublimation printer).

 

[Fizzbinn]

I bought mine from the aptly named Sheet Labels website. I discovered that nearly all floppy labels came in 2 sizes and 2 styles: 2.688" x 2" and 2.75" x 2.75", both in either matte or gloss. The 2.75x2.75 is the kind that wraps around the spine and onto the rear of the floppy. The 2.688x2 is rectangular label that's only applied to the front of the floppy disk.

If you buy some from there, make sure to download the corresponding Sheet Labels template. They're not arranged the same as Avery labels.

Thanks!

I made my own template in PageMaker 5.0 on a Macintosh Performa 600, printed on a LaserWriter 4/600PS. I wanted to create a set of Performa System 7.1P disks for it. I think they turned out pretty good text wise, but my blank floppies plastic shield and case color makes them not look much like what Apple used. ...and more importantly the wrap around part don't stick very well.

 

[olePigeon]

Have you tried the glossy labels and if so, what printer did you use?

Anything I’ve tried to print on anything glossy comes off on all 3 of my printers (black laser, color laser, color dye sublimation printer).

I used a Color Xerox Phaser 6600DN. Here's an example. On my printer, I had to set it to "Labels" for the paper type. I haven't had any issues with the ink coming off. I think the printer adjusts the fuser heat and speed depending on the paper weight and type.

 

[MrFahrenheit]

I used a Color Xerox Phaser 6600DN. Here's an example. On my printer, I had to set it to "Labels" for the paper type. I haven't had any issues with the ink coming off. I think the printer adjusts the fuser heat and speed depending on the paper weight and type.

I have a Xerox Phaser 8560. I should try them. Thanks!

 

[jmacz]

Should be relatively easy, especially since the Quadra's bezel is designed to work with manual drives. I did this exact scenario with my LC for the second floppy drive, but it's really designed for the auto-inject, which makes it a bit difficult to insert the MO disks (as you can see in my video.)

You'll also need some shims to level it correctly as it won't line up with the floppy bezel. I used plastic washers as spacers to get it the perfect height.

Are these MO disks essentially the same height as 3.5" floppies? Looks like in your video @olePigeon they fit right into the stock floppy opening?

@SophieRose which drive is that? Is it the Fujitsu MCR3230?

 

[SophieRose]

Are these MO disks essentially the same height as 3.5" floppies? Looks like in your video @olePigeon they fit right into the stock floppy opening?

@SophieRose which drive is that? Is it the Fujitsu MCR3230?

@jmacz it is the mcr3230ss ☺am well impressed with it.

 

[jmacz]

@jmacz it is the mcr3230ss ☺am well impressed with it.

I'm so tempted to get one. Haha.

 

[olePigeon]

Are these MO disks essentially the same height as 3.5" floppies? Looks like in your video @olePigeon they fit right into the stock floppy opening?

I'd say they're just a hair thicker than a floppy disk. They still fit through the stock floppy opening with the tiniest bit of clearance, but just barely.