Can you use an IBM-Formatted Zip disk on a Mac? (the drive is the 100 mb internal kind)
January 14, 2004 11:08 AM Subscribe
Can you use an IBM-Formatted Zip disk on a Mac? These are the old 100mb internal Zip Disk Drives, not the new 250mb drives. My design prof told us we must have the Mac-formatted disks or else the computer will eat our files. I really don't want to go to the extra expense of buying a 3 pack of Mac-formatted disks, especially since I have 3 brand new IBM-compatible zip disks laying around.
You probably won't even need to reformat the IBM-formatted disks. I've used the "as is" on a Mac many times. It can't hurt to reformat them, though.
posted by ScottUltra at 11:20 AM on January 14, 2004
posted by ScottUltra at 11:20 AM on January 14, 2004
Response by poster: So I imagine the kid in the example she used probably just tried to use the disk without reformatting it for the Mac, and eventually it ate his files? The story she used was convincing, but I remember using IBM-formatted regular floppy disks in the Mac way back when and they were fine if you reformatted them for the Mac. I took what she said with a grain of salt, because she was extremely firm about us only buying Mac-formatted disks. I wanted to make sure about this before I ended up a sucker at the bookstore where they overcharge for those things like crazy.
posted by banished at 11:25 AM on January 14, 2004
posted by banished at 11:25 AM on January 14, 2004
I'm pretty sure your design professor has absolutely no idea what she's talking about. Files don't get "eaten" like that unless there is a problem that has nothing to do with whether a disk is formatted as HFS or FAT. You should be quite safe using the disks as-is, but since this is your prof we're talking about, you won't hurt anything by reformatting them to make her happy.
posted by majick at 11:29 AM on January 14, 2004
posted by majick at 11:29 AM on January 14, 2004
IBM-formatted disks lose the file header information - Mac files have (had? not up to speed with OSX file stuff) two chunks to them, one that holds the data, the other that held metainformation (such as file format, creator type, etc). DOS/Windows files only had the one and relied on the suffix to imply the other information. if you put a Mac file on a PC disk you'd lose the metainformation which wouldn't be a problem for a text file or a JPEG but would be death to a Quark XPress file or a (mac) font. So whereas you can use the disks freely you have to be careful about what they are and how they are saved (if you save them in a Stuffit archive they'll be fine and the .sit file will be fine).
The same stuff applies to files transferred over the internet or via media cards.
So the answer is "both".
I think this is broadly correct. I've just got home from work and my brain is bubbling slightly.
posted by Grangousier at 11:34 AM on January 14, 2004
The same stuff applies to files transferred over the internet or via media cards.
So the answer is "both".
I think this is broadly correct. I've just got home from work and my brain is bubbling slightly.
posted by Grangousier at 11:34 AM on January 14, 2004
Yes, the mac will recognize IBM formatted zip disks. And yes, it's probably a good idea to reformat them for the mac if you're going to be using them a lot with macs because of the resource/data fork issue.
BUT!
I would recommend that you look into some other method of storing and transferring files. My experience with Zip disks is that it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to lose your files, but 'when'. I've had to tell a lot of users just how sorry I was when I couldn't recover their files from horked Zip disks.
I don't know what your other options might be. If you're using relatively new machines with USB support, I've found that USB keychain drives are affordable and work very well with macs (provided the macs have up to date firmware).
If you're at a uni that gives you some sort of unix or mail account that you can access via FTP, you can use that for storage and just download your files to whatever machine you need them on.
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:37 AM on January 14, 2004
BUT!
I would recommend that you look into some other method of storing and transferring files. My experience with Zip disks is that it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to lose your files, but 'when'. I've had to tell a lot of users just how sorry I was when I couldn't recover their files from horked Zip disks.
I don't know what your other options might be. If you're using relatively new machines with USB support, I've found that USB keychain drives are affordable and work very well with macs (provided the macs have up to date firmware).
If you're at a uni that gives you some sort of unix or mail account that you can access via FTP, you can use that for storage and just download your files to whatever machine you need them on.
posted by ursus_comiter at 11:37 AM on January 14, 2004
I use ibm zip disks on my mac all the time too...no problems either. If they're new and unused, I reformat them--If not, I don't bother.
posted by amberglow at 12:03 PM on January 14, 2004
posted by amberglow at 12:03 PM on January 14, 2004
I know we're supposed to avoid chatting about the thread and all, but fuzziness abounds . . . . I hope everyone else love seeing a thread go this direction as much as I do.
posted by littlegreenlights at 2:03 PM on January 14, 2004
posted by littlegreenlights at 2:03 PM on January 14, 2004
if you put a Mac file on a PC disk you'd lose the metainformation which wouldn't be a problem for a text file or a JPEG but would be death to a Quark XPress file or a (mac) font.
This is complete rubbish and, like your professor re: Mac files on PC disks, should be ignored as bad information. The Mac files will retain all information because the Mac reads the PC disks as a native file format, and so has accounted for retaining both its data fork and resource fork.
This is very accurate: My experience with Zip disks is that it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to lose your files, but 'when'.
posted by Mo Nickels at 2:10 PM on January 14, 2004
This is complete rubbish and, like your professor re: Mac files on PC disks, should be ignored as bad information. The Mac files will retain all information because the Mac reads the PC disks as a native file format, and so has accounted for retaining both its data fork and resource fork.
This is very accurate: My experience with Zip disks is that it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to lose your files, but 'when'.
posted by Mo Nickels at 2:10 PM on January 14, 2004
Response by poster: That's very sweet of you amberglow, but it is ok. I needed the disks right away because we're starting a project later today already, and I have enough PC-compatible disks to work with. Well, I have one at least, (I have others but I'm not sure what files are on them already) and she said we need three for the class, but I doubt I'll fill up the first one for a little while anyway.
But, I am at a Mac computer right now, I think it's a G4? (It's a blue machine) and it has OS X on it, and I put the zip disk in but nothing happened. How do I navigate to the disk and view the files and how do I format the disk? Any Mac users out there that can help me out?
posted by banished at 2:45 PM on January 14, 2004
But, I am at a Mac computer right now, I think it's a G4? (It's a blue machine) and it has OS X on it, and I put the zip disk in but nothing happened. How do I navigate to the disk and view the files and how do I format the disk? Any Mac users out there that can help me out?
posted by banished at 2:45 PM on January 14, 2004
Response by poster: ooo this is even better, the disk is in and won't eject when I hit the eject button, and I have a paperclip to put in the hole to eject the disk, but some idiot tried using their pen and broke something off in there so the hole is jammed. I'm stuck in the computer lab and my disk is stuck in there. Any ideas how to get it out?
posted by banished at 2:51 PM on January 14, 2004
posted by banished at 2:51 PM on January 14, 2004
If the disk doesn't appear on the desktop, open up a finder window using 'command-N' (command is that key with the hollow apple on it). The new finder window will show you all the currently mounted devices.
If you don't see the zip disk there, then there's probably something wrong with the drive.
You could try to format the disk with Apple's Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities), but if nothing happened, then I'm betting that there's a drive problem.
posted by ursus_comiter at 2:52 PM on January 14, 2004
If you don't see the zip disk there, then there's probably something wrong with the drive.
You could try to format the disk with Apple's Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities), but if nothing happened, then I'm betting that there's a drive problem.
posted by ursus_comiter at 2:52 PM on January 14, 2004
Response by poster: Any advice on how to get the computer to eject the disk if the system isn't recognizing there's a disk in there?
posted by banished at 2:59 PM on January 14, 2004
posted by banished at 2:59 PM on January 14, 2004
Response by poster: HEY!!! I figured it out. I got it to do it, ok I need to switch computers but I have a meeting at 6:00, (I will be just in time) so more on this later.
posted by banished at 3:01 PM on January 14, 2004
posted by banished at 3:01 PM on January 14, 2004
A quick tip: if you've got a stuck CD or Zip disk that won't eject for whatever reason, restart the machine while holding down the mouse (in it's "click" position). Wait to hear the "bong" and you see a grey screen, then release the mouse. Your ejectables should then pop out. Have a scooby snack and let those around you marvel at your magical powers.
posted by inviolable at 3:12 PM on January 14, 2004
posted by inviolable at 3:12 PM on January 14, 2004
i've worked most of my career with a mac and a pc on my desk, transferring files back and forth. No problems.
My experience with Zip disks is that it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to lose your files, but 'when'.
amen.
they eat files on their own. A cd burner is cheaper than a zip drive, and a blank CD is 10% of the cost of a blank zip drive--or less. Especially when sending out files to a printer or ad agency or something....zips have a tendency to not come back to you, but with cd's you just don't have to worry about it.
posted by th3ph17 at 9:18 AM on January 15, 2004
My experience with Zip disks is that it's not a matter of 'if' you're going to lose your files, but 'when'.
amen.
they eat files on their own. A cd burner is cheaper than a zip drive, and a blank CD is 10% of the cost of a blank zip drive--or less. Especially when sending out files to a printer or ad agency or something....zips have a tendency to not come back to you, but with cd's you just don't have to worry about it.
posted by th3ph17 at 9:18 AM on January 15, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
Then you can reformat it for Mac and save stuff on it. Done deal.
posted by zpousman at 11:12 AM on January 14, 2004