NOTE: You, the customer, are solely responsible for data security. WinBook strongly recommends that you perform a backup of all personal data contained on your system prior to performing this procedure. Warning: WinBook will NOT be held responsible for any data loss incurred during this process.

A relatively new technology called LS-120 allows 120 MB to be stored on a diskette that has the same dimensions as the 1.44 MB floppy. The LS-120 drive will also read and write to 1.44 MB and 720KB diskettes.

How the LS-120 works

The LS-120 diskettes have optical reference tracks permanently (i.e., a user can't inadvertently erase them) laid down on the media at the factory. A laser servo mechanism (that's what the LS stands for) in the drive uses the tracks as a guidance system to more precisely position the drive heads. This allows data tracks to be written more closely together. Compared to 135 tracks per inch on a standard 1.44 MB floppy, the LS-120 disk has 2,490 tracks per inch.

Is the LS-120 drive faster than a standard floppy drive?

The LS-120 drive rotates slightly faster than a standard floppy drive, and will transfer data at 565 KB per second, compared to about 60 KB per second for a standard floppy. The LS-120 disks also use a different medium and magnetic pigment, and more precisely engineered parts. All of these contribute to its higher capacity and faster performance.

Is the LS-120 drive bootable?

The LS-120 can be a Bootable drive, with the latest generations of bios supplied by AMI and Award, operating systems like Windows 95 and Windows 98 fully recognize it as such. This means PC makers could start replacing the venerable 1.44 MB floppy drive if demand warrants the extra cost.

Is the LS-120 faster than other large removable drives?

The answer to this is a definite yes. Testing has shown that the LS-120 drive is 80% faster than comparable removable media drives and also holds 20 MB more data that standard 100 MB removable drives.

Why does it say DO NOT FORMAT on the disc?

All LS-120 discs are factory formatted and cannot be formatted in the WinBook. Simply deleting all the files from the disc will put it back to factory fresh condition.

How can I eject the disk?

Ejecting a disk: There are three ways to eject a disk. First you can push the button on the outside of the LS-120 drive. An important thing to remember when using the ejection button is that it is an electronic switch and requires very little pressure to activate unlike previous manual eject buttons. Second, when in Windows 98, you can double-click on the My Computer icon, then right click on the 3 1/2 Floppy icon, then left click on Eject. Third, there is a small hole next to the eject button on the outside of the LS-120 drive. If you insert a small, thin object into the hole (a paper clip for example) and press gently, the disk will eject. Do not insert any foreign objects in the drive itself. If a disk will not eject after trying all three options, please call WinBook Technical Support.

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Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you as a service from the Technical Support Department of WinBook Computers. It is intended to assist you in the resolution of your technical problems or questions. If you feel uncomfortable implementing any of the information or suggestions contained herein then you should e-mail the WinBook Technical Support Department. WinBook will not be held responsible for any loss of information, data or programming as a result of the use of this TechNote.