3.5" FLOPPY DISKETTE

Below there is a picture of the now commonly used 3.5" floppy diskettes. The below representation is what the back of a floppy diskette looks like. As you can see there are four main visible parts:

First the top left of the back of the floppy there is a small tab. This tab enables the floppy disk to be switched from write protected and un-write protected. Move the tab to the top position creating a hole makes the disk write protected. This means that nothing can be written, erased or deleted from the diskette. Moving the tab to the bottom position allows the disk to be un-write protected. Which means the diskette can be written too, erased and or have information deleted from the diskette. Some diskettes which are generally cheaper diskettes will be missing this tab. To write information to the diskette you will have to place a piece of scotch tab over the whole.

Second the top right hand of the back of the floppy you will notice a small whole. This tells the computer if the diskette within the computer is a High Density diskette.

Third you will notice the circular metal disk in the middle of the floppy diskette. This is used to rotate the magnetic medium within the floppy disk casing.

Fourth you will see a metal door which can be moved left and then will snap back to its original position. This door is used to allow the read/write head within the floppy drive to have the capability  of accessing the magnetic medium within the casing. Once the diskette is removed this door will snap back into position helping to prevent anything from getting on the magnetic medium and destroying it.

Troubleshooting