Don't try this with your store bought disks! After slicing open the top, apply pressure
to the sides (A). Then (B) slide out the disk.
Now you can repair the disk,clean it, and slide it into afresh envelope
to the sides (A). Then (B) slide out the disk.
Now you can repair the disk,clean it, and slide it into afresh envelope
If the damage to a disk is limited to a single side, you will still be able to read data from the other side. There are two ways to do it.
The first way is to use a superzap program to selectively read tracks, piecing together data as you find it. Superzap programs, such as DOS's DEBUG utility, allow you to alter the data on a disk one bit at a time. If you can get your hands on an old single-sided drive it will make your work a bit easier: simply insert the disk bad-side-up, and read away. (In single-sided disks, data is normally read from and written to the back of the disk - the underside, if you hold the disk label-side up.)
A second option is to use a cosmetic disguise to hide the damaged side of the disk. For example, suppose you have found a 51/4" disk with unremov-able blemishes on one side only and your drive simply refuses to read the disk. Here's what you do.
Take another 51/4" disk, format it, then cut it open. Remove it from its envelope, and tape the new disk over the blemished disk. The tape should be between the two disks (thin double-sided tape works best). Make sure you line up the two disks precisely. Insert the taped disks back into a clean envelope, and see what you can make happen!
