Commodore 1541-II - Reusing an Old Diskette

number of the 1541, normally 8; the drive number, always 0 on the 1541; any desired
name for the diskette, up to 16 characters in length, followed by a 2 character diskette ID
number. The Close command is often optional; just don't Open that same file again
without Closing it the first time.
EXAMPLE:
OPEN 15,8,15,"N0:MY FIRST DISK,01": CLOSE 15
Note: the chattering or thumping noise you hear just after the disk New command
begins is entirely normal. The disk must be sure it is at track 1, which it assures by
stepping outward 45 times (on a 35 track diskette.) The noise you hear is the head
assembly hitting the track 1 bumper after its inevitable arrival.
HOW TO PREPARE A NEW DISKETTE: BASIC 3.5
A diskette needs a pattern of magnetic grooves in order for the drive's read/write
head to find things on it. This pattern is not on your diskettes when you buy them, but
adding it to a diskette is simple once you know to do it. Here is the procedure:
FORMAT FOR THE HEADER COMMAND
HEADER ' diskette name'' ,Iid,Ddrive # ,Udevice #
Where "diskette name" is any desired name for the diskette, up to 16 characters in
length; "id" is a 2 character diskette ID number; "drive #" is the drive number, 0 if
omitted (as it must be on the 1541); and "device #" is the disk's device number, assumed
to be 8 if omitted. As described in the next page, "id" is optional if (and only if) the
diskette has been previously formatted on a 1541. Also, the ID must be a string literal, not
a variable or expression, and may not include Basic reserved words. Thus, ",IFI" cannot
be used because If is a Basic keyword, and ",I(A$)" is not allowed because A$ is a
variable. ",IA$" is allowed, but the ID number will be the letter "A" plus a dollar sign
($), not the contents of the variable A$. If you need a variable ID number, use the Basic 2
form of the format command.
EXAMPLE:
HEADER "MY FIRST DISK,I01,DO"
Note: the chattering or thumping noise you hear just after the Header command
begins is entirely normal. The disk must be sure it is at track 1, which it assures by
stepping outward 45 times (on a 35 track diskette). The noise you hear is the head
assembly hitting the track 1 bumper after its inevitable .arrival.
REUSING AN OLD DISKETTE
After you have once formatted a particular diskette, you can re-format it as though it
were brand new at any time, using the above procedures. However, you can also change
its name and erase its programs more quickly and easily by omitting the ID number in
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