Is it okay to scan floppy disks in a scanner? I wanted to ask because I was afraid of magnets corrupting them.
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2011, May 30 - 7:19pm
#1
Scanning floppy disks
Comments
2011, May 30 - 7:23pm
#2
I think it´s ok. There shouldn´t be any source of magnetic radiation in a scanner. Not in any higher degree/amount.
2011, May 31 - 3:53am
#3
It should be fine. The motor which moves the sensor is usually on one end of the bed and drives a gear mechanism, so if you're really worried put the disk in the middle (or the light end) of the scanner, where it's not near the motor. I'd worry more about the scanner picking up too much glare off the metal door than anything else.
If you're really paranoid about ruining your floppies, take a picture with a digital camera instead of scanning them. If you get the camera lined up properly and use extra lights instead of the flash, you should get a picture almost as good as a scan.
2011, May 30 - 11:07pm
#4
I make scans of my floppies all the time with my old Canon N650U scanner. No magnets in it as far as I can tell, just a little electric motor.
2011, May 31 - 1:27pm
#5
Well, you can see the results of the fruits of my labor. I'm doing a project, namely, scanning in materials of old games both recently acquired and already on hand.
Here's the collection for Sensory Overload.
http://carbonizer.blogspot.com/2011/05/sensory-overload.html