Zip vs. Floppy disks

You can use both zip and floppy disks in the computers in the COE lab. When you are choosing which type of disk to use or using a disk in the lab, keep the following things in mind:

• The zip drive is located in the CPU. NEVER put floppy disks in the zip drive as they could get stuck and damaged.

• The floppy drive is located on the desk, typically underneath the monitor or next to it. NEVER put zip disks in the floppy drive as they could get stuck and damaged.

• If you are purchasing a zip disk to use in the lab, look for a 100 MB disk because 250 MB disks DO NOT work in the lab computers.

• After you insert a floppy disk or zip disk, an icon for the disk will appear on your desktop.

• The primary difference between floppy disks and zip disks is the amount of information that they can hold. Most floppy disks have room to store 1.44 MB of information. Most zip disks store 100 MB, which is the equivalent of almost 70 floppy disks.