Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Drives record data in tracks, which are circular bands of data on the disk. Each track is
divided into sectors.
Figure 8.12
shows an actual floppy disk sprayed with magnetic de-
veloper (powdered iron) such that an image of the actual tracks and sectors can be clearly
seen. The disk shown is a 5 1/4-inch 360KB floppy, which has 40 tracks per side, with
each track divided into nine sectors. Note that each sector is delineated by gaps in the re-
cording, which precede and follow the track and sector headers (where ID and address
information resides). You can clearly see the triple gap preceding the first sector, which
includesthetrackandsectorheaders.Thenfollowinginacounterclockwisedirection,you
see each subsequent sector, preceded by gaps delineating the header for that sector. The
area between the headers is where the sector data is written.
Figure 8.12
360KB floppy disk media sprayed with magnetic developer (powdered iron) showing the actu-
al track and sector images.
