Formatting is the process by which a floppy diskette is prepared to store data. An unformatted floppy straight out of the box contains an unorganized array of magnetic particles. Formatting sets the disk up, organizing it into tracks and sectors, it creates a directory on the disk, and checks for bad spots. There are some exceptions to this rule, but normally if you put an IBM-standard formatted diskette in a Macintosh computer it will be rejected as unreadable, and vice versa. Care and Feeding of a Floppy Disk .
Floppy disks are vulnerable storage media.
It is important to treat them with care in order to preserve the data. Although we have already discussed the basic components of a personal computer, it is important to know how that information translates to a particular type of system. The various components are generally connected up to the back panel of the central processing unit. Expansion Slots . You will notice several types of connectors on the back panel.