SCSI ZIP Disk Formatting

So the Zip disks are PC-formatted from the manufacturer? Are you using the IomegaWare Tools utility to reformat them? That's really the only way to properly format them on a Mac. In Windows, the procedure may not be as restrictive, if you're able to right-click on the disk and choose to format. If you download/install IomegaWare 1.x on your LC, you should be able to reformat them without the "locked" error. Zip drives were great when introduced, having disks with 100 MB (pre-formatted) capacity, but there were some notable problems early on. I have the 100, 250, and 750 MB models, but flash drives having no mechanical parts to wear out doomed the Zip drives to hardware oblivion.

I can only assume that the disk was locked using the password-protection feature of the Iomega Tools utility software. If you had access to an older Mac running OS 8.6-9.2.2, you could download the Iomega 4.0.2 software and attempt to remove the password protection. That website also has older versions, so a search under the "I" listings should find one. The Zip drive's user manual indicated that directions for password protection could be found under the "Tools" Help menu. It may require entering the password to be able to disable the protection, otherwise anyone could have bypassed the security feature using the Iomega Tools software. Warnings about the inability to read/write/erase a disk after it was password-protected were undoubtedly emphasized, along with storing the password in a secure place. I have a Power Mac 8600 with an internal Zip 100 drive. I'll check out the Iomega Tools software for directions and post back.

Hi,

Would it be correct to assume that there is not any change with Extensions off (starting the LC 475 with the Shift key depressed) and an attempt to erase via Erase Disk in the Special menu?

Have you tried to use a third-party SCSI formatting utility (such as Lido 7.5.6)?

Lido 7.56 is a very good tool for reformatting/initialising disks, and should be useful even in a case like this. See, for example, the German www.knubbelmac.de (under Software -> Werkzeuge). If necessary, a translation service like Google's could be used for the site.