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An Iomega Zip Drive was a popular 1990s removable disk storage system that used proprietary high-capacity cartridges, initially 100 MB, to store data and provide an alternative to smaller floppy disks. It functioned by reading and writing data on a magnetically coated, spinning disk within the cartridge, offering a significant improvement in data transfer speeds and capacity compared to traditional floppies. Zip drives were available in various models, interfaces (like SCSI, parallel, IDE, and USB), and formats (internal and external), and were widely adopted for data backup and file transfer before being largely replaced by more affordable CD-ROMs and the internet.

How it Worked

Magnetic Storage: The drive's read/write head interacted with a magnetic layer on the spinning disk inside the cartridge to store and retrieve data, similar to how a hard drive or floppy disk functions.

Data Conversion: Magnetic charges were converted into digital information, allowing the computer to access and display the data.

Eject Mechanism: Unlike floppy drives, Zip drives featured a soft eject mechanism for safely removing the disc.

Key Features and History

High Capacity: The initial Zip disks stored 100 MB, a massive leap from the 1.44 MB standard of floppy disks at the time.

Multiple Capacities: Iomega later released higher-capacity Zip disks, including 250 MB and 750 MB models.

Interface Options: Zip drives used various interfaces to connect to computers, including SCSI, IDE, parallel, and USB.

Internal and External: The drives were available as both internal components that fit inside a computer case and as external units that connected to the outside of a PC.