JEAN PARROT wrote in a message to JIM HOLSONBACK:

JP> Life is full of funny happenings. I forgot to mention yesterday, 
JP> that when I tried to Ghost your drive to my HD, smoke came out of 
JP> the floppy. This is the first time that I ever have seen this. The 
JP> floppy took this oportunity to die when I needed it most. It was 
JP> not used very often these days and after close to 20 years, it gave 
JP> up.

I had that happen to me _once_.  This was with a system that I was
building,  a 386 box in those days,  and the drive in question had been
purchased _new_, which really kinda ticked me off...

Bought it at a computer show,  so the vendor was not within easy reach, 
unfortunately.

What brand was the drive you were referring to there?  The one I had that
issue with was ALPS.  I've never bought another of that brand since then, 
and also tend to avoid Mitsumi,  and one or two others.  If I can get them,
 I like Sony drives (they invented the 3.5" floppy format anyhow).

---