---
title: "CAI/ESF Mass Storage Device"
id: 12022
type: "product"
slug: "cai-esf-mass-storage-device"
url: "http://localhost/product/cai-esf-mass-storage-device/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/product/cai-esf-mass-storage-device.md"
published_at: "2019-11-30T01:17:48+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-22T13:20:40+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "The CAI/ESF (Exatron Stringy Floppy) used endless-loop tapes and a small operating system to perform many of the functions available on disk operating systems. It could load or store 27K bytes in less than 30 seconds."
category:
  - name: "Disk Drive Systems"
    slug: "disk-other"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/hardware/disk-other/"
post_tag:
  - name: "CAI Instruments"
    slug: "cai-instruments-inc"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/cai-instruments-inc/"
  - name: "TS 1000"
    slug: "ts1000"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts1000/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 1000"
    slug: "ts-1000"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-1000/"
genre:
  - name: "Disk Drive Systems"
    slug: "disk-drive-systems"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/disk-drive-systems/"
  - name: "Hardware"
    slug: "hardware"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/hardware/"
company:
  id: 10717
  title: "CAI Instruments, Inc."
  type: "company"
  url: "http://localhost/company/cai-instruments-inc/"
price: 119.95
rarity: "Uncommon"
related_content:
  - id: 35661
    title: "CAI/ESF (Exatron Stringy Floppy) Operation Manual"
    type: "document"
    url: "http://localhost/document/cai-esf-exatron-stringy-floppy-operation-manual/"
  - id: 35663
    title: "Autofile Manual of Operations"
    type: "document"
    url: "http://localhost/document/autofile-manual-of-operations/"
product_reviews:
  - id: 52830
    title: "Stringy Floppy Notes"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/stringy-floppy-notes/"
articles:
  - article:
      id: 22809
      title: "CAI/ESF Stringy Floppy"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/cai-esf-stringy-floppy/"
  - article:
      id: 25146
      title: "The Floppy Alternative"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/the-floppy-alternative/"
adverts:
  - publication:
      - id: 26645
        title: "SYNC v2 n5"
        type: "issue"
        url: "http://localhost/issue/sync-v2-n5/"
    advert_page: "17"
companies_products:
  - id: 10717
    title: "CAI Instruments, Inc."
    type: "company"
    url: "http://localhost/company/cai-instruments-inc/"
---

# CAI/ESF Mass Storage Device

The CAI/ESF ([Exatron Stringy Floppy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exatron_Stringy_Floppy)) used endless-loop tapes and a small operating system to perform many of the functions available on disk operating systems. It could load or store 27K bytes in less than 30 seconds.