3.5 floppy

[Bus429]

My original drive failed (would not rotate). Obtained another used one. It rotates but every time I insert a disc it says that the disc is not fomatted (even if it is)

Any help available? I've run Device Manager and "Check It 98" and both say no probs with drive.

[Tinstaafl]

I know this sounds obvious, but is the cable connected correctly? I had a similar problem once & it turned I'd bent pin slightly.

[Bus429]

Yes, checked pins. Have to leave it 'till the new year. Thanks, anyway.

[Ironguts]

Make sure you have the data cable on the right way - Red stripe to pin 1 - if you turn your PC on and the LED on the front of the floppy drive remains on ALL the time youv'e got on the the wrong way round.
If not the drive is stuffed ( ie read/write heads b_uggered).

[PPRuNe Towers]

Noting your location Bus 429 the purveyers of fine hardware to the Towers (By Appointment) CMS Computers are not too far away. Brunswick Docks, Liverpool - 8 quid plus the dreaded VAT gets you a new one.

------------------
Regards from the Towers

[email protected]

[FL310]

This sounds like the system does not recognise your drive in the given configuration.
Before you start into buying new things, just a quick check on two things:
Did you install new software?
Was your PC hit by power surge?
It may sound rediculous, well it is not. Very often your BIOS setup has changed without notice. Have a look for the correct setting, is there still a 3.5" drive mentioned, capacity 1.44 MB, is it A drive, if no other drive is installed, is there any other drive mentioned in the BIOS?

Next item to check, why did the old drive quit. Did you install any other hardware and the power supply is unable to support too many individual items?
If no new items installed, check the connection (power) which was plugged to your drive. Did you use the same connection now on the other drive?
Is there any other free connection available to test the drive?
Check the data cable, they are manufactured in low quality and very often the post-pluggs brake or, even worse to detect, the metal gripps did catch another cable (unable to detect without special equipment) and due to any vibration or movement the fault appears only now.

Only if you have checked these single steps you can be very sure that a new drive will solve your problems...

Merry xmas anyway and good luck

[Bus429]

Thanks, 310. The original drive ceased to rotate. The new drive is fact from an old PC.
The only thing I have not checked is the ribbon cable.

Merry XMAS to you.

[spannersatcx]

Bus try the floppy in another pc to see if it works there. Pop over to your old office, and you can try it in one of ours, I'm in 29/30/31 Dec,
Merry Xmas

[spannersatcx]

Originally posted by spannersatcx:
Bus try the floppy in another pc to see if it works there. Pop over to your old office, and you can try it in one of ours, I'm in 29/30/31 Dec,
Merry Xmas
p.s. I've got a floppy drive in my draw at work you can borrow, also I had a similar problem and it was to do with a jumper on my SB16 soundcard that disabled floppy access, don't know why it should do that. Also try support website of your pc manufacturer.