Floppy disk problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter ECLiPSE 2002
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ECLiPSE 2002

I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy

Are there some tests I can use to determine if the drive is defective?

Any suggestions on what may be causing this problem

Any input would be appreciated

Frank .
 
ECLiPSE said:
I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy

Are there some tests I can use to determine if the drive is defective?
Click to expand...
You could try formatting a disk in it.
Any suggestions on what may be causing this problem
Click to expand...
It might be the drive.
 
ECLiPSE 2002 said:
I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy
Click to expand...

Have you tried a different floppy disk? I haven't purchased a floppy disk
for a very long time, so all of mine are quite old and I do find that they
fail and need to be binned. So it might be the floppy disk not the drive.
Are there some tests I can use to determine if the drive is defective?
Click to expand...

Can you read/write any other floppy disks (other than the one you are trying
to use)?

For what its worth, I sympathise with the problem this can cause. Mostly
floppies are obsolete bits of kit but just occasionally you need to use it
and it lets you down.
 
ECLiPSE 2002 said:
I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy

Are there some tests I can use to determine if the drive is defective?

Any suggestions on what may be causing this problem

Any input would be appreciated
Click to expand...

XP and floppies don't work well for me at least, format one here, copy
stuff to it at the library, bring it back and it says it's not
formatted; or a cyclic error while reading.

I have much better luck at the CMD prompt, formatting and reading and
writing a floppy.

Start | Run <type in>
CMD
<enter>

But I have given up on floppies and XP.
 
Doubleclick My Computer icon on desktop. Rightclick the floppy (A) drive
and click Properties. Click the Tools tab and do some checking there with
some of your floppy disks.
 
I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy

Are there some tests I can use to determine if the drive is defective?

Any suggestions on what may be causing this problem

Any input would be appreciated

Frank .
Click to expand...

Could be a dirty read/write head. See if you can get a cleaning
kit - one that has a cleaning fluid and a floppy disk case with
a fibrous disk inside. You apply a few drops of fluid on the
fiber, pop it in the drive and let it wipe the head for several
seconds. Quite effective for removing dust or magnetic particles
clogging the head gap.
 
unfortunately, they
are not used regularly
and between the bios
and windows, the floppy
drive is simply cycled
to death.

i think there are benefits
to the system by disconnecting
the floppy drive(s) from the
power supply and motherboard
until you actually need to
use them.


--

db ·´¯`·.¸. said:
<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
Click to expand...


..
 
ECLiPSE 2002 said:
I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy

Are there some tests I can use to determine if the drive is defective?

Any suggestions on what may be causing this problem

Any input would be appreciated

Frank .
Click to expand...



Frank

1 possibly dust and or fluff in the drive.
2 dried out lube on the head drive thread & guide rods.

Dirty heads may be a possibility if you've been using very old floppys that
have started to break down.

Best
Paul.
 
Frank

1 possibly dust and or fluff in the drive.
2 dried out lube on the head drive thread & guide rods.

Dirty heads may be a possibility if you've been using very old floppys that
have started to break down.

Best
Paul.
Click to expand...

You can buy one for $10.00
 
ECLiPSE said:
I rarely use the3 1/2 inch floppy disk drive on my Windows XP Home ed.
Compaq pc, but I recently attempted to use it and it apparenly has
failed. I am unable to format or write to the floppy - it just hangs
and I get a pop up that says the disk cannot be formatted or if I try
to write to it, it says that the disk cannot be written please make
sure that the disk is formatted and has at least 1.44 MB free even
when I use a new floppy
Click to expand...

Get and use a cleaning kit. Comes with fluid and a 1.44 disk to put the
fluid on. Works most of the time. Just let it dry before you put in a
disk you need.
 
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