Floppy Drive problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andy I.
  • Start date Start date
A

Andy I.

Hi,

My PC is about three months old. The floppy-disc drive when it is empty
periodically powers up and makes a lot of noise. This can happen when there
is no other activity going on. I have had the drive replaced,according to
the shop, but the behaviour continues.

Could something other than a fault with the drive itself be the cause?

Andy I. (Win XP SP2; 250GB HD; 1GB RAM; IE/OE 6)
 
It may not be faulty at all. Does the drive work when you put in a disk?
Periodically, depending on how your Anti-Virus software is configured,
your AV software may be trying to scan the A:\ drive to check for
viruses. This is normal behavior.
 
Thanks Michael. The drive works OK when I insert a disk.
My AV software *was* configured to scan the A:\ drive. I have now
"un-configured" that task.
I would have expected it to scan the A:\ drive only at the specified times,
not spasmodically.................
I'll now keep watch to see (hear) if the behaviour occurs again.

Andy I.


: It may not be faulty at all. Does the drive work when you put in a disk?
: Periodically, depending on how your Anti-Virus software is configured,
: your AV software may be trying to scan the A:\ drive to check for
: viruses. This is normal behavior.
:
: --
: Michael D. Alligood
: MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: CIW Certified Instructor
:
:
:
: :
: > Hi,
: >
: > My PC is about three months old. The floppy-disc drive when it is empty
: > periodically powers up and makes a lot of noise. This can happen when
there
: > is no other activity going on. I have had the drive replaced,according
to
: > the shop, but the behaviour continues.
: >
: > Could something other than a fault with the drive itself be the cause?
: >
: > Andy I. (Win XP SP2; 250GB HD; 1GB RAM; IE/OE 6)
:
 
Hey you are lucky, that's normally a $100 service call and a 1 minutes
fix for me! Glad I could help!
 
WOW! I'm impressed!

Andy I.


: Hey you are lucky, that's normally a $100 service call and a 1 minutes
: fix for me! Glad I could help!
:
: --
: Michael D. Alligood
: MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: CIW Certified Instructor
:
:
:
: :
: > Thanks Michael. The drive works OK when I insert a disk.
: > My AV software *was* configured to scan the A:\ drive. I have now
: > "un-configured" that task.
: > I would have expected it to scan the A:\ drive only at the specified
times,
: > not spasmodically.................
: > I'll now keep watch to see (hear) if the behaviour occurs again.
: >
: > Andy I.
: >
: >
: > : > : It may not be faulty at all. Does the drive work when you put in a
disk?
: > : Periodically, depending on how your Anti-Virus software is configured,
: > : your AV software may be trying to scan the A:\ drive to check for
: > : viruses. This is normal behavior.
: > :
: > : --
: > : Michael D. Alligood
: > : MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: > : Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: > : CIW Certified Instructor
: > :
: > :
: > :
: > : : > :
: > : > Hi,
: > : >
: > : > My PC is about three months old. The floppy-disc drive when it is
empty
: > : > periodically powers up and makes a lot of noise. This can happen
when
: > there
: > : > is no other activity going on. I have had the drive
replaced,according
: > to
: > : > the shop, but the behaviour continues.
: > : >
: > : > Could something other than a fault with the drive itself be the
cause?
: > : >
: > : > Andy I. (Win XP SP2; 250GB HD; 1GB RAM; IE/OE 6)
: > :
:
 
It's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.... The floppy drive is acting up again. What
now Michael!!?*!
The $100 cheque? It's "in the mail"......

Andy I.


: Inflation. :-)
:
: --
: Michael D. Alligood
: MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: CIW Certified Instructor
:
:
:
: :
: > WOW! I'm impressed!
: >
: > Andy I.
: >
: >
: > : > : Hey you are lucky, that's normally a $100 service call and a 1 minutes
: > : fix for me! Glad I could help!
: > :
: > : --
: > : Michael D. Alligood
: > : MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: > : Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: > : CIW Certified Instructor
: > :
: > :
: > :
: > : : > :
: > : > Thanks Michael. The drive works OK when I insert a disk.
: > : > My AV software *was* configured to scan the A:\ drive. I have now
: > : > "un-configured" that task.
: > : > I would have expected it to scan the A:\ drive only at the specified
: > times,
: > : > not spasmodically.................
: > : > I'll now keep watch to see (hear) if the behaviour occurs again.
: > : >
: > : > Andy I.
: > : >
: > : >
: > : > : > : > : It may not be faulty at all. Does the drive work when you put in a
: > disk?
: > : > : Periodically, depending on how your Anti-Virus software is
configured,
: > : > : your AV software may be trying to scan the A:\ drive to check for
: > : > : viruses. This is normal behavior.
: > : > :
: > : > : --
: > : > : Michael D. Alligood
: > : > : MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: > : > : Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: > : > : CIW Certified Instructor
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : > :
: > : > : : > : > :
: > : > : > Hi,
: > : > : >
: > : > : > My PC is about three months old. The floppy-disc drive when it
is
: > empty
: > : > : > periodically powers up and makes a lot of noise. This can
happen
: > when
: > : > there
: > : > : > is no other activity going on. I have had the drive
: > replaced,according
: > : > to
: > : > : > the shop, but the behaviour continues.
: > : > : >
: > : > : > Could something other than a fault with the drive itself be the
: > cause?
: > : > : >
: > : > : > Andy I. (Win XP SP2; 250GB HD; 1GB RAM; IE/OE 6)
: > : > :
: > :
:
 
Andy I. said:
It's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.... The floppy drive is acting up again. What
now Michael!!?*!
The $100 cheque? It's "in the mail"......
Click to expand...


Did you make sure that scanning the floppy is still off in the anti-virus?
Which AV program?
 
By "acting up", what exactly is it doing? Making noise like it is
reading a disk? Also, answer Frank's question so we know how to proceed.
No cash necessary! :-)

--
Michael D. Alligood
MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
CIW Certified Instructor
 
To answer your questions , both Frank and Michael:

1. I have checked.... The floppy drive is *off* in the AV.
2. The AV program I am using is AVG free edition. (Came with PC)
3. By "acting up", I mean that the floppy drive comes on when I'm not even
at the PC, and there is no disk loaded.
4. The noise is nothing like reading a disk. It's very loud..... kind of
scraping sound. The activity light comes on. This can continue for 2-3
minutes then stop.

Thanks for your continued interest.
Andy I.


: By "acting up", what exactly is it doing? Making noise like it is
: reading a disk? Also, answer Frank's question so we know how to proceed.
: No cash necessary! :-)
:
: --
: Michael D. Alligood
: MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: CIW Certified Instructor
:
:
:
: :
: > : > > It's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.... The floppy drive is acting up again.
What
: > > now Michael!!?*!
: > > The $100 cheque? It's "in the mail"......
: >
: >
: > Did you make sure that scanning the floppy is still off in the
anti-virus?
: > Which AV program?
: >
: > --
: > Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
: > http://www.fjsmjs.com
: > Answer in newsgroup. Don't send mail.
:
 
Andy, I still do not think the floppy drive is malfunctioning. There is
some programs scanning your PC; weather it is an anti-virus program,
anti-spyware program, or some other obscure program. In my experience,
the floppy drive only performs this action when a program is scanning,
searching, or saving to that drive.

Do you have any anti-spyware programs also running in the background?
What programs are running in the taskbar when this occurs; if any? Also,
if you could time the interval in between floppy drive activity that
could also give us a clue as to what is going on. Remember, within chaos
is a pattern; however obscured.
 
Michael D. Alligood said:
Andy, I still do not think the floppy drive is malfunctioning. There is
some programs scanning your PC; weather it is an anti-virus program,
anti-spyware program, or some other obscure program. In my experience, the
floppy drive only performs this action when a program is scanning,
searching, or saving to that drive.

Do you have any anti-spyware programs also running in the background? What
programs are running in the taskbar when this occurs; if any? Also, if you
could time the interval in between floppy drive activity that could also
give us a clue as to what is going on. Remember, within chaos is a
pattern; however obscured.
Click to expand...


If you really think the drive is malfunctioning, get a new or used drive and
change them out. Floppy drives are really cheap; should be under ten
dollars.
 
: : > Andy, I still do not think the floppy drive is malfunctioning. There is
: > some programs scanning your PC; weather it is an anti-virus program,
: > anti-spyware program, or some other obscure program. In my experience,
the
: > floppy drive only performs this action when a program is scanning,
: > searching, or saving to that drive.

Do you mean, Michael, that in your experience the floppy drive, when it is
being scanned, exhibits the behaviour I've described? (There is no disc in
the drive.) Is the drive scanned or the disk?
I don't have any "obscure" programs that I'm aware of.

: > Do you have any anti-spyware programs also running in the background?

I have AdaWare and SpyBot, but I run them manually.


: > What programs are running in the taskbar when this occurs; if any?

No programs were running in the taskbar the last time this occurred


: > Also, if you could time the interval in between floppy drive activity
that could also
: > give us a clue as to what is going on. Remember, within chaos is a
: > pattern; however obscured.

I'll try that, but days can pass with none of this activity occurring. It
seems quite erratic.


: If you really think the drive is malfunctioning, get a new or used drive
and
: change them out. Floppy drives are really cheap; should be under ten
: dollars.

I've already had the.floppy drive replaced, Frank. As I said earlier, this
is according to the repair shop....

Many thanks for the advice from both of you.
Andy I.


:
: --
: Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
: http://www.fjsmjs.com
: Answer in newsgroup. Don't send mail.
:
:
 
A postscript................
I brought up the floppy drive with *no* disk inserted. Attempted a scan
with AVG. Of course nothing happened.
I inserted a disc. Scanned it: "128 objects scanned". The noise was just a
steady quiet "ticking", not at all like the problem noise.
Hope this helps!

Andy I.



: : > Andy, I still do not think the floppy drive is malfunctioning. There is
: > some programs scanning your PC; weather it is an anti-virus program,
: > anti-spyware program, or some other obscure program. In my experience,
the
: > floppy drive only performs this action when a program is scanning,
: > searching, or saving to that drive.
: >
: > Do you have any anti-spyware programs also running in the background?
What
: > programs are running in the taskbar when this occurs; if any? Also, if
you
: > could time the interval in between floppy drive activity that could also
: > give us a clue as to what is going on. Remember, within chaos is a
: > pattern; however obscured.
:
:
: If you really think the drive is malfunctioning, get a new or used drive
and
: change them out. Floppy drives are really cheap; should be under ten
: dollars.
:
: --
: Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM
: http://www.fjsmjs.com
: Answer in newsgroup. Don't send mail.
:
:
 
Do you mean, Michael, that in your experience the floppy drive, when
it is being scanned, exhibits the behaviour I've described? (There is
no disc in the drive.) Is the drive scanned or the disk?

Yes, I have experienced this behavior exactly as described by you; even
when no disk is in the drive. To reiterate, you *only* have AVG as your
AV program and nothing else? As well as you have configured it *not* to
scan the A:\ drive? I am researching AVG support site now and will get
back with you.
 
Thank you Michael. AVG *is* the only AV program installed, and it *is*
configured to not scan the A:\ drive.

Andy I.


: >> Do you mean, Michael, that in your experience the floppy drive, when
: it is being scanned, exhibits the behaviour I've described? (There is
: no disc in the drive.) Is the drive scanned or the disk?
:
: Yes, I have experienced this behavior exactly as described by you; even
: when no disk is in the drive. To reiterate, you *only* have AVG as your
: AV program and nothing else? As well as you have configured it *not* to
: scan the A:\ drive? I am researching AVG support site now and will get
: back with you.
:
: --
: Michael D. Alligood
: MCSA, MCDST, MCP, A+,
: Network+, i-Net+, CIW Assoc.,
: CIW Certified Instructor
:
:
:
: :
: > A postscript................
: > I brought up the floppy drive with *no* disk inserted. Attempted a scan
: > with AVG. Of course nothing happened.
: > I inserted a disc. Scanned it: "128 objects scanned". The noise was
just a
: > steady quiet "ticking", not at all like the problem noise.
: > Hope this helps!
: >
: > Andy I.
: >
: >
: >
 
Andy, I have been through everything with AVG and there is only one
selection box to disable A:\ drive scanning. If you have already perform
this like you said, then I cannot see how it could be your AV program.
There must be another program trying to search, save or access the drive
periodically.
 
Do you ave anything on drive A: in your Recently Used Files? That can do
it.
 
Thanks Frank.

I don't understand "Recently Used Files". Where are they located? You
don't mean "TIF", do you?

Andy I.


: Do you ave anything on drive A: in your Recently Used Files? That can do
: it.
 
Right-Click the Task Bar and select properties.

Click on the Start Menu tab and then the Customize button.

Click on the Advanced tab and then click the Clear List button at the bottom
for Recent Documents :-)
 
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