K8V floppy problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frank Wijers
  • Start date Start date
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Frank Wijers

Hi,
I've bought a K8V motherboard yesterday, and I'm planning on installing
WinXP on the machine (Athlon64 3200+).
I also bought 2 WD raptors (10K, 36Gb) and connected them to the promise
RAID controller.
Whenever I try to boot (logically) Windows setup tells me that there is no
drive available. My first instinct was to load the RAID controller drivers
(F6 during setup), but this lead me to the actual problem.

My floppy drive wasn't responding.

After reconnecting the floppy drive, I tried to boot from it, with no luck
at all. I got another drive from one of my other machines, and it also won't
boot. After trying a third drive (which also fails to boot), I get a little
desperate. When I put the floppy drives in any of my other machines, I have
no problems. When I put them back in my new machine, I cannot boot from it.
Has anyone had the same problems? Or does anyone know how to fix them?

I had similar problems once in a totally different system, but that turned
out to be a BIOS mistake from my side, but I cannot find any floppy
information in the BIOS (except size). There used to be options like "swap
floppy" etc. Where have they gone?

Greetings,

Frank Wijers
ps, if you reply directly, please remove nospam from my email address.
 
My floppy drive wasn't responding.

After reconnecting the floppy drive, I tried to boot from it, with no luck
at all. I got another drive from one of my other machines, and it also
won't boot. After trying a third drive (which also fails to boot), I get a
little desperate. When I put the floppy drives in any of my other
machines, I have no problems. When I put them back in my new machine, I
cannot boot from it. Has anyone had the same problems?
Click to expand...

No problems with the floppy attached to my K8V.
Or does anyone know how to fix them?
Click to expand...

Have you tried a different floppy power connector or a different floppy
cable? I'm thinking of broken wires here. I'm assuming you've got the
obvious right, like putting the connectors the right way around.

One thing I did notice about the cable Asus provided was that it had a
blocked hole on the motherboard end. I guess that could cause problems
if someone didn't notice! The floppy end had all pins available, as
normal.
I had similar problems once in a totally different system, but that turned
out to be a BIOS mistake from my side, but I cannot find any floppy
information in the BIOS (except size).
Click to expand...

I didn't see any either. However the default setting was just fine.
There used to be options like "swap floppy" etc. Where have they gone?
Click to expand...

Swap floppy only really applies to machines with two floppies. Even one
floppy isn't likely to be used often so two would be a total waste of
space.
 
Or does anyone know how to fix them?
Have you tried a different floppy power connector or a different floppy
cable? I'm thinking of broken wires here. I'm assuming you've got the
obvious right, like putting the connectors the right way around.
Click to expand...

I tried three different drives and two cables. The thing that bothers me
most is that the drives work perfect in one machine, but when I remove it
(with the cable still attatched to the drive) and put it in the new machine,
it won't work.
One thing I did notice about the cable Asus provided was that it had a
blocked hole on the motherboard end. I guess that could cause problems
if someone didn't notice! The floppy end had all pins available, as
normal.
Click to expand...

I noticed this, but since the drive has all pins, I cannot use that cable
the other way round.

Frank Wijers
 
I tried three different drives and two cables. The thing that bothers me
most is that the drives work perfect in one machine, but when I remove it
(with the cable still attatched to the drive) and put it in the new
machine, it won't work.
Click to expand...

Doesn't sound too good. So, with the drive light out, both the power and
data cables connected correctly, the BIOS setting 'Legacy Diskette A' set
to the default of '1.44M, 3.5 in.', it still isn't working. Sounds like
something is wrong with the motherboard.
I noticed this, but since the drive has all pins, I cannot use that cable
the other way round.
Click to expand...

I seem to remember that floppies used to have a driver "letter" selector
something like the hard drive master slave. I don't suppose any of your
floppy drives have such a setting? I'm sure none of the ones I have here
do. Then again that might be something I read back in the days of 5.25"
floppies!
 
You better get an RMA number right away. Sounds like a defective
board.

Good luck, and let us know how this was resolved. I'm looking at a
K8V, and so far things like okay.

Later,

Alan

Frank> I tried three different drives and two cables. The thing that bothers me
Frank> most is that the drives work perfect in one machine, but when I remove it
Frank> (with the cable still attatched to the drive) and put it in the new machine,
Frank> it won't work.

Frank> I noticed this, but since the drive has all pins, I cannot use that cable
Frank> the other way round.

Frank> Frank Wijers
 
You better get an RMA number right away. Sounds like a defective
board.

Good luck, and let us know how this was resolved. I'm looking at a
K8V, and so far things like okay.
Click to expand...

Good news. I went to the store today and bought a brand new floppy drive. It
worked as soon as I plugged it in. Then I tried the old one again -> no luck
at all.
Guess my old floppy was TOO old to work in such a new machine (never thought
that was possible with floppies).

So, for all of you who are planning on buying one of these mainboards, make
sure you're floppy isn't too old. It saves a lot of trouble.

Greetings,
Frank
 
That is really good news. What floppy drive did you buy, and did not
notice any difference?

Thanks

Frank> Good news. I went to the store today and bought a brand new floppy drive. It
Frank> worked as soon as I plugged it in. Then I tried the old one again -> no luck
Frank> at all.
Frank> Guess my old floppy was TOO old to work in such a new machine (never thought
Frank> that was possible with floppies).

Frank> So, for all of you who are planning on buying one of these mainboards, make
Frank> sure you're floppy isn't too old. It saves a lot of trouble.

Frank> Greetings,
Frank> Frank
 
Good news. I went to the store today and bought a brand new floppy drive.
It worked as soon as I plugged it in. Then I tried the old one again -> no
luck at all.
Guess my old floppy was TOO old to work in such a new machine (never
thought that was possible with floppies).

So, for all of you who are planning on buying one of these mainboards,
make sure you're floppy isn't too old. It saves a lot of trouble.
Click to expand...

Interesting, how old was the one that didn't work? Mine is about 6 years,
but seems to be showing some signs of age as it doesn't read properly
right to the edge of the disc.
 
Interesting, how old was the one that didn't work? Mine is about 6 years,
but seems to be showing some signs of age as it doesn't read properly
right to the edge of the disc.
Click to expand...

Two drives that didn't work on the new machine were both samsung drives, one
manufactured July '98, the other October '98.
The new drive I bought is an NEC drive. On the outside, the only difference
I could see was the position of the power connector. If you look at the back
of the Samsung drives, the power connector is on the right side (in normal
cases, on the side that is the furthest away from the mainboard. On the new
NEC drive, it was on the left (near the mainboard).
otherwise there weren't any visible differences between the drives.

Maybe there's a vendor incompatibility problem between Samsung and the
newest Asus board(s). I'm planning on mailing this problem to Asus tomorrow
to ask their opinion about this. I think it's weird a 5 year old floppy
won't work in a new machine.

But thanks anyway for everybody's help.
Greetings,

Frank
 
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