3.5 floppy drives, are they needed?

[JE78]

I just built a new i7 920 system and as I was doing some wire management and I decided to leave out my 3.5 drive for this build. This is the first build that I haven't included it in my system and was wondering if once is really needed? Obviously when it comes to storage 3.5 floppy's are obsolete and when it comes to flashing the BIOS most BIOS's just read from the hard drive. How many people in here still include one in there systems?

 

[Insomniator]

I haven't had one in years but the one or two weird times that you do need one... you'll be quite pissed. Even when they work fine, they still barely work.

Last time I needed one was trying to get a sata driver in during an XP install...

 

[RU482]

just get a usb floppy drive

 

[lxskllr]

I haven't used one in years. I hate floppies.

 

[mmntech]

I haven't used a floppy since the early 2000s at least. When I finally got a CD burner, and eventually a CF reader/writer they were toast. This was before USB keys became common/cheap.

Modders really only kept them for installing BIOS updates, but today those can be done with USB keys. No point in having one unless you've got some really old files you badly need.

 

[Tsavo]

I have 3 floppies set up in Raid 0.

 

[MrK6]

I have a spare one in my parts box, but it isn't installed. Last time I used it was to create a bootable USB key, but now I have a program that just exports the files.

 

[kitchiku]

No, you do not need it. Didn't use one for past 5 years.

 

[zerocool84]

No, you do not need it. Didn't use one for past 5 years.

Yep I haven't used one for 5yrs as well. I think it's funny that it stuck around for so long.

 

[JE78]

My last build I did which was 3 years ago I put it in and I don't think I used it once. My case looks much better without anyway.

 

[jae]

Nope, usb sticks, 8¢ cd-r, ..no reason to install one.

The one on my HP desktop doesnt even work, and i dont think i ever used it.

 

[dguy6789]

I haven't build a computer since 2000 or 2001 that I put a floppy drive in. The only thing I can think of that would need a floppy is setting up raid in Windows XP or flashing a video card bios. Vista and 7 don't need a floppy drive to set up raid and flashing a video card bios doesn't happen enough to warrant the increased cable mess inside the PC.

 

[corkyg]

Not needed at all for relatively new users. For some of us who have been around for a decade or two, they are useful - I have 12 drawers full of floppies with data, and files, and every now and then, access is useful. But - as has been said, that can be done with an external device.

 

[pukemon]

Floppy drive is only really needed if you need to install a RAID driver for Windows XP or Win Server 2003. In either case, you can use a USB floppy instead of an internal drive.

My local Microcenter had internal floppy drives for $3 - the cable (that you no longer get for free with motherboards) costs more than the drive itself.

 

[imagoon]

I keep one in a desk drawer. If I really need it I can grab it and plug it in. I did use one the other day for the first time in years though. BIOS update on an older A7N8X board that I promoted to Windows Home Server duty.

 

[lxskllr]

Not needed at all for relatively new users. For some of us who have been around for a decade or two, they are useful - I have 12 drawers full of floppies with data, and files, and every now and then, access is useful. But - as has been said, that can be done with an external device.

It's time to backup all those floppies to something reliable, and put the floppy drive in the trash where it belongs :^P

 

[WildW]

If I could find a working 5.25" floppy drive, in black, I would probably install it for geek-chic reasons.

 

[lxskllr]

If I could find a working 5.25" floppy drive, in black, I would probably install it for geek-chic reasons.

It would be easy enough to paint a beige drive.

 

[corkyg]

It's time to backup all those floppies to something reliable, and put the floppy drive in the trash where it belongs :^P

Maybe - but that takes more time and effort than I am willing to give. Besides, . . . what I have works. I even have two boxes of 5.25-in floppies.

But, my answer to OP is the first sentence. The rest is my personal choice.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Maybe - but that takes more time and effort than I am willing to give. Besides, . . . what I have works. I even have two boxes of 5.25-in floppies.

Seriously dude, it's time to get with the program. ^_^

 

[jaydee]

Make sure your motherboard has an ISA slot as well. Just in case you need to use a 56K modem and you run out of PCI slots.

 

[Rifter]

Make sure your motherboard has an ISA slot as well. Just in case you need to use a 56K modem and you run out of PCI slots.

I honestly wish they still had ISA slots, my SB 64 ISA was the best sound quality sound card i have ever used.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I honestly wish they still had ISA slots, my SB 64 ISA was the best sound quality sound card i have ever used.

I wonder if someone could build a box that takes ISA cards, and plugs into a USB port.

 

[WildW]

ISA-pr0n. Nothing modern comes close to the majesty.

 

[coolVariable]

Some of this old hardware makes awesome office "art"