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3.5 floppy rives: Still useful or obsolete?

Yes, but it is very limited these days, mostly to BIOS updates and the like, although admittedly most of these are done in windows now.

Interestingly my 3.5" floppy drive is the only remaining part of my very first PC which I bought in 1997, everything else has either broken or been superseeded.
 
I'm in the same boat, I still have the 3.5 from my first build about the same time. But I don't think i've used it in the last 3 years! I just ordered my first new system and I'm upgrading everything, but I'm debating on even putting my old 3.5 into the sys. Can't bios now be updated from CD media?
 
The two activities that really need a floppy drive:

Performing an ASR System Recovery in XP
Installing Windows onto a RAID array
 
I still wouldn't build a PC without a floppy drive. I'm still using the same original 3.5" floppy drive I bought 7 or 8 builds ago, and my BIOS is still set for the floppy drive as first boot device.

It's very useful for quickly running an HD diagnostic, HD driver floppy, Memtest86, DOS boot disk or floppy-based DOS apps such as image creation/recovery.

Just insert floppy and reboot.

Sure, you can make bootable CD/DVD media to avoid floppy drive, but that's an unnecessary hassle that you create for yourself.

I suspect that many object to the floppy as 'old school' and 'uncool' or simply consider it as obsolete technology. I disagree - but then I'm 'old school' myself.

Hope this helps!
 
Flashing BIOS - do from Windows
Memtest86 - ever hear of a CD?
Installing SATA drives - never had a problem doing it with XPSP2 disc

I guess there are few little things that you might need it for, like installing beta BIOS'es or doing weird RAID stuff but I haven't had a floppy in my PC for 4 years.

 
i needed one with my last board to do bios updates. my new board tho can flash in windows so i finally ditched my floppy drive.
 
Originally posted by: Kendral77
So what do you think, is there a good reason to still have these devices in our systems?
Click to expand...

I use one to run memtest overnight on new biulds. I do that before installing the OS. Just wanna make sure the ram is good, otherwise it'll hose the install

I mean really they're so cheap they're almost free. Well, I've not bought a floppy in many many years. I just keep re-using them.

Fern
 
I decided not to get one with my new build, boy was I wrong. Or so I thought. Tried to run some memtests for the first time, but the disk wouldn't go in my closed off 3.5" bay🙂. Then I went with the CD burner. Only problem is that I didn't have any CD-RWs so now I have one outdated Memtest86+ disc using 3MB of 600MB. So pretty much useless now, but still has that ounce of usefulness once a decade.
 
Memtest - bah, thats why its in the BIOS.
I cant really see any reason to have a floppy, but im intrigued by the mention of needing one to install windows on a RAID array, care to go into more detail?

anyways, it looks like the only reason to have one is the RAID issue, so i would have one lying around, to be shared among systems.
 
i like it cuz not all computers at my work have a usb connections in the front. so a usb flash drive is not always convenient. burning to a cd is not convenient either, and sometimes, i don't want to transfer something via network/email.

i still use it for a quick file copy from one computer to the next.
 
Originally posted by: murphy55d
I have to install my highpoint RAID driver from a floppy when I install/reinstall Windows.
Click to expand...

You could just use NLite to slipstream your RAID drivers onto a Windows CD. Did it with my Shuttle ST20G5.
 
Originally posted by: RebateMonger
The two activities that really need a floppy drive:

Performing an ASR System Recovery in XP
Installing Windows onto a RAID array
Click to expand...

You can EASILY install windows to a raid controller without a floppy, just have to make a setup disk using a program that integrates the drivers, or use the OEM folder... it ain't that hard and there are tons of guides online for a variety of methods...

Also,
You normally access the ASR state file (Asr.sif) through a local floppy disk drive. If the computer does not have a floppy disk drive, or you want to perform an ASR restore over a network or remotely, you can use a Remote Installation Services (RIS) server to fully automate the ASR process. RIS uses Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) technology to enable client computers without an operating system to boot remotely to a RIS server that performs installation of a supported operating system over a TCP/IP network connection. Consequently, the remote installation client computer must have a PXE-enabled network adapter.
Click to expand...

Seems like it would be hard for the home user to setup, but for the enterprise/corporate... not really.

The Floppy is dead, let it go peacefully.
 
Some people stick use floppys, so there a necessity for them. I just buy lots of 3 from computer pulls for about $5 delivered. There's still some use out there and though I use flash readers, floppies keep coming up.
 
I use mine for BIOS flashes, F6 to load drivers during a Windows install and to back-up small files like MS Office files.
 
Originally posted by: BFG10K
I use mine for BIOS flashes, F6 to load drivers during a Windows install and to back-up small files like MS Office files.
Click to expand...

Boo yah... When manufacturers stop using Floppies (for raid, etc.), that's when we'll soon stop.
 
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