Floppy Drive not Recognized

[Mr Bob]

For some reason my floppy drive is not being recognized. I need to create a boot disk to partition a hard drive, but I cannot get my floppy drive to boot, thus not being able format the drive.

I checked the power to the drive, I have a 420W power supply, and the drive comes up under My Computer. Any ideas?

 

[superkdogg]

If it's under My Computer, it's being recognized. Is it also in your Device Manager? If so, you probably have a bad disk-try another.

Or are you saying that it's recognized once you get to the OS, but not in bios/boot sequence? I may have misread your question.

 

[Mr Bob]

None of my floppies are recognized (it always says insert disk into drive a) yet they work on my other computer. It looks like it is not getting power, because the green light on the front doesn't turn on (not even blink).

Yes, it is also under device manager.

 

[Slikkster]

Just in case you missed this, the floppy drive ribbon cables are often exactly opposite of IDE cables where the red stripe is concerned. On my system, my hard drive ribbon cables have the red stripe (or blue stripe for 80 wire) on the right side. The floppy's red stripe is on the left side for proper operation. Worth checking.

 

[superkdogg]

Slikkster beat me to it. The floppy cable is easy to put in upside down. If that's not it, I'm stumped. Every flopppy that I've seen the light will stay on if the ribbon's upside down, but maybe yours doesn't come on. Or maybe the drive's junk-do you have another to test with?

 

[Mr Bob]

I dont have another floppy to test it with (although I will have to get one to make sure that is my problem).

How could it be a problem with the cable being put on wrong? If it is being shown as a drive in My Computer, that should mean the cable and power are connected correctly, right?

 

[stockjock]

If it is being shown as a drive in My Computer, that should mean the cable and power are connected correctly, right?

Here is the real question for you on the subject...was the floppy working before? Have you made any changes inside your box lately? Have you unplugged the floppy the drive if you made changes? If you haven't done any changes our unplugged your floppy, then you probably have a bad floppy drive...it happens...

 

[keeleysam]

Originally posted by: Mr Bob
I dont have another floppy to test it with (although I will have to get one to make sure that is my problem).

How could it be a problem with the cable being put on wrong? If it is being shown as a drive in My Computer, that should mean the cable and power are connected correctly, right?

The OS (Windows at least) looks at your BIOS to see if your floppy drive s enabled, not if there is actually one there.

 

[jackschmittusa]

The drive activity light will definatly stay on constantly if the data cable is reversed. If the data cable has a twist in it, the drive needs to be on the last connector, after the twist.