Floppy Drive Woes

[Judgement]

I just built a computer for a relative, and I cant get the floppy drive to work correctly so I can flash the BIOS.

I've tried 3 different drives, all of them just show their activity light green as soon as I turn the computer on, and they can't be accessed.

Any ideas?

 

[nick1985]

try a different cable. maybe you have a bad cable or power plug

 

[Judgement]

I've tried 2 different cables, and it seems to be getting power... I'll look for cord from the power supply but I don't think there is another head that can connect to the floppy

 

[bozo1]

If the light stays on constantly it means you cable is connected backwards.

 

[Judgement]

Hmmm, thats weird... the chances of me putting it in backwards on every drive with multiple cables are VERY slim but I'll give it a shot spinning them around some.

 

[CraigRT]

light always on = cable backwards. no other explanation.

 

[Judgement]

Ok well there could be a problem then because the A doesn't have a groove out of the metal for where the notch on the floppy cable goes (the one that helps you line it up so you don't put it on backwards).

Help? Heh.. any ideas?

 

[bozo1]

If you can't swap the end on the drive then swap the end on the motherboard. One of them is backwards.

 

[Judgement]

The end on the motherboard is correct... I tested it with a different floppy drive this way and it worked.... the end of the cord with 2 plugs close together on it can't be the part that connects to the motherboard, doesn't make sense.

Still there is no groove, on either side regardless of which way I twist the cable to fit on the A drive. Although one way there is enough room to fit it... that way is backwards (green light is on)... there is no room for the other way though..

 

[CraigRT]

you need a new cable
borrow one if need be
you're troubleshooting... this is important stuff!!!!! 😀

 

[Judgement]

Ok two cables and 3 drivers later I've come to the conclusion that 2 drives are defective.

I got one of the drives to work, the other two simply refuse to read discs (even after getting the cables situated).

I had pry into the metal to get the cable to fit into the one A drive, but that was the correct way to do it none the less... the green light didn't stay solid from boot up on.

BIOS successfully flashed but I need to get them an work drive now, they can't have mine :frown: