Need Floppy Drive Help

[IronMike]

I would like to sell a 2 yr. old IBM Aptiva, but have a busted 1.44 floppy. Have been unable to get any standard 3.5" to work with this machine, as apparently it takes something called a 3-mode floppy. Can anyone tell me if I have any options other than paying IBM the $60 they are asking for a replacement drive?

 

[Tominator]

There should be a BIOS setting that allows a standard 3.5 floppy.

 

[IronMike]

No such luck. BIO's are a little thin. Damn, I hate to reward IBM for making everything proprietary.

 

[Tominator]

Up! Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Dan]

One possible work-around: pull an FDD from an old IBM system and see if that works. I guarantee that if you scrounge around in some thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) you'll find an old box for next to nothing. The mobo etc. may be shot but odds are good that the FDD will work. And let's face it, FDD technology hasn't changed since the days of the PS/1 so there's a good chance it will work in a 2-year old Aptiva.

 

[Dan]

IronMike: Did you ever get this resolved?