[waynf]

Yesterday changed modem on recently purchased computer Windows XP Professional. Modem working fine but new problem has arisen. I cannot format diskettes. Is this a problem with the drive, or could it be something else. What do you need from me in order to help.

Regards

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Hi waynf!

When is the last time you remember that you could correctly format floppy disks with no problems? Just want to point out that if you smoke and do smoke around your computer, that smoke form cigarettes/cigars is the leading cause of floppy drives malfunctioning.

Fenor

[Fenor]

Hi waynf!

When is the last time you remember that you could correctly format floppy disks with no problems? Just want to point out that if you smoke and do smoke around your computer, that smoke form cigarettes/cigars is the leading cause of floppy drives malfunctioning.

Fenor

[Tyger]

Hi waynf!

When is the last time you remember that you could correctly format floppy disks with no problems? Just want to point out that if you smoke and do smoke around your computer, that smoke form cigarettes/cigars is the leading cause of floppy drives malfunctioning.

Fenor

That's an interesting observation.

Waynf, you might want to check the BIOS to see that the drive type is set correctly.

[Fenor]

That's an interesting observation.

It's true though. My old roomates both smoked and they smoked around their computers ALL THE TIME and very shortly after we had moved into the apartment, their floppy drives no longer worked, but had been workign perfectly beforehand. My sound funny but I ain't making this one up! lol

Fenor

[waynf]

Well I have never smoked near this computer, but remember this is a second hand computer, however if all else fails can I install a diskette drive from another computer, and will I require a driver for it?

Thanks so far!

waynf

[Neil Jones]

All floppy disk drives are standard and every version of Windows since at least Win95 has native support for them.

so in a nutshell, just swap them over.

[waynf]

In regards to checking the BIOS for the setting for the "A" drive, what specifically should I be looking for?

Waynf

[Kemasa]

Yesterday changed modem on recently purchased computer Windows XP Professional. Modem working fine but new problem has arisen. I cannot format diskettes. Is this a problem with the drive, or could it be something else. What do you need from me in order to help.

Regards

I assume that the modem you changed was an internal modem, correct? If that is the case, the first thing that you should do is to re-open the case and check to make sure that you did not bump the cable going to the floppy. Check it at the floppy and also the motherboard. Also check the power cable to the drive, but that is a lot less likely to have a problem.

You say that you can not format disks, but does the drive do anything else? Does the access led go on? Can you read or write disks?

[Tyger]

In regards to checking the BIOS for the setting for the "A" drive, what specifically should I be looking for?

Waynf

That it's set to 1.44mb 3 1/2 floppy.