Floppy Disk
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I have Windows XP, why can't I format a 720kb floppy disc? The option to format this floppy disk to the capacity of 720 kilobytes (KB) is missing inthe Format 3 1/2 Floppy dialog box.
The ability to format floppy disks to a capacity of 720 KB is not present in Windows XP. Windows XP only supports the formatting of floppies to 1.44 megabytes (MB). For further information, please refer to Microsoft Help.
When I connect my USB Floppy drive to my MAC, why do I receive the error message:"USB Floppy Drive" cannot operate because it needs more power?
The device must be plugged directly to the USB port on the MAC. It is not supported on a Hub or connected to the keyboard.
When I connect my USB Floppy drive to my MAC, it doesn't install an icon on my Desktop.
The drive does not install an icon on the Desktop until a floppy disk is inserted in the drive.
How do I copy a document or file to a floppy disk in Windows.?
To copy a file or folder to a floppy disk, perform the following steps:
1. Insert the floppy disk into the disk drive.
2. Open Windows Explorer.
3. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
4. Browse to and click the file or folder you want to copy.
5. On the File menu, point to Send To, and then click 3 1/2 Floppy (A).
How do I format a floppy disk from within the Microsoft Windows operating system?
1. Ensure that the diskette is not open and none of the files on the diskette are open or in use. You cannot format a diskette if it is open or if any of the files are open.
2. Insert a floppy disk into the floppy drive.
3. Double-click the My Computer icon.
4. Right-click the 3.5-inch Floppy drive icon and select Format from the menu. The Format window appears.
5. Click Start to begin formatting the floppy disk.
6. An alert appears, notifying you that formatting will erase all data on the disk. Click OK to continue with the format.
7. When the format is complete, a Format Complete window appears. Click OK.
8. In the Format window click Close.
The disk is now ready to use. If you have a problem formatting a disk, verify that the disk is fully inserted into the drive. Also verify that the disk is not write-protected. In the upper-right corner of the disk there is a square hole with a small sliding plastic shutter. When the shutter covers the hole the disk is write-protected and cannot be written to or formatted. Make sure to slide the shutter down so that the square hole is open.
I get a message that my disk is write-protected, how do I take that off?
Remove the disk from the drive. There is a tab on the disk that you must move. It is located on the back of the disk. If you can see through the hole in the disk, then the disk is write-protected. Slide the tab down so you cannot see through the hole. Now you can write to the disk.
What causes a non-system disk error?
Non-System Disk or Disk Error results when the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) cannot find the boot sector or the master boot record is missing or damaged; i.e. the device does not have bootable media. The BIOS searches drives in the order usually specified in the CMOS Setup. This order is often, but not always, A: (floppy drive), C: (first partition on the hard disk). The error will occur during startup if the CMOS is set so the BIOS seeks the floppy drive first and a non-bootable (or blank) floppy is in (was left in) the floppy drive. Other causes include:
- No bootable partition on a hard disk drive
- A defective hard disk drive
- The CMOS drive settings (parameters) are not correct for the boot device
- Defective floppy
- Defective floppy drive
- A virus
Why is the floppy drive not ready even though I put a disk in? I get the error message A:\ is not accessible.
Be sure the Standard BIOS Setup is set correctly for your floppy drive (most are 3 1/2 inch, 1.44 MB). If you have more than one floppy drive, check to see if you have Floppy Drive swapping Enabled in CMOS. Are the floppies write protected; i.e., when looking at the back of the floppy with the metal door down, the little tab in the rectangular hole at the top, left of the floppy blocks light. In the Windows Explorer, right-click the floppy drive and format the floppy with the transfer system files option selected. Try another floppy drive. Replace the floppy cable. Sometimes they get nicked. If the floppy drive LED stays on all of the time, you have the flat cable plugged in backwards on either the motherboard or drive; the red stripe goes to pin 1. You could have a bad box of floppies. Try one of the suspect floppies in another computer after running a virus scan on them. Throw away that magnetic screwdriver.