3½ floppy disk drive won't recognize....

My 3½ floppy disk drive won't recognize the disks when I put them in. I had put one in a couple nights ago, and I opened it up and saw all the files and stuff, and then when I went to "format disk" it said it couldn't format the disk because there was something wrong with it (?) and from then on whenever I put a disk in it won't even recognize it or let me click on the disk drive to open the files. It gives me a message that says the disk isn't formatted, do you want to format it now? And if I click yes, then it says the disk isn't in the right form or something and it can't be formatted. I have went through all of my disks and I know it isn't anything to do with the floppy disks... I am wondering what I can do to fix this? I have a Windows 98 hewlett packard pavilion computer. E-mail me at Chittykatt@aol.com or reply to this. Thank you.


-Stephanie

 

Stephanie

The following will eliminate something in windows as the cause!

Reboot to dos prompt by Hitting F8 or hold ctrl key while booting!

Then try to do a dir or format!

If it still doesn't work the drive may have gone south! Or maybe even the cable!

Check the floppy setting in CMOS/BIOS! Is it set to a: and 1.44?

Mail order 3.5 inch drives are as low as 15.00 or so!

MIke

 

You could also try cleaning the head of the floppy disk with a disk cleaner, these are relativley cheap at around $3.00 and may help.

 

<<Then try to do a dir or format!>>

Okay, I get how you would go into DOS mode (by going to shut down - restart in msdos mode), but how would you do a dir or format?
When I get into DOS mode what do I do/what do I edit? Thank you any help would be appreciated! I would like to try this soon though so please respond ASAP with what to do in dos mode. Thanks.

 

Steph

no! dos mode from windows is not what we want

reboot computer

while it is coming back up hold down the ctrl key

you will get the boot menu choose command prompt only

windows will not come up

you will be at a c:\ prompt

put in a known good floppy

type dir a: and hit enter

this will give a list of what is on the disk or

if you get an "abort retry fail" message

then it is not anything to do with windows

but is the floppy itself

let us know


mike

 

Ok, I did what you said, but it came up with the "abort retry fail" message. And then I tried it with some more disks I have that I know have worked before and it came up with the same message. These worked for me up till a couple days ago... I had viewed the contents on one of my floppies, and then when I went to format the disk it came up with a message it couldn't format, and from there on it wouldn't let me even open the disks anymore. Anything else you could suggest or reccommend? Thanks.

 

Other than the cleaning disk suggested by Calculus!

So do remember this test eleminated windows as a problem so don't try to make changes there.

Now let me ask 1 more question, does the light on the floppy light up and does it make a noise as it tries to read the disk?

If it does then buy a new floppy drive!

Mike

 

Yes, the light lights up and it does make noise as it is trying to open the disk.
Ok I will try the cleaning disk thing.
Buying a new floppy drive - does that mean I would have to take my computer in to get it installed or is it like an inserting thing I could do myself? Because I really don't like sending my computer in to get fixed because its usually gone for like a week or so. But yeah thanks and get back to me.

 

Comon sense easy!

Remove case of computer! 1 wide ribbon cable and 1 power cable to unplug, 2 screws on each side of drive. Slide out.

Slide new drive back in etc reverse procedure!

Mike

 

Here's a link that has instructions and pictures on installing a floppy drive: Install Floppy

If you want more info, do a search on Google for "install floppy drive" lots of hits.

John