Cannot access FDD from Windows 98SE

User has a 633MHz PIII running Windows 98SE. The system has previously been stable. No additional software has been added.

User reported inability to access the floppy drive. I tried the usual - do you have another disk to try, does the light come on when you try to access the drive, does the drive make any sound when it is attempting to read the disk.

I could not obtain any meaningful answers, so attended.
I found that any attempt to access the FDD from within windows would always result in a "Device not ready" error. This was so whether there was a disk in the drive or not. If a disk was in the drive, then the access light would illuminate and the drive could be heard to attempt to access the disk.

After booting to DOS, the drive operated normally. I could boot from a boot disk and could read to and from any floppy disk in the drive.
On rebooting to Windows, the original problem was again evident.

Removed the FD controller from Device Manager, rebooted and allowed the controller to reinstall. No joy.
Replaced the drive itself with a known good drive. No joy.

Have not tried to reinstall Windows. Will need to return to the site later.

Any ideas please?

GeoffG

 

Hi Geoff, If there is nothing wierd in config.sys or autoexec.bat, then as you,
I think the PC has lost it's FDD Windows drivers and I don't know how
to replace/repair without a new Windows set-up.
regards

 

You might try removing the floppy drive from the Device Manager, listed under Disk Drives as well as the FDD controller, reboot and let Windows reinstall both.