Floppy Drive Problem?

I am trying to boot from a MaxBlast Plus diskette(comes with Maxtor hard drives to help configure) to set up my new hard drive on a system with a new motherboard (iWill KK266-R) but i get a message "disk error." Is this a problem with the disk itself or with the floppy drive? Also, when I don't use the disk, I get the message "missing operating system." I don't know how to get by this message to install the operating system! Also, when I connect my UDMA compatible hard drive to the motherboard with a UDMA cable, the BIOS doesn't seem to detect it. Any help appreciated.

No. When I use this I get "disk I/O error".

It sounds like it's the floppy drive. As suggested, check that the cable is installed correctly. The red stripe is on the pin #1 side. Also be sure it's in the connector at the end of the cable (not sure if this makes a difference with floppy drive, but it definitely can be with HDD)

If it still dosen't work, try another floppy drive.

<font color=green>I wonder...what is the speed of gravity!<font color=green>

Usually when you get a "missing operating system" message, the computer has been unable to fine Command.com in any boot drive. This would tally with not having a boot disk in.

Try it without a disk again, and see if the LED on the drive lights up on boot. If it stays on constantly, you've probably wired it up wrongly. If it lights up when it searches for a boot disc, its not the drive I reckon.

The disk error is either the disc or the drive. The preceding steps should determine which.

Ahh. Just spotted the bit about the Win98 & I/O error. It does seem like the drive after all. Double check the drive LED activity when booting with or without a disk.

BTW. I did once have a drive which appeared to work, but gave the I/O error. Replaced it.
<b>
"Now drop your weapons or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby."
</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by camieabz on 07/24/01 08:19 PM.</EM></FONT></P>