Windows will not recognize my floppy drive

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Brook93 wrote:
> This dilemma is similar to other ones I've found posted on here
> regarding this situation, except that the system does not see my
> floppy at ALL. The light don't light up, no motor going, no sound...
> nothing. It's like the system is assuming it's not there, or can't
> see it there for any reason, even though it shows in My Computer.
>
> Then, I get the usual error-of-death message, "Insert disk into drive
> A:".
>
> I have so far tried: changing the cable ends around, replacing the
> floppy, uninstalling then reinstalling the controller, and updating
> the driver (which it said was as updated as possible). I have every
> update from the Update center that there is.
>
> I really need to get this fixed so I can get my resume onto the net!
>
> BTW, does anyone know if MS sells Word just by itself and not in the
> Office suite?

MS Word is sold alone - but for the money - you are better off getting the
suite or using something free like OpenOffice.
http://www.openoffice.org/

How sure are you the hardware (floppy drive) is not defective?
Checked for bent pins?
Got another drive to try?
Sure your floppy controller on your motherboard is good?

May want to consider getting a friend to read the diskette and send you the
file via email or something - burn it to CD and start using a method other
than unreliable floppy diskettes. =)

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Brook93 wrote:

> Well I'm thinking I may just do that. Sell the 2 drives I have and take part
> of that $ to get a dang CD-ROM RW drive and just store all my crud on that.
> I'm just going to make a brand new resume, save it like that, and that will
> solve all my problems. Serously!!
>
> I haven't checked for bent pins. Not sure why you asked if I could try
> another drive; I just bought a brand new one the other day, like I'd said,
> and I get the same thing with it too. Pretty sure the new one's not
> defective!
>
> As for the controller on the mobo, how do I _find_ it on the mobo, and fix
> it? Like I said, I already deinstalled the controller software in dev. mngr,
> and let XP find it again when I restarted, and that was a no go.
>
> Thanks
> Brook93
>
> "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
>
>
>>Brook93 wrote:
>>
>>>This dilemma is similar to other ones I've found posted on here
>>>regarding this situation, except that the system does not see my
>>>floppy at ALL. The light don't light up, no motor going, no sound...
>>>nothing. It's like the system is assuming it's not there, or can't
>>>see it there for any reason, even though it shows in My Computer.
>>>
>>>Then, I get the usual error-of-death message, "Insert disk into drive
>>>A:".
>>>
>>>I have so far tried: changing the cable ends around, replacing the
>>>floppy, uninstalling then reinstalling the controller, and updating
>>>the driver (which it said was as updated as possible). I have every
>>>update from the Update center that there is.
>>>
>>>I really need to get this fixed so I can get my resume onto the net!
>>>
>>>BTW, does anyone know if MS sells Word just by itself and not in the
>>>Office suite?
>>
>>MS Word is sold alone - but for the money - you are better off getting the
>>suite or using something free like OpenOffice.
>>http://www.openoffice.org/
>>
>>How sure are you the hardware (floppy drive) is not defective?
>>Checked for bent pins?
>>Got another drive to try?
>>Sure your floppy controller on your motherboard is good?
>>
>>May want to consider getting a friend to read the diskette and send you the
>>file via email or something - burn it to CD and start using a method other
>>than unreliable floppy diskettes. =)
>>
>>--
>>Shenan Stanley
>> MS-MVP
>>--
>>
>>
>>

You should replace the floppy ribbon cable as well. Its cheap enough to
be worth a try. Have you considered that the floppy itself may be bad?
XP, actually the entire NT line, is unforgiving of imperfect floppies.

John