Do I need a 3.5" floppy for windows XP?

[Stephen Ford]

I'm preparing to order bits for a new PC on to which I intend to install
WinXP. Does it need a floppy or is the media all CD?

If the media is all CD, is a floppy really necessary now?

Regards

Stephen Ford

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Since the Windows XP CD is bootable using a CD Drive
or CD/DVD drive, there is really no need for a floppy drive.
With the newer motherboards, a BIOS update can be performed
from within Windows so no need for a floppy. All you really
need is a good DVD+/-RW Drive which you can purchase
for around $65.00. NewEgg.com has excellent deals on
hardware...you may want to check them out.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I'm preparing to order bits for a new PC on to which I intend to install
| WinXP. Does it need a floppy or is the media all CD?
|
| If the media is all CD, is a floppy really necessary now?
|
| Regards
|
| Stephen Ford

 

[D.Currie]

I'm preparing to order bits for a new PC on to which I intend to install
WinXP. Does it need a floppy or is the media all CD?

If the media is all CD, is a floppy really necessary now?

Regards

Stephen Ford

Most of the time, it's not necessary, unless you're loading onto a computer
with SATA or RAID and need the drivers of floppy to install.

On the other hand, if you don't have one, you'll probably some day get some
device with drivers on floppy, or someone will hand you a floppy with files
on it that you need to have, and you'll have no way to access that data. And
you'll realize this on a holiday weekend when no stores are open.

They're darned cheap. Even if you don't actually install one, it's not a bad
idea to have one handy, either in a drawer somewhere or in another computer
that you have access to. Then when you need it, you have it.

 

[Michael Stevens]

I'm preparing to order bits for a new PC on to which I intend to
install WinXP. Does it need a floppy or is the media all CD?

If the media is all CD, is a floppy really necessary now?

Regards

Stephen Ford

Not needed, but they are so cheap I always include one.
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Michael]

Sooner or later, you'll need the floppy-drive... be it only for SATA, or
imaging, or DOS boot etc. You can get an internal one for anywhere between
$5-$12.
Michael

 

[Stephen Ford]

Thanks for all your replies - all good basic common sense ...

My HDD developed bad spots last week and it's taken days to run SCANDISK to
sort it out ... and last night I knuckled down to sourcing the parts for a
new PC - the first time since 1997, and as you can imagine PCs have changed
since then!

So after a hard week and then a late Sunday evening I would have needed help
to open an icecream wrapper, let alone decide whether a PC needs a floppy
.... :-}}

Thanks again

Stephen

 

[D.Currie]

Thanks for all your replies - all good basic common sense ...

My HDD developed bad spots last week and it's taken days to run SCANDISK
to
sort it out ... and last night I knuckled down to sourcing the parts for a
new PC - the first time since 1997, and as you can imagine PCs have
changed
since then!

So after a hard week and then a late Sunday evening I would have needed
help
to open an icecream wrapper, let alone decide whether a PC needs a floppy
... :-}}

Thanks again

Stephen

Be cheap. Save the floppy from the dead computer. Save other parts, too, if
they're compatible, so you have spares if/when you need them.

 

[Stephen Ford]

Be cheap. Save the floppy from the dead computer. Save other parts, too, if
they're compatible, so you have spares if/when you need them.

The main reason for the new machine is to get something a bit faster than
200MHz. An AMD Athlon 2700 looks about right with an Abit motherboard. Hard
to imagine something ten times faster !

The only things salvagable from the old one are the monitor and keyboard -
both relatively new - I think the needle on the floppy drive wore out a long
time ago

Apart from being slow and eating HDDs, the old one is fine. So I'm going to
treat myself to a whole new PC (home built of course!), and just reuse the
monitor and keyboard. If I can make the time to network them, I will be able
to practise network management ...

Stephen