Do I Need/Want a Floppy Drive?

[Guest]

I just ordered a Dell computer without a Floppy Drive. It's not just about
money, I am trying to keep everything as lean and uncomplicated as possible.
I am going to de-install all the stuff they say they HAVE to load up that I
don't need.

Am I going to have trouble without a floppy drive? I am going to want to
make a boot disk, or an ASR disk, but I am just learning about those. I am
getting an external USB 2.0 DVD/CD burner, and the computer will come with an
internal CD/DVD drive.

Since floppy drives are not that expensive, if everyone is convinced it is
an important thing for restore I will go ahead and get one. I sort of wish I
had just ordered it with the computer.

Here is what I found on ASR's, but I am not sure I can, or want to, get
involved with RIS:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...Kit/7b4f0436-cc90-4b52-b6ab-064f9db8d272.mspx

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I just ordered a Dell computer without a Floppy Drive. It's not just
about money, I am trying to keep everything as lean and uncomplicated
as possible. I am going to de-install all the stuff they say they
HAVE to load up that I don't need.

Am I going to have trouble without a floppy drive? I am going to
want to make a boot disk, or an ASR disk, but I am just learning
about those. I am getting an external USB 2.0 DVD/CD burner, and the
computer will come with an internal CD/DVD drive.

Since floppy drives are not that expensive, if everyone is convinced
it is an important thing for restore I will go ahead and get one. I
sort of wish I had just ordered it with the computer.

Personally, I would never choose to buy a system without a floppy drive.
They aren't needed often, but now and then they are very useful. They cost
only only a few dollars and having one doesn't at all keep the system any
more "lean and uncomplicated."

 

[Ted Zieglar]

The thing about a floppy drive is it's old technology. And it's a very
simple device. The combination of old and simple means it's all but
guaranteed to work. You can't say the same for a CD or DVD drive - not yet,
at least.

Then again, you're getting this advice from someone who still keeps a
transistor radio on hand for when the Walkman doesn't work.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Ken, I'll order one today. Now, if I can impose upon you further, can
you direct me to a really good place to learn about how I want to partition
my 2 internal hard drives (160GB coming with system and 300GB buying
separately), and create the backup disks, etc. I need to restore my system?
I think I want to keep the 160GB as one partition where the OS and programs
will live, and the 300GB partitioned into just enough to keep a backup
install of the OS in case of emergencies, and the rest for data. I will
backup data and music to DVD's. Then I would like to make a backup (image?)
of the system programs, drivers, OS, to restore things to a clean state in
case the computer starts getting out of whack.

 

[Bill Ridgeway]

My take on partitioning is that it is not, generally, a good idea. It is
difficult to judge just how much to give to individual partitions. This may
not be so much of a problem now with much larger capacity hard disks but, as
usage is also increasing and, life being what it is, time just might catch
you out with wrongly proportioned partitions.

Another issue is that it doesn't matter how partitions you have, if a hard
disk decides go terminal then, depending on your backing up how much you are
prepared to pay for data retrieval you're stuffed.

A better option may be to go for an additional hard disk (always subject to
the number of IDE ports (why are we, typically, limited to 4 IDE devices?).
That way you can spread your stuff over 2 or 3 hard disks and not have all
your eggs in one basket.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Bill Ridgeway]

I recently came across a downloaded piece of software which, when run,
insisted on a floppy disk on which to store the expanded files. So there
may still be a residual use for a floppy disk drive.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Guest]

I am not an expert, quite the opposite, but more, monolithic (if you will)
hard drives seems to make a lot of sense. I just bought my 300GB drive for
$90. For $50 I could probably get another drive as large as any partition I
would want to make.

The past week has been the first time I have participated in forums. This
has been great. Thanks to all of you that take your time to share your
knowledge. I still surf to find answers to my questions, but the answers I
get are too often shaded by the ignorance of my questions. If I search for a
fix to a problem that has been solved in XP SP2, for example, I hit on tons
of advice for obsolete workarounds.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks Ken, I'll order one today.

You're welcome. Glad to help. It will probably end up cheaper than if you
had bought it from Dell.

Now, if I can impose upon you
further, can you direct me to a really good place to learn about how
I want to partition my 2 internal hard drives (160GB coming with
system and 300GB buying separately), and create the backup disks,
etc. I need to restore my system? I think I want to keep the 160GB as
one partition where the OS and programs will live, and the 300GB
partitioned into just enough to keep a backup install of the OS in
case of emergencies, and the rest for data. I will backup data and
music to DVD's. Then I would like to make a backup (image?) of the
system programs, drivers, OS, to restore things to a clean state in
case the computer starts getting out of whack.

My view is that what you're planning is a mistake. I don't recommend backup
to a second non-removable hard drive because it leaves you susceptible to
simultaneous loss of the original and backup to many of the most common
dangers: severe power glitches, nearby lightning strikes, virus attacks,
even theft of the computer.

In my view, secure backup needs to be on removable media, and not kept in
the computer. For really secure backup (needed, for example, if the life of
your business depends on your data) you should have multiple generations of
backup, and at least one of those generations should be stored off-site.

My computer isn't used for business, but my personal backup scheme uses two
identical removable hard drives,I alternate between the two, and use Drive
Image to make a complete copy of the primary drive.

 

[Steve]

If you plan to use ASR, then make the system partition as small as
possible, say 30-50GB. Install the programs to another partition. It's
because ASR backs up the whole system partition (usually C and does
not allow differential backups. It would be a hassle to do ASR backups
of 160GB.

 

[Ghostrider]

Thanks Ken, I'll order one today. Now, if I can impose upon you further, can
you direct me to a really good place to learn about how I want to partition
my 2 internal hard drives (160GB coming with system and 300GB buying
separately), and create the backup disks, etc. I need to restore my system?
I think I want to keep the 160GB as one partition where the OS and programs
will live, and the 300GB partitioned into just enough to keep a backup
install of the OS in case of emergencies, and the rest for data. I will
backup data and music to DVD's. Then I would like to make a backup (image?)
of the system programs, drivers, OS, to restore things to a clean state in
case the computer starts getting out of whack.

If not already mentioned, just make sure that you obtain the
Dell Windows XP distribution cdrom and not the "recovery" disc.
Better still, invest in a Windows XP "generic" OEM installation
cdrom. The "recovery" disc will only restore the computer to its
delivery condition. Making an image file with Ghost or TrueImage
is an excellent idea once the final operating configuration has
been established.

 

[Evolution54]

I just ordered a Dell computer without a Floppy Drive. It's not just
about
money, I am trying to keep everything as lean and uncomplicated as
possible.
I am going to de-install all the stuff they say they HAVE to load up
that I
don't need.

Am I going to have trouble without a floppy drive? I am going to want
to
make a boot disk, or an ASR disk, but I am just learning about those.
I am
getting an external USB 2.0 DVD/CD burner, and the computer will come
with an
internal CD/DVD drive.

Since floppy drives are not that expensive, if everyone is convinced it
is
an important thing for restore I will go ahead and get one. I sort of
wish I
had just ordered it with the computer.

Here is what I found on ASR's, but I am not sure I can, or want to,
get
involved with RIS:
http://tinyurl.com/bvcaa

I would never recommend getting a PC without a floppy drive. Sure they
are ancient hardware but like what a lot of people say, you might still
need it every now and then. However, USB thumb drives are so cheap now
days and thus making floppy drives even more obsolete. But, I would
still recommend getting a floppy drive just for backward compatibility
and plus like you said, a floppy drive is cheap and you can install it
in less then 5 minutes.

 

[Ghostrider]

I would never recommend getting a PC without a floppy drive. Sure they
are ancient hardware but like what a lot of people say, you might still
need it every now and then. However, USB thumb drives are so cheap now
days and thus making floppy drives even more obsolete. But, I would
still recommend getting a floppy drive just for backward compatibility
and plus like you said, a floppy drive is cheap and you can install it
in less then 5 minutes.

....and besides, there are also USB floppy drives (and kits)
as well.

 

[Richard Urban]

My old "crystal" radio with the cats hair has never let me down. (-:

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

The only problem being that you can still only get old pre-WWII radio
shows..

 

[Nate]

If you are ordering a floppy drive for a Dell computer in which that option was not selected at
the time of the purchase, you might need the actual internal housing for the drive. Dell
deliberately does not include it if a floppy drive is not selected in the original purchase. If
anybody knows where this housing can be obtained other than from Dell, please speak out.