Floppy Drive Access

[Guest]

Has anyone else had problems accessing the A-drive, with the constant error:
"The disk in drive A is not formatted" and yet when you reboot the PC it will
boot from the "unformatted" disk, and Windows Safe-mode Command-prompt will
allow you to read it??? I've searched all the Knowledge Base for this and
read hundreds of Google posts, but with no solution. Love to hear from someon
on this.

 

[Guest]

floppy drives eventually give out... they are cheap and you probably need a
new one (if you still use it)...

I think I saw a usb external one for about 20 bucks, maybe at tigerdirect or
something....

What are you using the 5.25 or 7.25 floppies? These are antiques....

 

[Guest]

In reply to the question below and all future ones:
The floppies are BRAND NEW from the Sony box on my shelf. (1.44mb)
The drive has been replaced, and when that didn't work, I tested 3 others,
BRAND NEW from the package. (I run a shop)
I flashed the BIOS, and updated it to the latest.
I have all the updates for WinXP Home SP2 installed up to Tues. Aug 8.
I have replaced the ribbon cable, and it is installed correctly. (I can boot
from diskette)
I have formatted the diskettes on my WinXP-Pro machine, on a DOS machine and
even in Safe Mode on the PC in question, all with the same result when tested
in Regular Mode.
I have even (back in April when the prob started) gone so far as to replace
the motherboard with the identical, but 6 months newer, model.
I though the prob might be XP so I did a reinstall over the current one
(overlay), and got no solution.

 

[Guest]

i got a similar message a few weeks ago when i wanted to create startup disks
for a friend. However, i was getting a similar message. I thought i would
have to throw then away .

But after a couple of retries, chkdsk, etc... I was able to format them and
they worked out.. but i am sure you have done this too.

During the formatting I was advised that I would be deleting the "raw"
formatting or something like that.....

I Never heard of raw formats. Either it was formatted or not formatted, is
all I ever knew....I think, however, that these were pre formatted disks that
I bought years ago and never used until I recently wanted to create those
startup disks.

"Just a clue at this perplexing issue...."

 

[Guest]

Further input:
I just hauled out a diskette with sound drivers on I made in 1996. Stuck it
in my XP-Pro machine: Voila.... reads from Windows Explorer and at Command
Prompt.
Stuck the same disk in XP Home machine: The disk media is not recognized. it
may not be formatted.
OK.... so I stick it into XP-Pro and run Format through WinExplorer. then
tested by copying files onto it. Works great.
Back to XP-Home machien: Diskette is not ......
SO--- I went back to Pro and opened a command prompt, formatted using the
correct switches to make sure it is 1.44mb formatted. Copied 5 files onto it
and went back.
XP-Home : still insists it's not formatted, but "Windows is unable to
complete the format"
So even running DSKPROBE from the toolkit shows the drive is there &
functioning. But not reading anything off the disks.
I'm beginning to wonder if it is caused by Norton AV 2005 on the machine,
maybe.

 

[GhostWrtr]

On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 06:41:02 -0700, Paul


I know it sounds elementary but, have you tried trouble shooting the
drive from Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager ->
Floppy Drive?

In reply to the question below and all future ones:
The floppies are BRAND NEW from the Sony box on my shelf. (1.44mb)
The drive has been replaced, and when that didn't work, I tested 3 others,
BRAND NEW from the package. (I run a shop)
I flashed the BIOS, and updated it to the latest.
I have all the updates for WinXP Home SP2 installed up to Tues. Aug 8.
I have replaced the ribbon cable, and it is installed correctly. (I can boot
from diskette)
I have formatted the diskettes on my WinXP-Pro machine, on a DOS machine and
even in Safe Mode on the PC in question, all with the same result when tested
in Regular Mode.
I have even (back in April when the prob started) gone so far as to replace
the motherboard with the identical, but 6 months newer, model.
I though the prob might be XP so I did a reinstall over the current one
(overlay), and got no solution.

< "Old age ain't for sissies">

 

[Guest]

That was the 2nd thing I did, Ive followed all the MS suggestions,
gone into Safe Mode & removed the FDD controller and the FDD
itself, then rebooted into Reg. mode and watched Widows redetect and
reinstall them. I also updated the VIA chipset drivers and every other
thing I could think of.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Floppy Disk is Not Accessible, Not Formatted, or Not Recognized by Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/140060

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

Wesley:
Please read again the line where I state:
"I've followed all the MS suggestions".
I did not undertake writing to this group until I had
gone through: 1/ Microsoft suggestions, 2/ other Technicians suggestions,
3/ hardware replacement, reading posts on-line.
I am a certified A-plus PC repair technician with 13 years experience and am
now trying to "pick the collective brains" of the world-wide fraternity of PC
users/experts.
PAUL

 

[Guest]

yeh, that would be a good assumption, since NAV takes floppies into special
consideration. But as far as I know, it NAV provides either an enable or
disable floppy drive reading/accessiability.

Have you tried formatting via cmd prompt...? I don't remember if I used
this to bypass the similar issue I had, but I think I might of since I've
thought about here...

If you try, look at the switches avail.(format/?) Also, see what chkdsk/?
can do for you in cmd prompt mode toooooooo....

 

[Guest]

oops,.... i think you have done gone into cmd mode already... sorry....

 

[Guest]

My next step would be to go to cmos and disable the floppy, run windows and
ensure the floppy and controller are removed... Reboot and make sure windows
has not loaded the floppy and its controller. Reboot and enable floppy in
cmos and see what your response will be....

Also, I wonder if you use some of the steps you ahve already taken in normal
mode may work better via safemode command prompt.....

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Has anyone else had problems accessing the A-drive, with the constant
error: "The disk in drive A is not formatted" and yet when you reboot
the PC it will boot from the "unformatted" disk, and Windows
Safe-mode Command-prompt will allow you to read it??? I've searched
all the Knowledge Base for this and read hundreds of Google posts,
but with no solution. Love to hear from someon on this.

This is the well-known media-descriptor byte issue. Read here:
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=140060

The reason you can boot from the diskette is that Windows XP isn't involved
when you boot.

If you need to read the diskettes in question, format new diskettes on your
Windows XP machine, then takes those XP-formatted disks and the originals to
a friend who is still running Windows 98 or Me. Copy the diskettes to the
XP-formatted ones, which will then be readable on your machine.

 

[Guest]

also, i think that I recall going into computer management under admin tools
and opened or explored that drive. I found that you couldn't do it in
explorer, but in computer management I was able to open it and gain some
accessiability.....

 

[Guest]

Mr. Blake
I read your advice on another Q like this, followed it to the letter.
I have done EXACTLY what you said below and still get the same result.
It is not possible for the diskettes in question to be NON-XP compatible,
because they were read on a total of 7 XP-home andXP-pro machines with no
trouble. I have also tried disks which have deliberately been bulk-erased
with a magnetic eraser, and formatted on my personal WinXP-Pro machine. The
XP-Home machine in question repeats that the diskette is not formatted, then
attemps a format and fails. If you read over all the prior posts you will see
that I have done all the requisite things, including the Knowledge Base
suggestions.
I find it hard to comprehend how it can be a media-byte problem with so many
different attempts and work-rounds. Windows XP even recognized the Compaq
720K floppy drive I connected, but would not read anything on the 720
diskette I tried. Windows recognizes the disk drives, but doesn't recognize
anything on them, except in safe mode-Command Prompt.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Mr. Blake
I read your advice on another Q like this, followed it to the letter.
I have done EXACTLY what you said below and still get the same result.
It is not possible for the diskettes in question to be NON-XP
compatible, because they were read on a total of 7 XP-home andXP-pro
machines with no trouble.

Then your problem is clearly different.

I have also tried disks which have
deliberately been bulk-erased with a magnetic eraser, and formatted
on my personal WinXP-Pro machine. The XP-Home machine in question
repeats that the diskette is not formatted, then attemps a format and
fails. If you read over all the prior posts you will see that I have
done all the requisite things, including the Knowledge Base
suggestions.

I replied to your message when I had read only your original.. If you had
explained what you had done and what didn't work at the beginning, you could
have me the trouble of replying and saved yourself the trouble of reading a
wrong answer.

I find it hard to comprehend how it can be a media-byte problem with
so many different attempts and work-rounds. Windows XP even
recognized the Compaq 720K floppy drive I connected, but would not
read anything on the 720 diskette I tried.

My memory is hazy here, and I may be all wet, but I don't think Windows XP
supports 720KB diskettes drives.

 

[Guest]

Re: > My memory is hazy here, and I may be all wet, but I don't think Windows
XP

supports 720KB diskettes drives.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302113
720 KB formatted floppies can still be read by Windows XP

If desired, I can send screenshot of my machine reading 720K disk containing
drivers for Aztech soundcard. I made that particular copy in 1996 and it is
still readable and I'm looking at it right now.

Re: >I replied to your message when I had read only your original.. If you
had

explained what you had done and what didn't work at the beginning, you could
have me the trouble of replying and saved yourself the trouble of reading a
wrong answer

I read all the posts to my questions and had erroneously assumed that all
who replied did the same before sending their information.

I realize that this is not a "common-or-garden" type problem, so ask that
you take a look at all the facts and info I've given. I will again list the
whole deal below.

:

I did not undertake writing to this group until I had
gone through:
1/ Microsoft suggestions,
2/ other Technicians suggestions,
3/ hardware replacement,
4/reading posts on-line.
I am a certified A-plus PC repair technician with 13 years experience and am
now trying to "pick the collective brains" of the world-wide fraternity of PC
users/experts.

I know it sounds elementary but, have you tried trouble shooting the
drive from Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager ->
Floppy Drive?

:

That was the 2nd thing I did, Ive followed all the MS suggestions,
gone into Safe Mode & removed the FDD controller and the FDD
itself, then rebooted into Reg. mode and watched Windows redetect and
reinstall them. I also updated the VIA chipset drivers and every other
thing I could think of.

In reply to the question below and all future ones:
The floppies are BRAND NEW from the Sony box on my shelf. (1.44mb)
The drive has been replaced, and when that didn't work, I tested 3 others,
BRAND NEW from the package. (I run a shop)
I flashed the BIOS, and updated it to the latest.
I have all the updates for WinXP Home SP2 installed up to Tues. Aug 8.
I have replaced the ribbon cable, and it is installed correctly. (I can boot
from diskette)
I have formatted the diskettes on my WinXP-Pro machine, on a DOS machine and
even in Safe Mode on the PC in question, all with the same result when tested
in Regular Mode.
I have even (back in April when the prob started) gone so far as to replace
the motherboard with the identical, but 6 months newer, model.
I though the prob might be XP so I did a reinstall over the current one
(overlay), and got no solution.

My next step would be to go to cmos and disable the floppy, run windows and
ensure the floppy and controller are removed... Reboot and make sure windows
has not loaded the floppy and its controller. Reboot and enable floppy in
cmos and see what your response will be....

:

Further input:
I just hauled out a diskette with sound drivers on I made in 1996. Stuck it
in my XP-Pro machine: Voila.... reads from Windows Explorer and at Command
Prompt.
Stuck the same disk in XP Home machine: The disk media is not recognized. it
may not be formatted.
OK.... so I stick it into XP-Pro and run Format through WinExplorer. then
tested by copying files onto it. Works great.
Back to XP-Home machine: Diskette is not ......
SO--- I went back to Pro and opened a command prompt, formatted using the
correct switches to make sure it is 1.44mb formatted. Copied 5 files onto it
and went back.
XP-Home : still insists it's not formatted, but "Windows is unable to
complete the format"
So even running DSKPROBE from the toolkit shows the drive is there &
functioning. But not reading anything off the disks.
I'm beginning to wonder if it is caused by Norton AV 2005 on the machine,
maybe.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: > My memory is hazy here, and I may be all wet, but I don't think
Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302113
720 KB formatted floppies can still be read by Windows XP

Different issue. I know that 720KB diskettes can be read. I'm not talking
about 720KB diskettes, I'm talking about a 720KB diskette *drive*, which you
said you're using.

If desired, I can send screenshot of my machine reading 720K disk
containing drivers for Aztech soundcard. I made that particular copy
in 1996 and it is still readable and I'm looking at it right now.

Re: >I replied to your message when I had read only your original..
If you had

I read all the posts to my questions and had erroneously assumed that
all who replied did the same before sending their information.

First, my comment above refers to your original message, not what transpired
afterward. If you don't provide all the pertinent information up front,
don't be surprised when the answer you get isn't applicable.

Your assumption is never a good one. People use newsgroups in different
ways. Not everyone uses the same server, and posts are propagated to
differents servers at different times. Even if two people use the same
server, they may downlaod messages in batches; depending on when two people
did their last download, they may see a different group of messages at any
given time.

By the way, I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this
newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there is. So
you may not even realize that this is actually a newsgroup, not a web site.
Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook Express,
which comes with Windows. See
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Guest]

i don't think 720k drives are still in use and it is likely that a 1.44 drive
is used. However, if it is set in the cmos as 720k then it might impose
unfuntional restrictions by windows....

I still think that maybe some of my suggestions my help....