Floppy Drive Woes

[Bob L]

I'm trying to install a 5.25" 1.2 meg floppy drive in a PC but cannot get it
to work with the existing 3.25" 1.44 meg floppy drive. I've tried every
combination in the bios that I can think of but so far no joy. Can someone
point me to some online information on installing floppy drives?

Thanks in advance.

 

[user]

I'm trying to install a 5.25" 1.2 meg floppy drive in a PC but cannot get it
to work with the existing 3.25" 1.44 meg floppy drive. I've tried every
combination in the bios that I can think of but so far no joy. Can someone
point me to some online information on installing floppy drives?

Thanks in advance.

First off, make sure if the 1.2 unit is to assume drive B: that it is
connected to the floppy drive cable to a connector BEFORE the twist in
the cable. The A: drive should be connected AFTER the twist.

Next attach power of course, and enter CMOS and set drive B: as a 1.2
MB 5 1/4 inch. Assuming that the A: drive is set as 1.4 MB, save these
changes. If the cable and drive are good, you should have a functioning
drive. If you think the cable might be the problem, you can disconnect
the 1.4 drive and attach the 1.2 as the only drive and try it. Of
course the drive would assume the A: drive and must be connected after
the twist in the cable and you would need to change the settings in CMOS.

 

[Bob L]

First off, make sure if the 1.2 unit is to assume drive B: that it is
connected to the floppy drive cable to a connector BEFORE the twist in
the cable. The A: drive should be connected AFTER the twist.

Next attach power of course, and enter CMOS and set drive B: as a 1.2
MB 5 1/4 inch. Assuming that the A: drive is set as 1.4 MB, save these
changes. If the cable and drive are good, you should have a functioning
drive. If you think the cable might be the problem, you can disconnect
the 1.4 drive and attach the 1.2 as the only drive and try it. Of
course the drive would assume the A: drive and must be connected after
the twist in the cable and you would need to change the settings in CMOS.

I don't think I've tried connecting the 1.2 unit BEFORE the twist in the
cable. I'll try that and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.

 

[DaveW]

I believe that modern BIOS's and the floppy controller can only handle ONE
floppy drive per system.

 

[Bob L]

I believe that modern BIOS's and the floppy controller can only handle ONE
floppy drive per system.

The computer that I'm installing this drive on is not THAT modern. It can
handle two floppys.

 

[Bob L]

It depends on how you are trying to install it. Lets say you want the 3
inch to be the A and the 5 inch to be the B drive. The 3 inch will go on
the far end of the cable, the 5 inch will go in the middle. The connecting
cable should have about 4 or 5 wires twisted between the two drives. If by
chace the 5 inch drive has a jumper set it for the A or # 1 drive. The
twisted wires in the cable will change it to the B drive position.

Go into the cmos and set the A drive for 3 1/4 inch , 1.44 meg. Set the B
drive for 5 inch drive at 1.2 meg.

If for some reason the cable does not have the twist to it, you will have to
find a 5 inch drive with the jumpers on it so you can set it to the # 2 or B
drive.

It works now. I tried (e-mail address removed) 's suggestoion and it now works.
Thanks.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

I'm trying to install a 5.25" 1.2 meg floppy drive in a PC but cannot get it
to work with the existing 3.25" 1.44 meg floppy drive. I've tried every
combination in the bios that I can think of but so far no joy. Can someone
point me to some online information on installing floppy drives?

It depends on how you are trying to install it. Lets say you want the 3
inch to be the A and the 5 inch to be the B drive. The 3 inch will go on
the far end of the cable, the 5 inch will go in the middle. The connecting
cable should have about 4 or 5 wires twisted between the two drives. If by
chace the 5 inch drive has a jumper set it for the A or # 1 drive. The
twisted wires in the cable will change it to the B drive position.

Go into the cmos and set the A drive for 3 1/4 inch , 1.44 meg. Set the B
drive for 5 inch drive at 1.2 meg.

If for some reason the cable does not have the twist to it, you will have to
find a 5 inch drive with the jumpers on it so you can set it to the # 2 or B
drive.

 

[Bob L]

I don't think I've tried connecting the 1.2 unit BEFORE the twist in the
cable. I'll try that and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.

Tried it and it WORKS. Thanks again!

 

[kony]

I believe that modern BIOS's and the floppy controller can only handle ONE
floppy drive per system.

They can handle two.

 

[Phrederick]

I believe that modern BIOS's and the floppy controller can only handle ONE
floppy drive per system.

Then I'd stay away from the stores carrying them... Every PC I see these
days supports two floppy drives!

 

[steven67@]

They can handle two.

..


Except for Intel's. For the past five years, Intel's desktop boards have used
controllers that only support one floppy drive.

 

[Videofreak]

I believe that modern BIOS's and the floppy controller can only handle ONE
floppy drive per system.

I don't think so. My MB has an option to enable floppy A and B drives
"And then, the earth being small, mankind will
migrate into space, and will cross the airless
Sahara's which separate planet from planet and
sun from sun. The earth will become a holy land
which will be visited by pilgrims from all quarters
of the universe."

 

[Bob L]

kony wrote:

Except for Intel's. For the past five years, Intel's desktop boards have used
controllers that only support one floppy drive.

My new computer has an Intel board and can handle only one floppy. The 5.25
floppy I've asked about is to be installed in an older computer that
recognizes two floppy drives.