Format floppy

  • Thread starter Thread starter Walt G
  • Start date Start date
W

Walt G

Hi

I'm trying to format a floppy previously used on a non-Windows machine. I
insert the floppy, the light goes on, and then nothing happens. Any advice?

Walt_G
 
-----Original Message-----
Hi

I'm trying to format a floppy previously used on a non- Windows machine. I
insert the floppy, the light goes on, and then nothing happens. Any advice?

Walt_G


.
Click to expand...
Check the "unlock-lock" tab on the floppy. It has a little
sliding plastic tab on one corner with 2 padlock images,
one open, one closed. Make sure the tab is at the open
image.

If that's not the problem: the floppy could be defective.
I've had a few go bad for no apparent reason. Try another
floppy?
 
From XP HELP:
To format a disk
[[If the disk you want to format is a floppy disk, insert it into its drive.
Open My Computer, and then click the disk you want to format.
On the File menu, point to the name of the floppy drive, and then click
Format.
Specify the following options:
Capacity
File system
Allocation unit size
Volume label
Quick Format
Create an MS-DOS startup disk
Click Start.

Important
Formatting a disk erases all information on that disk.

Notes
To open My Computer, double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.
Quick Format removes files from the disk without scanning the disk for bad
sectors. Use this option only if the disk has been previously formatted, and
you are sure the disk is not damaged. For information about any of the
options, click the question mark in the upper-right corner of the Format
dialog box, and then click the option.
You cannot format a disk if files are open on the disk, the contents of the
disk are displayed, or the disk contains the system or boot partition.
You can also format a disk by using Disk Management. For more information,
click Related Topics. ]]

To format a disk
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/win_format.mspx
 
If you are still struggling you can use a old DOS command to see if that
will format the drive. Make sure all other windows are closed and open a
command prompt, you can use the run command and type "cmd" without the
quotes and press return or click OK. Then in the command prompt windows
type:
format a: /u
that will carry out an unconditional format and should make the disk useable
for windows.

all the best
Neil
 
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