Strange "Drive Not Ready" message

[see.cher]

I randomly get this message on my desktop

---------------------------
Windows - Drive Not Ready
---------------------------
The drive is not ready for use; its door may be open. Please check
drive A: and make sure that a disk is inserted and that the drive door
is closed.
---------------------------
Cancel Try Again Continue
---------------------------

It happens when I reboot the system but not all the time.
I just got it when my laptop was connecting to the DT via the LAN.

I DO have an A: drive (floppy) in the DT. There is nothing going on
that is using the drive. There is no disk in the drive.

Why am I getting this message????

thanks

 

[Malke]

I randomly get this message on my desktop

---------------------------
Windows - Drive Not Ready
---------------------------
The drive is not ready for use; its door may be open. Please check
drive A: and make sure that a disk is inserted and that the drive door
is closed.
---------------------------
Cancel Try Again Continue
---------------------------

It happens when I reboot the system but not all the time.
I just got it when my laptop was connecting to the DT via the LAN.

I DO have an A: drive (floppy) in the DT. There is nothing going on
that is using the drive. There is no disk in the drive.

Why am I getting this message????

thanks

Random errors usually indicate hardware problems. Since the problem
seems to involve the floppy drive, turn off the computer and unplug it.
Open the case and reseat the floppy/motherboard ribbon cable on both
ends. Reseat the power supply connector going to the drive. If this
solves the problem, stop there.

If the problem persists, swap out the floppy drive with a known-working
one. If that solves the issue, discard the original drive. If this
doesn't solve the issue, there is probably a problem with the connector
on the motherboard. If everything else works well and you rarely use
the floppy drive, disconnect it and disable it in the BIOS. If the
problem persists after that, post back for more troubleshooting
suggestions.

Malke

 

[Mike Fields]

Random errors usually indicate hardware problems. Since the problem
seems to involve the floppy drive, turn off the computer and unplug it.
Open the case and reseat the floppy/motherboard ribbon cable on both
ends. Reseat the power supply connector going to the drive. If this
solves the problem, stop there.

[ ===== >> insert comment here ... ]

You could put an intermediate step here that could save you several $$
(a new floppy drive costs more for gas to go get it than the drive).
If the problem persists, disconnect the floppy drive ribbon cable from
the mother board and try that. If that solves it, then I would procede
as Malke says and either swap out the drive or cable or both depending
on what you have in the junk drawer (which usually has enough stuff to
put together 4 more systems except for one critical part ... )

mikey

 

[Malke]

[ ===== >> insert comment here ... ]

You could put an intermediate step here that could save you several $$
(a new floppy drive costs more for gas to go get it than the drive).
If the problem persists, disconnect the floppy drive ribbon cable from
the mother board and try that. If that solves it, then I would
procede as Malke says and either swap out the drive or cable or both
depending on what you have in the junk drawer (which usually has
enough stuff to put together 4 more systems except for one critical
part ... )

Ain't *that* the truth, Mikey. I finally threw out the IBM PS/2 parts.
It was hard to do.

Malke

 

[Mike Fields]

[ ===== >> insert comment here ... ]

You could put an intermediate step here that could save you several $$
(a new floppy drive costs more for gas to go get it than the drive).
If the problem persists, disconnect the floppy drive ribbon cable from
the mother board and try that. If that solves it, then I would
procede as Malke says and either swap out the drive or cable or both
depending on what you have in the junk drawer (which usually has
enough stuff to put together 4 more systems except for one critical
part ... )

Ain't *that* the truth, Mikey. I finally threw out the IBM PS/2 parts.
It was hard to do.

Malke
--

I've still got a couple of CP/M systems downstairs and several 8 inch
double sided double density (1.2 megs !!) floppy drives also --- I
wonder if I could adapt an 8" drive to my current system ?? Be
kinda cool !

mikey