Where is my 3.5 inch floppy?

[Steve Turner]

I am totally new to Vista. I just bought a new computer and it has an OEM
version on the HDD.

Well, surprise, surprise! I don't have a 3.5 floppy. I do on my old XP based
machine. And I've got a lot of stuff stored on floppies. How can I access
this in Vista?

In addition, how can I boot from a floppy in an emergency when there IS not
floppy?

Thanks.

 

[Nonny]

I am totally new to Vista. I just bought a new computer and it has an OEM
version on the HDD.

Well, surprise, surprise! I don't have a 3.5 floppy. I do on my old XP based
machine. And I've got a lot of stuff stored on floppies. How can I access
this in Vista?

Kinda late to think about that now, isn't it? You didn't notice that
there was no floppie drive when you were shopping?

By an external drive.

In addition, how can I boot from a floppy in an emergency when there IS not
floppy?

You can't, Ben Stein.

 

[Steve Turner]

It had a drive bay in it that I THOUGHT was for the floppy. Is this lack of
a floppy standard to Vista?
And what do you mean by "by an external drive"
And "you can't Ben Stein"....who is Ben Stein?

 

[Malke]

I am totally new to Vista. I just bought a new computer and it has an OEM
version on the HDD.

Well, surprise, surprise! I don't have a 3.5 floppy. I do on my old XP
based machine. And I've got a lot of stuff stored on floppies. How can I
access this in Vista?

In addition, how can I boot from a floppy in an emergency when there IS
not floppy?

This isn't a Vista issue. New computers have not come with a floppy drive as
a default option for many years. That's because modern computers can boot
from a CD/DVD and in some cases even from a USB thumbdrive.

Floppies are the worst way to store anything important. They are fragile and
easily corrupted. They have been completely replaced by USB thumbdrives,
CD-R/DVD-Rs.

In order to transfer any data you were saving on floppies to your hard drive
and from there to burn this data to CD/DVD, purchase a USB floppy drive.
They are $25-40. Here's an example from NewEgg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=usb+floppy&x=0&y=0

Malke

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Most new PCs don't have floppy drives. If you need a floppy drive you have
two options, either buy an internal drive and fit it yourself (or have a
technician fit it) or, alternatively, buy a USB external floppy drive.

--

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Mark H]

Floppy drives have pretty much disappeared in the last decade with the
advent of the USB memory stick. They are not routinely included in new
machines and it has nothing to do with Vista.

You can get an external floppy drive from most stores that sell computer
equipment for about $25 that plug into your computer via the USB connection.
Recommend you also get a good USB memory stick to transfer your information
from floppy to stick. A single 2GB stick is pretty cheap and will hold about
2,000 floppy's worth of information. If you have programs that install from
floppy, you might want to update those. (Incompatibilities are bound to
occur with these programs and your modern computer.)

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

I am totally new to Vista. I just bought a new computer and it has an OEM
version on the HDD.

Well, surprise, surprise! I don't have a 3.5 floppy. I do on my old XP
based machine. And I've got a lot of stuff stored on floppies. How can I
access this in Vista?

In addition, how can I boot from a floppy in an emergency when there IS
not floppy?

Thanks.

Your old XP based machine was supplied at a time when floppies were still
seen as having some use.. late model XP machines do not have inbuilt floppy
drives.. floppy drives are 'old hat'..

Use your old XP machine to copy the data from your floppies, and then
transfer them to a USB stick, CD-R or directly to your new machine..


--
Mike Hall - MVP
How to construct a good post..
http://dts-l.com/goodpost.htm
How to use the Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups..
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=newswhelp&style=toc
Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

 

[Nonny]

It had a drive bay in it that I THOUGHT was for the floppy. Is this lack of
a floppy standard to Vista?

It has been standard on computers for several years, even with XP.

And what do you mean by "by an external drive"

WOW... you ARE out of the picture!!

It is a hard drive connected to a USB port.

People also commonly use flash drives in place of floppies... the
smallest currently available is about a gig and will hold the contents
of about a bazillion floppies.

 

[Nonny]

And "you can't Ben Stein"....who is Ben Stein?

Ben Stein is a TV personality known for his intelligence.

I was being sarcastic.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am totally new to Vista. I just bought a new computer and it has an OEM
version on the HDD.

Well, surprise, surprise! I don't have a 3.5 floppy. I do on my old XP based
machine.

This has nothing to do with XP vs. Vista. Floppies have become largely
obsolete, and very few (if any) new computers have come with floppy
drives for the last several years, regardless of what operating system
they have installed.

And I've got a lot of stuff stored on floppies. How can I access
this in Vista?

Here are several choices:

1. Buy a floppy drive (about $10 US) and install it.

2. Buy an external USB drive (slightly more expensive but doesn't need
installation).

3. Burn the contents of your floppies to CDs on your old computer or
on the computer of a friend with a floppy drive.

I would personally pick choice number 1, but all of the above work.

In addition, how can I boot from a floppy in an emergency when there IS not
floppy?

You don't. If your drive is NTFS, a floppy with DOS on it couldn't see
it anyway (at least not without special software).

 

[Bill Meyer]

With all of the new software that is out I don't think you can find many
files that will still fit on a floppy!

 

[Steve Turner]

It has been standard on computers for several years, even with XP.


WOW... you ARE out of the picture!!

It is a hard drive connected to a USB port.

People also commonly use flash drives in place of floppies... the
smallest currently available is about a gig and will hold the contents
of about a bazillion floppies.

I gave up on trying to stay ahead of the technological changes simply
because it was breaking my bank! Real estate has a much better pay off!
Unless you're in the States. Thanks for the info.

 

[Steve Turner]

Ben Stein is a TV personality known for his intelligence.

I was being sarcastic.

Can I have your money?

 

[Steve Turner]

With all of the new software that is out I don't think you can find many
files that will still fit on a floppy!

I can't possibly respond with a thank you to each and every one of you who
gave me insights. So collectively, "thank you!" I've been educated. I didn't
think my XP was that old. But it is. I paid $850 for my HP5L parallel laser
printer. Now I find they're all USB and you can get a reasonable, basic
laser (certainly one that's as capable as my 5L) for less than $100! Whew!

 

[Ralph]

You have many options.

A lot of Vista machines don't have a floppy drive.
The bays are there, so you have the option of installing one if you really
want that old tech hooked up to your new machine. Check for a floppy
controller first, before you *buy* a drive. The other illiterate couldn't
spell 'buy'. In some name-brand machines, there isn't even a controller to
hook up a drive cable to.

In that case, you'd have to get the information another way.
Either network the computers, transfer to CD or DVD (Vista originally ONLY
came on DVD), or USB key or memory stick.

The floppy bay also conveniently, is the same size as the flash drive
interface.
Vista boot disks are DVD or CD. Do a backup!

 

[MLD]

For $10 I had one put into the machine when I ordered it from Dell

 

[Xenomorph]

I don't understand how this issue has so many replies.

If your computer doesn't have a floppy drive, the solutions is to simply BUY
A FLOPPY DRIVE.

 

[Chuck]

And the tools/chemicals necessary to clean the heads after you try one of
the older floppy disks, and it leaves junk on the heads. (Been there, etc.)