why does windows xp like the A drive?

[Alex the Newbie]

My windows XP home computer sometimes tries to access the
A: drive, (the 3.5" floppy disk drive) even when there is
no disk in the drive and no reason that I can think of to
access that drive at the time. This happens when I open or
close a browser, or when I turn off the computer.

Why does the computer do this? Is there anything I can do
to stop it? This is not major, but it is annoying.

 

[Kelly]

Hi Alex,

Suggestions:

Check your recent documents that point to the A: drive. And/or try clearing
My Recent Documents.

Do a search for *.lnk, then delete any references to A: that are not "Send
To" or similar "shortcuts".

Right click the My Computer icon/Manage. Services and
Applications/Services/Shell Hardware Detection and set it to Automatic.

Go to: Start/Run/gpedit.msc/User Configuration/Administrative
Templates/Windows Components/Windows Explorer. In the right pane double
click Hide these specific drives from my computer. Enable then use the drop
box.

Do a Start/Run/CMD then type in the path command. Is a: listed in the search
path?

Some AV software will automatically scan the floppy drive at both startup
and shutdown.

This may be a reappearance of the NTFS bug on showing color.
Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View uncheck
"Show encrypted or compressed NTFS folders in color"

In the BIOS set the PC to boot first to drive C, not the A. And also, go
into the boot section in the bios and and turn of floppy drive seek at boot.

Task Scheduler can cause floppy seeking on startup. Even is you choose to
Stop using Task Scheduler (but do not Disable the service) in the Scheduled
Tasks/Advanced Options, you will still get the thrashing - you have to
disable the service altogether to get rid of the thrashing.

Log off then log back on


Floppy Drive Seeks in Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_f.htm#xp_floppy

/top10faqs.htm

 

[S.Sengupta]

Hi!Alex!
look here:-
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q282470
Also see the suggestion of Kelly Theriot,MS-MVP:-
"Floppy Drive - Is Active

1. Check your recent documents that point to the A: drive. And/or try
clearing My Recent Documents.

2. Do a search for *.lnk, then delete any references to A: that are not
"Send To" or similar "shortcuts".

3. Right click the My Computer icon/Manage. Services and
Applications/Services/Shell Hardware Detection and set
it to Automatic. Or Programs/Administrative Tools/Services/In the
right pane set "Shell Hardware Detection" service
to automatic.

4. Start/Run/gpedit.msc/User Configuration/Administrative
Templates/Windows Components/Windows Explorer.
In the right pane double click Hide these specific drives from my
computer. Enable then use the drop box.

5. Do a Start/Run/CMD then type in the path command. Is a: listed in
the search path?

6. Some AV software will automatically scan the floppy drive at both
startup and shutdown.

7. This may be a reappearance of the NTFS bug on showing color.
Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, View uncheck
"Show encrypted or compressed NTFS folders in color"

8. In the BIOS set the PC to boot first to drive C, not the A. And
also, go into the boot section in the bios and and
turn off floppy drive seek at boot.

9. Task Scheduler can cause floppy seeking on startup. Even is you
choose to *Stop using Task Scheduler* (but do
not Disable the service) in the Scheduled Tasks>Advanced Options,
you will still get the thrashing - you have to
*disable* the service altogether to get rid of the thrashing.

10. Log off then log back on."
[Source:=Floppy Drive - Is
Active:-http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm]
Thanks to Kelly Theriot;MS-MVP
regards,
ssg MS-MVP
pronetworks.org

 

[Dan da Man]

If you have an antivirus program running, it could be trying to access your
floppy to auto scan it. You can go into the options menu of your antivirus
program and there should be a way to tell it not to scan your floppy drives
automatically. You'll then have to scan your floppies manually each time
you insert one into the drive.

 

[Maureen Goldman]

2. Do a search for *.lnk, then delete any references to A: that are not
"Send To" or similar "shortcuts".

In case you make the same assumption that I did for many years: the
search is for .LNK, not .INK.

 

[Kelly]

It is an L, Maureen. )

Lower case L = l (.lnk)
Lower case I = i (.ink)