Win98 3 1/2 cannot be read by WinXP. Why?

[Terry Z.]

I have Windows98 on my laptop in my home but when I try
access files on a 3 1/2 floppy that is WIN98 formatted, my
computer where I work has WIN XP and cannot open these
files. It asks if the disk wants to be formatted.

Why is this happening? Why can't Windows XP read a
Windows98 floppy?

 

[Mike Hall]

Try formatting the floppy disk at work..

 

[E.P. van Westendorp]

A problem that has been reported many many times in these MS newsgroups
but apparently ignored by MicroSoft.
Nobody knows why the floppy drive on most computers work as they are
supposed to do and on other computers with healthy drive, cable and
floppy refuses to function normally.
I have read a report from somebody who got everything normal again after
changing the floppy driver (not the drive) for another one.
You could search using Google for this message when interested.

From: rwehavnfunyet ([email protected])
Subject: Floppy problems? Please read
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware
Date: 2002-11-05 20:08:05 PST

 

[Malvern]

Try formatting the floppy disk at work..

news:[email protected]...

<snip>

Won't that ERASE the content ?

Nalv

 

[Malvern]

I have Windows98 on my laptop in my home but when I try
access files on a 3 1/2 floppy that is WIN98 formatted, my
computer where I work has WIN XP and cannot open these
files. It asks if the disk wants to be formatted.

Why is this happening? Why can't Windows XP read a
Windows98 floppy?

Another approach... What program created it ? If not a Windows component
(Wordpad, Paint, etc), you will in all likelihood need the program or its
newer version that created the floppy's contents on your current computer.

Malv

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

This most often happens because the read/write heads of the drive
that created the diskette aren't aligned the same as those of the
drive that's trying to read the diskette. The head alignment
disparity is most common when there's a large (a couple of years)
difference in the age of the floppy drives.


Bruce Chambers

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having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Lem]

Although I used to believe that drive alignment was the problem, here's
the best answer I've seen to this issue. It's the floppy DRIVER, not the
drive: http://tinyurl.com/li4a

 

[CS]

Great article! Everyone should download that floppy driver and
archive the article for future reference. Many of us still retain a
collection of floppy disks made with Win98.

Thanks.

 

[Stan Young]

Great article! Everyone should download that floppy driver and
archive the article for future reference. Many of us still retain a
collection of floppy disks made with Win98.

Thanks.

Cannot find driver now on website?

 

[E.P. van Westendorp]

But it als happens in Windows XP on new computers with a Windows 98SE
dual boot configuration, the same floppies are readable in Windows 98
and not in Windows XP.
After reading many months in these newsgroups the Windows XP floppy
troubles and knowing MicroSoft reworked the floppy driver I don't
believe anymore head alignment etc. is the cause of those problems.

 

[Lem]

Look about half-way down, or search for the text "Here's the link to the
driver:" (without quotes).

 

[Stan Young]

Look about half-way down, or search for the text "Here's the link to
the driver:" (without quotes).

Got It - Thanks