"Insert disk in drive A"

[Theophylact]

Well, I've been fixing up a machine (k7s5a, Duron 950, 256 MB DDR RAM, 20 GB HDD, Sony CR-RW) for Marcia. It's a clean install of WinXP Home, and the only programs on it so far are Mozilla 1.3, ZoneAlarm, and Norton Antivirus 2002. But when I try to copy to or read from the floppy, it tells me to insert a disk -- and won't recognize that I've done so. The BIOS has the drive enabled, and Device Manager says there's nothing wrong. What gives? The floppy worked fine when I previously installed Linux on this box. (I have removed the floppy from the boot sequence; should that make any difference?)

[ZENYO]

Have you tried booting from a floppy (Like a start up disk) to see if it would read? if it still doesn't work I would try to replace the cable (if you're sure the floppy drive is ok).

[no1_vern]

Also make sure you are useing properly formated floppies. I suggest maybe formating for dos and performaing chkdsk on a diff. computer then trying agian.

Vern

[Theophylact]

No, I used brand-new DOS-formatted disks.

[Brainchild]

Usually it will still read the floppy and tell you that the disc needs formatted.

I'd replace the cable,make sure the power/ribbon is plugged in all the way.Shoot swap out the drive to make sure it still works.

[Theophylact]

Doesn't recognize that there's a disk in when I boot from the floppy, so it's either a bad connection, a bad cable, or a bad drive. The second and third are cheap, so I'm going to buy new ones; I can always use them in a later build. I'll let you know how it works out.

[Marvinator]

I know this is a "d'oh!" reminder, but before you go to the trouble of replacing everything first make sure that the cable is plugged in properly. You know, with the marked edge nearest the power cable, and all that... Pull out and reseat the connectors, and even take the time to blow the dust out of them with the handy can of compressed air. I've fixed many a machine this way.

[skuz]

Marked edge near the power cable is for IDE devices.

I've installed floppy drives that needed the red wire on the opposite side.

Plus if you plug it wrong, the floppy led will be constantly on.

[Theophylact]

I've tried booting from the floppy; no go. I've changed the floppy cable and the floppy drive for brand-new ones; no go. I've used both connectors on the cable; no go. I've tried reversing the connector; I get the constant-on light, so the first orientation was correct. Windows does see that there's a drive there; it shows as "Floppy drive A" in "My Computer".

Any ideas?

[Theophylact]

Oh, by the way: when the connector is properly oriented, the drive light never goes on.