Floppy drive acting up...need help

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:59 pm

Anyone heard of a situation like this or know a fix:

The Floppy in my wifes computer will not refresh. It is still showing the contents of a floppy inserted 3 weeks ago. Even with a different disk in the drive it will show the contents of the old disk. The computer has been rebooted several times and gets turned off every night. This is really odd because the files that it shows when a new disk is inserted are files from a floppy that is 3 weeks ago.
I hate 3 1/2 floppies with a passion, however she needs it to transfer files back and forth from her outdated computer at work.

anyone ever heard of a situation like that?

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:21 pm

It's the Floppy drive at fault. The 'change-line' function is broken (the microswitch that tell the OS the disc has been changed quits working). You could try easing the 34 connector on and off a few times in case it's a dirty connection but the only sure fire solution is to replace the drive.

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:23 pm

coolio
I will check the ribbon then replace the drive....never seen that before and didnt want to replace the drive if it was ok

Thanks

canton_kid · Post by **canton_kid** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 12:47 am

If you replace it, take it apart and play with it
I never had that problem myself But I had one that would not work right long time ago when they still cost alot and were always needed.

Shop guy said it sounded like heads out of line or dirty, new drive cost too much then, so I took the drive apart and cleaned the heads. Qtip and alchohal, like I did my cassette decks. Didn't work, I now had clean heads but still not a working drive. SO I went looking for adjustments. I found a spring I thought was a little weak for the top head. All it did was hold the head down, so I used the old phono graph trick when a record would skip alot. TAPED A PENNY to the HEAD,

Yea you guess it, was still working the day I tossed the system a year latter!

Somewhere there is a dump in WI that has a floppie drive with a penny taped to it's head

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:34 am

Definately try replacing the ribbon first - had a few ribbons go bad on me and do that, otherwise swap the drive out.

It's probably one or the other, although I'm a little puzzled why the 3 week old directory would still come up after a reboot. Even with a defective sensor, rebooting should clear it.

d_b · Post by **d_b** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 12:11 pm

I had the same problem about a year ago. The way I cured it was to throw the drive in the trash and go without. Who needs a floppy anyway?

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 12:19 pm

i replaced my floppy with a usb thumb drive. Yea, im not a big help

Greg

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:51 pm

well I wish I could just throw it away... I hate floppies, that is why I dont have one.
But the wifes computer at work is an old PII500 with win 95 (no USB) and she needs to transfer files back and forth. Currently she is using email ... but that gets old.
I will try a new ribbon and mess with it this weekend...if that doesnt work I will be replacing the drive.

Ill let you know how it goes...I know your just on the edge of your seats to find out what works

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 11:46 pm

98se would run great on that rig.

Greg