[RESOLVED] Floppy Drive Fail (40)

[mahdi]

I know what 99% of the answers to this question is so I'll spit them out for you http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smilies/cwm1.gif Drive has been tested and is good, the cables are stright from the box the MB came in (tried other cables also), the red wire = pin1, power is verified to floppy drive, BIOS is set for floppy drive. I might be missing some other BIOS settings but this error will only appear if I enable floppy drive seek (obviously) any BIOS advice that might be the problem would be highly appreciated (AMI and AWARD)if anyone needs any other info, let me know. This has been giving me a headache for the last year and I just want to end it once and for all.

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[MacGyver]

Have you tried using a different drive?

Floppy drive seek at bootup isn't that critical, with the reduced reliance on floppies nowadays.

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If it ain't broke, and you try to fix it anyway, then it WILL need fixing!

[Nighthand]

You may have a bad floppy controller on the motherboard.

[mahdi]

Forget to post those details...Yes, I've tried another drive with same affects and I thought of the bad controller, but on 2 differant new boards (freash from the shrink wrap http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smilies/cwm1.gif

[Andi]

Just a thought but try the other floppy power cable and if you have a multimeter check that the voltage is correct as it may be a faulty power supply cable.

[mahdi]

That could be worth checking, I'll have to get my hands on one and give it a try. Don't think it would be a power problem though 'cause the power supply is as new as the board (picked them up at the same time) It is a 250 power supply...but floppys don't use THAT much power. Here's the specs to aid any further guesses http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif
450mhz K6-2 GigaByte GA-5AA ATX board w/192 PC133 memory (2-32 1-128), Creative Banshee Blaster AGP, 2 HD's (1-4.5Gb 1-13.5Gb), 1 CD-R/RW, 1 24X CD-ROM, sound card, LAN card, 56k Modem, 2 Case fans and what ever other little things there are including the floppy that does not work http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif

[TRICKPLAYER]

try a different cable, it don't mean nothing being new, if you can access another pc, ie a friends try your drive and cable in his and vice versa, if you got a light it ain't power supply,

[R. Giskard Reventlov]

All those devices on a 250W power supply? Get a 300W anyway, first thing u do...then work from there. 4 different IDE devices and two fans is enought to prompt getting a larger power supply. You never know, it might be the cause as all the devices are loading at the bootup of the BIOS, and the floppy seek might get low priority in power and just fail. Have u tried booting up with most things disconnected? See what happens. Get a 300W supply if that fixes the issue.

[mahdi]

Yes a 300W would be a good idea, but I still get this error when nothing but the board and floppy are plugged in. It is very odd after having this problem for almost a year...there isn't much I haven't tried, but all these suggestions are helpful. This is wierd 'cause I've gotten it consistantly with the last 2 machines I've built...can't help thinking that it is something I'm doing differently, or that has changed with MB design in the last year...

[Nighthand]

I know this is going to sound dumb, but did you try flipping the floppy ribbon cable over? Make it so the red stripe is opposite of pin 1.

[Sowulo]

I remember when Epson floppy drives always had pin 1 away from the power connector and most others had pin 1 nearest the power--fooled me into thinking the drive was bad for a bit. If you've purchased a different brand this time it might be a possibility.

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Ya never know, ya know?

[BarnesConsult]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Nighthand:
I know this is going to sound dumb, but did you try flipping the floppy ribbon cable over? Make it so the red stripe is opposite of pin 1.</font>

Even though this might sound dumb, I had a motherboard once where pin 1 was marked wrong. The silkscreening on the board was backwards, and the manual was backwards. That was just when they started putting the IDE controllers on the motherboard. Although usually when the cable is backwards, the drive light stays lit, I guess that may not always be true.

This probably isn't relative, but Toshiba did produce some defective floppy controllers a while back, and they were used in quite a few different machines. It is possibly that the Motherboard manufacturer could be having problems with that model of board.

[mahdi]

Yes Nighthand, that does sounds dumb :P
And yes, I've tried that even...got the normal power light never turns off affect, so that's not it http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif
Dumb idea...yes, worth at try...defiantly, would not suprise me if they did mess up the connectors and put them on backwards :P
BarnesConsult...possable but I haven't found anything on either of their sites (Jetway and Gigabyte)

[Nighthand]

You know, I cannot believe I didn't ask you this before. Have you flashed your BIOS, and does the floppy drive work anyway? Meaning, can you boot to the floppy? There is also a BIOS upgrade for your mobo from Oct. 2000.

[mahdi]

Nope, no BIOS flashing, floppy doesn't work...well, it thinks it does after distroying the data on the disk and saying that it needs to be formatted...
Could flash the BIOS but after the last time I did that, I'm too scared to http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif Don't want to waste another whole day trying to put the BIOS pieces back in the right place http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/biggrin.gif

[Darren Wilson]

try connecting the Drive to the centre connector on the cable and enable Swap Floppy in the BIOS. Also make sure that eh Floppy Disk Drive isn't a Mode 3 type drive. If it is then enable support for that as well.

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Darren Wilson
Webmaster
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[jeffsr]

Does your floppy drive data cable support two drives, ie, 3.5 and 5.25. If it does, make sure you've got the connector after the twist plugged into the drive. If you are using the connector before the twist, the drive will fail to enumerate in the BIOS POST.

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Jeff Lawrence

[Komok]

Better check out that BIOS update

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A person who argues must be completely sure in himself. A thinking person would never be completely sure in anything. That's why two thinking persons would never argue; share their points of view they will

[iamyourtech]

buy a new floppy drive or try your friends on your pc....i have had floppies that worked on one board and would not work on others..how old is that floppy drive???
if all this that people have suggested doesn't work try the manufacturer..or dump the board... seems it must be the cause
floppy drive 15.00(local computershop) new mother board(100.00-140.00)or if it was new swap it out for another...i would buy a brand new floppy

[b_fleury]

It sounds like you have a bad floppy controller. Have you tried disabling your onboard controller and using an old controller card? Might be worth a shot.

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For the triumph of evil, it is only necessary that good men do nothing
(source unknown)

[Darren Wilson]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by jeffsr:
Does your floppy drive data cable support two drives, ie, 3.5 and 5.25. If it does, make sure you've got the connector after the twist plugged into the drive. If you are using the connector before the twist, the drive will fail to enumerate in the BIOS POST.

</font>

Unless ypu enable SWAP FLOPPY in the BIOS

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Darren Wilson
Webmaster
The Carpers Lodge.net (http://www.carperslodge.net)
The Webs Number One Resource for Today's Carp Angler.

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[J_Man]

I would stop and think about what has remained the same in the last year. what ever has remained the same must be causing the problem. I have seen crap RAM cause this exact error, (as well as other bizarre problems). Also, make sure the CPU is not getting too hot. You will need to use all your logic power for this one. Just think like a PC :-)

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&lt;&lt;&lt; Sh!t happens &gt;&gt;&gt;

[mahdi]

Thanks for all the replys on this one, I'm getting TMI overload (Too Much Information) http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smile.gif. I just installed a new CPU and MB, I don't get that error anymore, but the drive is still not working correctly (i.e. doesn't recognize floppies and deletes any data on it) I'm going to try a new floppy drive (still looking for a local dealer that want's less then $25 for the darn things) Might get to that this weekend. I'll post outcome so we can all stop guessing http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/forum/smilies/cwm30.gif