Solved Installation of Floppy Disk Drive

[BJC1992]

Im trying to install a floppy disk drive on Windows 7, although I use a flashdrive too a floppy drive is still useful to me. I have enabled it on the BIOS but nothing shows up in 'My Computer' or 'Device Manager', it is connected to an IDE slot on the motherboard and I have checked to see if its plugged in properly, can anyone advise me on what I need to do next?

 

[pbcopter]

Hi and welcome.

When you say connected to IDE slot, are you connecting to the dedicated floppy 34 pin connector?

 

[BJC1992]

Yes it's connected to the dedicated port for the floppy drive

 

[pbcopter]

I have only experienced four issues with floppy drives

Bad ribbon cable.
Ribbon cable plugged in backwards.
Power connector not plugged in correctly.
Bad floppy drive.

 

[BJC1992]

The cables themselves are new ones, but will check later to see if they're properly inserted, and will let you know the outcome.

 

[HAVOC]

Have you tried using an external USB floppy drive?

 

[BJC1992]

I have in the past and that worked fine without any trouble. If I can't get this one to work that might be my only other option.

 

[BJC1992]

I have now tried a new ribbon cable, and checked to see if the power cable was connected properly. I then started up the PC, and still nothing happens, except that this time the green light stays on permanently, but the drive still does not show up in My Computer or Device Manager.

 

[pbcopter]

When the light stays on it usually means the ribbon cable is reversed in the drive connector.

 

[BJC1992]

I have unplugged the ribbon cable and I have reversed which end it was plugged into, so the end that was plugged into the motherboard is now plugged into the floppy drive, is that what you meant? And now no light comes on at all and I'm right back where I started.

 

[RolandJS]

I have unplugged the ribbon cable and I have reversed which end it was plugged into, so the end that was plugged into the motherboard is now plugged into the floppy drive, is that what you meant? And now no light comes on at all and I'm right back where I started.

I think the earlier poster meant: doublecheck to make sure one end is correctly aligned into the motherboard and the other end is correctly aligned into the floppy drive. There is a Pin Zero that needs to be in Pin Zero's slot [for the lack of a better word]. In the old days, both cable and slots were "knobbed" so that no error could be made.
** Guys/Gals! I've been saying "Pin Zero," that is wrong, I was wrong! It is: Pin 1 **

 

[HAVOC]

When it says reversed (and the light is solid), it means the connector is in upside down.

Undo what you just did. The end that has the twist in the cable should go to the floppy drive.

 

[RolandJS]

When it says reversed (and the light is solid), it means the connector is in upside down. Undo what you just did. The end that has the twist in the cable should go to the floppy drive.

And one still has to have Pin Zero connected correctly to both MB & FD.
** Guys/Gals! I've been saying "Pin Zero," I was wrong! It is: Pin 1 **

 

[RolandJS]

** Guys/Gals! I've been saying "Pin Zero," I was wrong! It is: Pin 1 **

 

[BJC1992]

I put the cable the correct way round, with the twisted end into the floppy drive, and then when I started the PC nothing happened, I have since tried another cable and still nothing, this now has me stumped! I know they only connect in the slot one way round, and I'm sure the power cables are connected properly. But I don't know what you mean by 'Pin Zero' and 'Pin 1'.

 

[alphaniner]

The individual cables & pins are generally numbered to indicate proper orientation. RolandJS just had a brain-fart and suggested numbering started with zero rather than one. Methinks he has programming experience.

Anyway, it's possible that previous mis-cabling fried something in the drive or even the controller... :'(

 

[UsernameIssues]

...But I don't know what you mean by 'Pin Zero' and 'Pin 1'.

Can you test the floppy drive in another computer to be sure that the drive is working?

 

[BJC1992]

At the moment there is no other computer I can try the drive in, I think then I may just get a portable floppy drive as I don't reckon I'll get this one to work, but if I can pick up one cheap somewhere then I will give it another go, as I often see parts cheap at boot sales etc, thanks everyone for all your help, is most appreciated. If I have any success in getting the current drive to work I shall let you all know. Thanks for your assistance.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

Does Windows 7 even support a Floppy Disk drive?

If the motherboard does have a real Floppy Disk slot, the drive would still have to be set up (activated) in the BIOS. These days, it would probably be disabled by default.

With all the if's, and's and but's, involved with getting a floppy disk drive to work, as witness all the previous posts about pin 0, pin 1, twisted cables, etc., , , it's just a lot easier in time and money to go buy a USB Floppy Drive, and then you can use it on virtually ANY PC. I have more than one.

Good Luck!
TechnoMage

 

[BJC1992]

It does indeed have a dedicated slot for a floppy drive, and the first thing that I done was enable it in the BIOS, but as you say it's proving more trouble than it's worth, so I intend to buy a portable USB drive. Thanks to everyone for you help and advice.