Why is the installation of Windows 7 faster when a floppy drive is...?

[montecarlo1987]

Hello. I have a question. Why is the installation procedure for Windows 7 much faster when I have my floppy disk drive connected to my motherboard then when I do not have floppy disk drive not connected to my motherboard??? I see when do not have floppy disk drive connected that at the beginning of the installation process, I get to the Windows 7 blue background screen with my mouse curser in the middle of the screen I as now having to wait at least 5 minutes before the “Install Windows” window appears. The “Install Windows” window would show up *in less than a couple of seconds* after the default Windows 7 blue background would appear when I have the floppy disk drive connected. Also when I do not have floppy disk drive connected I get the “Setup is starting…” for another 5 minutes later in the Windows 7 install process following by clicking on “Install now”. Overall the entire Windows 7 install process is much slower when there is no floppy disk drive is connected to the motherboard. Motherboard: Asus P5Q.


Questions:
1. Why is this the case?
2. Floppy disk drive technology is rather old technology therefore why would the “NEW” Windows 7 be searching for this older technology during the install process? Let’s face it; most new computers (desktop and laptops) do not have this older technology. Is install process longer with Windows 7 on the newer computers?
3. Is there a means for me to get the same or even faster Windows 7 install process WITHOUT having the floppy drive connected?


Please reply.


Thank you![FONT=&quot]

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[logicearth]

Does the motherboard have a "Turn off Floppy support" type setting?

 

[alphanumeric]

What he said ^ Did you also go into the BIOS and disable the floppy drive controller?

 

[gregrocker]

As inferred, BIOS is looking for the missing drive until it is disabled in BIOS setup.

 

[montecarlo1987]

Thank you for your replies.

Okay, many of your solutions make sense to me and several of you state to 'disable the floppy in BIOS' should be my answer to this issue. So it is the BIOS settings that are impacting Windows 7 install. Makes sense to me.

Okay, please tell me what are the steps I need to perform in BIOS for my ASUS P5Q motherboard in order to disable the floppy? I have been looking around in BIOS and I do not see this option, but I may be just overlooking it.

Please reply.

Thanks!

 

[Golden]

Hi,

What BIOS are you using?

 

[alphanumeric]

I have an ASUS motherboard but mine doesn't have a floppy controller. If I had to guess assuming your BIOS is similar, I would look under "Onboard Devices Configuration" under the "Advanced" menu.

 

[montecarlo1987]

Hello again. Thanks for your replies.

My BIOS is titled "BIOS Setup Utility". It is v. 02.61, copyright 1985-2008, and by American Megatrends, Inc..

I have looked under "Onboard Devices Configuration", and there is no true reference to 'floppy drive'. However, I do see something in the list under this category that is called 'Marvell IDE" -> "Marvel IDE Boot ROM" that is enabled. Could this be it? 'IDE' related to 'floppy'??? I thought IDE is a type of legacy hard drive (pre-SATA)? I do have an IDE connector (40-1 pin PRO_EIDE) on this motherboard. Other than that do I do not see one aptly named 'floppy drive'.

Any suggestions?

Please reply.

Thank you!

 

[alphanumeric]

No IDE boot ROM is not it, look in the "Chipset" menu.

 

[montecarlo1987]

Okay, I just called ASUS and I asked them about the disabling the floppy drive connector an they told me that there is none for my P5Q.

Therefore, I have to experience this s-s-s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w-w Windows 7 install when NOT to use the floppy drive and a 'snappy' Windows 7 install when I USE this floppy drive -- as simple as that for this particular motherboard.

I bet most of you here in this forum probably DO NOT HAVE a floppy drive connector on your motherboards (desktops) so you basically do not experience this issue anyways because Windows Vista/7 is not detecting it during YOUR installs -- therefore your installs are snappy. Those who HAVE THIS FLOPPY DRIVE CONNECTOR and DO NOT WANT TO USE IT HAVE TO experience this s-s-s-l-l-l-o-o-o-w-w-w Windows 7 install.

BOTTOM LINE: 'IF YOU HAVE IT, USE IT' (connect to a floppy drive) IF YOU CAN NOT DISABLE IT IN BIOS for a snappy Windows 7 and Vista too install!

Thanks all!

 

[alphanumeric]

I have floppy drive connectors on several of my motherboards. They all have an option in the BIOS to disable the controller if no floppy drive is attached.

 

[Dwarf]

What is the full model number of your motherboard, as there are several relating to P5Q ?

 

[bigmck]

My BIOS is similiar to yours. Mine is American Megatrends version 2.59. Go into BIOS and on the first screen you will see "Standard CMOS Setup". Go into that option and you should see "Drive A" and you can Enable or Disable. Disable, then "Save and Exit". That should do it. I just removed my floppy a month ago and this does the job.

 

[montecarlo1987]

Hello. Based on the insistency of this issue from members here, I recalled ASUS Tech Support and this time I got a tech rep. that "knew" ('he') the answer to my question. YES, there is an option! Under "Main" menu, listed as "Legacy Diskette A" on my BIOS Setup Utility. The last rep. at ASUS didn't know what she was talking about. There is a means!

Answer is now solved.

Thank you for your help!!!