5 1/4" floppy drive question

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-01 03:15

Hello!
Is it possible to use one of these with a new Dell desktop with Win XP? I have two of them and about 200 of those old disks that I'd like to check out and/or copy. What the technician in my dad's office has done is installed it as a normal 3 1/2" drive, but it can't read or write it. Are there any patches or hacks I can do to make stupid Windows (isn't it supposed to be downward compatible?) recognize it?
Rafael

Robert Kubichek · 2005-10-01 03:47

flyingfishfinger said...
Hello!
Is it possible to use one of these with a new Dell desktop with Win XP? I have two of them and about 200 of those old disks that I'd like to check out and/or copy. What the technician in my dad's office has done is installed it as a normal 3 1/2" drive, but it can't read or write it. Are there any patches or hacks I can do to make stupid Windows (isn't it supposed to be downward compatible?) recognize it?
Rafael

Sure, as long as it is installed in case, and powers up, you need to tell the bios that it is a 1.2 meg, or a 360K floppy drive.
Then Xp will read and write to the disks...

I have a few of the drives my self, including a dual 1.2/1.44 teac drive that I should reserect, as I keep on collecting old computer parts...

Bob N9LVU

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-01 03:51

Well. my problem is that the XP Bios doesn't have that option any more...
It does power up and try to read it as a 31/2 disk but says that it can't write or read and needs a format, which it can't do
Rafael

Robert Kubichek · 2005-10-01 04:34

flyingfishfinger said...
Well. my problem is that the XP Bios doesn't have that option any more...
It does power up and try to read it as a 31/2 disk but says that it can't write or read and needs a format, which it can't do
Rafael

Reboot the Dell, and hold the "DELETE" key to get into (MO)ther(B)oard Bios, there should be a setting
for type of floppy drive...It is not a setting in Windows, as it is the (MOB) Bios setting that needs to be changed.
It could also be the F1 or F2 keys to boot into MOB Bios...

Bob N9LVU

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-01 16:11

No, I tried that already. It says "Press F2 key for setup", but the setup doesn't support a 5 1\4" floppy any more. At least I can't find the option under "Drives"...
Rafael

Robert Kubichek · 2005-10-01 17:03

flyingfishfinger said...
No, I tried that already. It says "Press F2 key for setup", but the setup doesn't support a 5 1\4" floppy any more. At least I can't find the option under "Drives"...
Rafael

Can you give me the model of Dell desktop you are using??? iThen i will be able to help you better..

Bob N9LVU

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-01 19:40

OK, it's a brand new Dell Precision 380
Rafael

Robert Kubichek · 2005-10-01 20:37

flyingfishfinger said...
OK, it's a brand new Dell Precision 380
Rafael

Hmmm, I did a search of the Dell site, and cannot find any info on types of Floppy drives supported,
can you find anywhere in the bios that lists the floppy drive, and highlight it, and possibly change it from 3.5 to 5.25 floppy???
If not, you might have to go back to an older system and add the 2nd floppy drive as a 5.25 drive to copy your old disks.
It seems that the new Dell systems might have a custom Bios in them that does not allow anything other than a 1.44/3.5 floppy...

Bob N9LVU

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-02 02:55

Might there be any way to convert it to something these new Dell's know? I don't have access to an older model.
Could I possibly make it useful with an old laptop?
Rafael

LoopyByteloose · 2005-10-02 06:16

If you can locate an outboard case that will handle a 5 1/4" floppy and convert it to USB, that would be ideal.

But, I suspect all the 5 1/4" USB outboard cases only support harddisks. This is really retro technology. {I have Paradox, MSDOS 3.0, and WordPerfect on 5 1/4. While I kept a drive to use with them, the disks seemed to have aged and are no longer readable}

If you are in an urban area, their may be a service that would simply copy the 5 1/4 disks to another format or just read and email you the files. For a small fee, you move ahead more quickly.

If a laptop has 5 1/4 drive, you can use it. Alternatively, try the 2nd hand and junk stores for a complete computer with 5 1/4. Download and email to yourself.

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G. Herzog in Taiwan

SPENCE · 2005-10-02 13:16

Rafael.

I am not shouting. I have been able to read and type all caps much easier for over 50 years

suggestion. Look and pass the word you want a micro-solutions 5-1/4" floppy parallel port interface drive. They are no longer in production but probably hundreds of thousands were made.

Boot on dos with the floppy pp driver then you can move data from the 5-1/4" to the 3-1/2" drive real easy. They still sell the 3-1/2 model .

I have used them and still use a 3-1/2" parallel port floppy and it is solid great.

73
spence
k4kep

Robert Kubichek · 2005-10-02 16:53

Some of the 3.5 external floppy drives with STOCK FULL SIZE drives in them can be converted to 5.25 by just connecting a STOCK 5.25 in place of the 3.5 drive....
5.25 external floppy drives are very hard to find, if you do find one point it my way!

Bob N9LVU

SN96 · 2005-10-03 20:27

Wow 5.25's... Reminds me of the ole 8 tracks.

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Mike

--
Formally RoboROOKIE.
·

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-03 22:38

OK, Ill look for those things but can't promise anything in the next week or two because school is keeping me extremely busy...but if I do find something I'll post it here.
Rafael

Robert Kubichek · 2005-10-03 23:13

flyingfishfinger said...
OK, Ill look for those things but can't promise anything in the next week or two because school is keeping me extremely busy...but if I do find something I'll post it here.
Rafael

There are a couple of Buslinks on Ebay right now...
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8700967703&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

And a search on Froogle finds a few more;
froogle.google.com/froogle?q=Buslink+External+USB+1.44+Floppy+Drive&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=ff&oi=froogler

They might just work...

Bob N9LVU

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-04 03:26

Here's an external 5 1/4" drive...very pricey ($99, way too much for me): http://cgi.ebay.com/Techtran-External-5-1-4-Floppy-Drive_W0QQitemZ6795076136QQcategoryZ31566QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Personally I'd like to use what I have first though.
Rafael

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-04 03:28

Here's an external Apple one, I woner if it might work with a PC:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-APPLE-II-5-1-4-EXTERNAL-DRIVE-WORKS-GREAT_W0QQitemZ8702620562QQcategoryZ51046QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Rafael

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-04 03:37

SPENCE:
Where would I look for one of these?
I can't just ask in here, can I?
Sorry for going off-topic
Rafael

SPENCE · 2005-10-04 03:44

You might even write a letter to micro-solutions ad ask if they can possible find just one more, that you could buy. It might work. Otherwise keep watch on ebay, or google for that description.

73
spence
k4kep

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-04 04:11

Thanks, I'll keep looking
Rafael

FlyingFishFinger · 2005-10-04 04:14

Do(did) they sell the whole drive with the cable or only the cable?
Rafael

SPENCE · 2005-10-04 04:53

HERE ARE SOME SEARCH LINKS ON THE 1.44

http://www.google.com/custom?q=BACKPACK+FLOPPY&sa=Search&cof=LW:190;L:http://www.micro-solutions.com/pics/msilogo.gif;LH:27;AH:left;S:http://www.micro-solutions.com;AWFID:39606a8154b86946;&domains=micro-solutions.com&sitesearch=micro-solutions.com

73
SPENCE
K4KEP

SPENCE · 2005-10-04 04:57

I forgot to answer you question.

The backpack floppy was enclosed in a portable drive case with power and 2 db-25 connectors on the rear.
One for computer printer port and the other for printer which could be used while hooked up to the floppy.
Included a parallel shielded cable and drivers on floppy disk.
The driver are still on their web site for download.

73
spence
k4kep

5 1/4" floppy drive question

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