Floppy Disk Drive Problems

[Efius]

Everytime I try to access any disk on my floppy drive I get the same message. "A:\ is not accessible, No ID address mark was found on the floppy disk." Right clicking gives me the same message also, in fact anything that I do that concerns this drive gives me the same message as above.

Can someone help?

[DMR]

If the problem truly does happen with any disk you try, there's a good chance that the floppy drive itself has failed. However, if you can give us more specifics on the model and age of your machine, the version of Windows you're using, etc., we'll probably be able to provide you with more info.

[Efius]

My PC is less than a year old, im running windows XP, I hope that helps.

[DMR]

The problem could be hardware or driver-related, but unfortunately you may be experiencing a bug in XP which I don't think Microsoft has really addressed.

In general, the error is saying that Windows cannot find or cannot correctly read a special piece of information on the floppy called the "Media Descriptor".

In terms of the bug, the only thing Microsoft has to say is that it's a problem with floppies which have been formatted with the "quick format" option. They're only suggestion is to only use floppies which have been formatted with the "Full Format" method. Not very helpful if you've already got important data stored on dozens of quick-formatted floppies.

If boooting from bootable floppies works, but no floppies can be read from within XP, you're probably experiencing the bug; the fact that the computer itself can read the boot floppies pretty much means that the problem is with the OS and not your hardware.

However, you should check your hardware just to be sure:

- make sure the floppy drives data cable is connected correctly (a common mistake is to plug the cable in upside-down) and firmly seated.

- make sure the cable is not damaged in any way.

- clean the floppy drive's head with a cleaning disk (if anyone still makes those) or with a cotton swab and isopropyl alchohol

- update/reinstall the floppy controller driver.

- try another floppy drive that's known to be in working order. Just because the computer is only a year old doesn't mean the drive can't be defective.

[Efius]

It did seem to be the formatting of the disk. I went and picked up a new disc and had no problems, just full formatted it and that was all. Now when I put in one of the disks that I was trying before it just tell me that the disk isn't formatted and asks if I want to. It no longer gives me the old error message.

Thanks for the help. At least I know the floppy drive works.

[DMR]

Now when I put in one of the disks that I was trying before it just tell me that the disk isn't formatted and asks if I want to. It no longer gives me the old error message.

I never found an answer as to why that happens, but others have reported the exact same thing: once they full-formatted a new floppy, that floppy worked fine but the error they got when they put in old floppies changed from the original "No ID" message to the "unformatted" message.

Weird... but this is Windows we're dealing with. :mrgreen:

[Efius]

It would really be nice if the floppy could understand the other format. I don't think I ever used quick format on the other disks but according to my PC, I must have. If you here of a way to get the drive past this little deal, let me know.

Thanks again.

[DMR]

If I do find anything I'll post it, but I haven't seen a workaround yet.

[deutsch]

It would really be nice if the floppy could understand the other format. I don't think I ever used quick format on the other disks but according to my PC, I must have. If you here of a way to get the drive past this little deal, let me know.

Thanks again.

All you have to do is go to another computer that does read the disk,
and copy them to the HD, fomat your floppy and then copy it back.

[DMR]

And you dug up a 1 year old post just to share that with us? :mrgreen: