Floppy Drive will not take disk

Since this is a new system and it sounds like the floppy disk drive is bad, I would suggest that you call Dell Tech Support immediately, describe the problem and request a warranty replacement. Dell Tech Support are the only ones that can authorize a replacement or repair.

Steve

Thanks for the quick response Steve. I will try to call them now.

Hi

Please bear with me on this one. A recent post on this forum had a new user with the same problem. For some reason he had placed his compiuter upside down on his desk / workstation. Not surprisingly the disks would not go in as they were upside down.

Only a thought, for which I apologise if it sounds too stupid. We've all done it by mistake or when tired.

If not as Steve advises call Dell and get them to replace the drive.

hth

Ceri

Just a sidenote. My Dimension 4400 seems to have a problem grabbing a floppy also. It will eventually go in but you have to push it in as far as you can. Is this normal? Or, is it supposed to grab it halfway in? Thanks.

Dell's don't "grab" a floppy like MACs. You have to insert it all the way.

On the earlier post, you're not putting it into a zipdrive, are you?

Rick

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The diskette should insert fully into the drive and then 'drop'/seat into the drive.

I'd be sure of two things:

1) that there are no metal clips in the drive from a previous diskette, perhaps from a different user

2) open the case and make sure that the drive (which is on quick release green plastic rails) is pushed *forward* and fully snapped into the bay. If it's not, this could mean the drive is sitting back away from the PC bezel face, and the diskette can't be fully pushed in.

Thanks for the replies.

For clarification, I guess I described the "grab" the wrong way. The disk does not 'drop'/seat into the drive. I knew I was not describing this the best I could but the right words were not coming to me last night. The drive that is not working is the regular ole 3 1/2" floppy. It would allow the disk to insert but it would not drop/seat into the drive. I have looked into the drive and wee no other disk that is inserted. I later discovered that the button that you push to eject a disk is stuck. It will not budge a bit. This drive has never been used. I just got the machine this week. I normally have no use for a floppy and bet after it is fixed I will not use it more than 10 or 15 times over the life of the computer.

I did as Steve told me and called Dell last night. This was a funny experience in it's self. After she read through the trouble shooting book and about 1hour 15 minutes went by, we both came to the conclusion that the floppy drive is bad and that they will send a tech out to replace it. I could hardly understand her because of her accent. I am glad that I understood enough about computers to know what she was trying to say. The whole problem is that the button to eject is stuck. She had me jump through all the hoops that the trouble shooting book has you to do but I knew that I had to go through them before I was going to get a replacement. I know we all have our stories but I have to share. After we tried going through all the tests she wanted me to open the case but I had not opened this type before. She was reading from her tech book…(with an accent you can hardly understand) “push the two buttons and the computer will open like a suit case.” So I am pushing the two buttons but I do not know which way it is suppose to open. She repeats…(with accent) “”it will open like a suit case.” I finally asked her…Ma’am, have you ever opened up one of these computers? She replied “no, but this IS a 8-2-0-0. and I said yes ma’am, this is a Dimension 8200. She went back to her spot in the tech book and said “push the buttons and it will open up like a suit case.” I finally got it opened and she had me look down at the drive to see if I could see anything wrong and I said the button is still stuck and that is when she concluded that the drive needed replaced! Dude, I am getting another drive! It was frustrating at the time but it is a funny looking back at it.

Thanks again for all of the responses.

jw,

Shoot me an e-mail ( stew1960@mail.com ) if the new FDD doesn't fix the problem as hoped.

There's one other possibility that involves the plastic eject button within the bezel itself that could replicate this problem.

Good luck!