Replace SuperDisk Drive

Hi,

Do you have the floppy disk drive enabled in BIOS

hth

Ceri

Thanks for responding, Ceri.  The default BIOS settings for Diskette Options are Diskette Controller Enabled and Diskette A Disabled.  I've tried combinations of Diskette Controller to Auto and Diskette A to 1.44MB 3.5.  Results are that during boot I get a Disk A error message or the boot finishes but Drive A does not function.  I've never seen the indicator light for the new floppy come on.  The drive is properly installed and hooked up to power and the floppy connector on the motherboard.

Interestingly, when I set Diskette A to 1.44 MB 3.5 and save the BIOS settings the next time I look the setting has been automatically changed back to Disabled.  The computer seems determined to reject a transplant.   

Wilde Bill

Hi,

First thoughts would be a defective drive or cable.

Were the drive & cable new.

Ceri

Brand new out of the factory sealed box Belkin Floppy Drive Kit with cable.  Maybe I'll take it to Best Buy and tell them I think it's defective.

Thanks, Bill

Hi,

Do you have access to another machine you can try the floppy drive on.

Does the floppy drive cable have a cut section that is twisted. Normally it will

Does the floppy drive light stay on al the time

In Device Manager remove all reference to the LS-120 drive and ensure that the BIOS is set to having no drive fited on that IDE channel & drive. Change Auto to no drive fitted or similar.

What O/S

I think basically your O/S or BIOS is still under the impression you have a LS-120 drive fitted, when you do not and this may the source of you problems. Once you remove this things should go properly

Try a BIOS reset or Clear NVRAM, or simply remove BIOS motherboard battery for ½ an hour

Do you have any floppy drive & floppy drive controllers shown in BIOS. If so remove them and reboot.

What model computer

New BIOS battery

Ceri

Hi,

Clearing NVRAM is painless, has no side effects and will not harm you, your family, pets or your data.

Basically all it does is remove all cofiguration data from BIOS and forces BIOS to redetect everything.such as wht hard disks you have etc.

You can do it with the maintenance jumper.  Follow the details etc. in the Reference Section above right.

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

Removing the motherboard battery for ½ an hour or so will also do the same thing, equally painlessly. Observe anti static precautions whilst inside the machine.

What is the BIOS setting of the IDE channel the LS-120 drive was connected to.

Red Stripe is always Pin 1, on all ribbon cable connections.

Have you cleaned the LS-120 drive. Imation did make a LS-120 specific cleaning kit. An ordinary cleaning disk will also work.

My other computer, an XPS R450, works fine with both stardard floppy and internal IDE LS-120 drive

Ceri

Thanks for being so generous in helping a complete stranger, Ceri.  Does clearing NVRAM affect the BIOS version?  A couple of years ago when installing and copying a second hard drive (then set aside as a spare) I downloaded and flashed BIOS Version A11.  Is there any danger when clearing NVRAM that my BIOS version would be affected?  If in the process my LS-120 no longer worked and the new floppy drive didn't work either I wouldn't be able to flash the BIOS again.  I just don't understand BIOS well enough to not be nervous. 

The battery removal method sounds easiest to me.

My IDE configuration is: Primary Master - Maxtor 20GB boot hard drive, Primary Slave - LS-120, Secondary Master - DVD-ROM drive, Secondary Slave - None. 

I'll be sure that the red stripe goes to pin 1.  I have and have used the Imation Super Disk cleaning kit.  I tried cleaning my original LS-120 with an ordinary cleaning kit but that damaged the drive (I was unaware of the special kit at the time).  I then bought a new LS-120 drive and the Super Disk cleaning kit and all was well for awhile. Then when the drive stopped reading Super Disks I finally reached an Imation rep by phone.  I described the symptoms and was told that the 120MB capability of the drive was bad and not repairable.  They no longer make or support the drive, unfortunately.  I really liked it.

Thanks again, Wildebill

Hi,

To answer your questions

Does clearing NVRAM affect the BIOS version? 

No, not at all.

Is there any danger when clearing NVRAM that my BIOS version would be affected? 

No, not at all

If in the process my LS-120 no longer worked and the new floppy drive didn't work either I wouldn't be able to flash the BIOS again.  I just don't understand BIOS well enough to not be nervous. 

You will not need to flash the BIOS, this is held on an EPROM chip which is part of your motherboard.  ( E_lectronic P_rogramable R_ead O_nly M_emory )

This can only be changed by using a bootable system floppy disk with the BIOS file(s) on it. You boot with the floopy disk which then runs the BIOS update

The battery removal method sounds easiest to me.

It is always the easiest way. The maintenance jumper is a more definite clearing of NVRAM though.

My IDE configuration is: Primary Master - Maxtor 20GB boot hard drive, Primary Slave - LS-120, Secondary Master - DVD-ROM drive, Secondary Slave - None. 

This is fine, set the Primary slave in BIOS to none fitted or off ( or similar ) depending on BIOS ) This will tell your BIOS you don't have the LS120 drive installed.

I'll be sure that the red stripe goes to pin 1.  I have and have used the Imation Super Disk cleaning kit.  I tried cleaning my original LS-120 with an ordinary cleaning kit but that damaged the drive (I was unaware of the special kit at the time).  I then bought a new LS-120 drive and the Super Disk cleaning kit and all was well for awhile. Then when the drive stopped reading Super Disks I finally reached an Imation rep by phone.  I described the symptoms and was told that the 120MB capability of the drive was bad and not repairable.  They no longer make or support the drive, unfortunately.  I really liked it.

I did liked the drive. but since I brought the D4100 I have, with an internal 250mb zip, no longer needed the LS-120 much. With a CD - Writer and 128mb USB pen hard drive, I now use the 250 zip less. The LS-120 went into my daughters XPS r450.

I have found the LS-120 drive useful when a neighbour's daughter came in with a bent floppy disk, in pocket and sat down. She had critical school work on the disk. I couldn't read the disk on any 1.44 floppy drive on either computer, but the LS-120 drive did read it. School work saved and free b/sitting if my wife and I went out.

Ceri

Wildbill

The diskette cable needs to have the end with the twist connected to the floppy drive.  The red wire goes to pin 1 on both ends.  boot to the system bios, press F9 enter (reset Defaults) the F10 enter (Save & exit)

Floppy drive should be detected.

Thanks DaGeezerUS.  I'll give it a try and report back.

Wildebill

I finally got a chance to get back to the problem.  Red stripe to pin 1 and twisted section of cable.  Removed motherboard battery to clear NVRAM and the drive was recognized.  Problem solved.

Thanks,

Wildebill

Ceri,

I finally was able to get back to the problem.  Removing the battery to reset NVRAM did the job.

Thanks again,

Wildebill

Ceri,

I finally was able to return to the problem.  Removing the battery did the job.

Thanks again,

Wildebill