Stuck floppy disk!

Question

Hi. My Dell Dimension 4400 system is brand new and it has now "swallowed" up a program floppy I put in the A drive and will not release it. It contains software I desperately need to be using...now I can't use it OR get the floppy out.

Thoughts?

Marvin P · Answer

custrav,

Right under the Floppy drive there should be a small hole. Unbend a paper clip and you can manually eject the floppy by pushing the paper clip into the hole.

Good Luck,
PS This does not work I was thinking of a stuck CD sorry
Marvin P

XPS B800r
512MBz Ram
Windows XP (2/1/02)
&
8200 1.8G
512MBz Ram
XP
&
Truck Vanity Plate "Dell4Me" (Maine)

Message Edited on 05/04/02 08:52PM by Marvin P

Message Edited on 05/05/02 02:55AM by Marvin P

shesagordie · Answer

Hi, custrav. Try this link for 'A' drive (floppy) troubleshooting >>> http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/document_print.asp?DN=RA1055973 Bev.

custrav · Answer

Thanks, but the hole isn't open on this computer. I can see where it WOULD be but it's filled in! Thanks for the suggestion, though...

Denny Denham · Answer

custrav,

The most common cause of stuck floppy disks is that the metal shutter has become bent and is preventing the disk from ejecting. You can try grasping the visible portion of the disk with needle-nose pliers and gently pulling to see if that will release the disk. If not, try inserting something thin, like a portion of a playing card, above the disk (not near the center) and see if you can slide it over the shutter to press it down (while holding the floppy drive release button).

I am puzzled by the fact that you are unable to read the contents of the floppy. That is far more unusual than a stuck disk. If you are unable to remove the disk and its contents are that important, you might consider taking the computer to a repair facility to have the disk removed.

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custrav · Answer

Thanks so much....

jaymc · Answer

FYI - you said... '...but the hole isn't open on this computer. I can see where it WOULD be but it's filled in!' I noticed the same thing with my 8200. I took a paper clip and was able to punch out the 'filled in' hole. Dell Dimension 8200 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 Windows XP with BIOS A03 256 Mb RAM PC800 non-ECC 80 Gb hard drive (7200 rpm) 64 Mb Nvidia video card Soundblaster Live sound card 40X CD-ROM drive 24x10x40 CD-RW drive 100 Zip drive 17' FP1702 Monitor Harman Kardon HK695 Speakers Compaq IJ600 Printer

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Stuck floppy disk!

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