What you need is a driver for the floppy controller, not the drive. Try using the XP disk to search for a driver. Try using the generic Windows floppy controller driver. It should work fine.

Thanks, Osprey....

....I'm still having problems, though.

There is a file in my Windows/System32/Drivers folder, FDC, which is identified as the floppy drive controller, so that looks like it is there. There is also a file FLPYDSK (or something like that which is a floppy driver.

So...I'm suspicioning that the drivers are in place, and it is some other problem.

The drive lights on boot, so I know it is powered, and in CMOS I have configured it for 3.5/1.44.

Any advice appreciated.

Windows recognizes that I have new hardware on startup.

Actually, let me correct something: the drive light does *not* come on.

Also, on boot, a message is displayed:  "Diskette drive 0 seek failure"

 

 

Please don't take offense at this question; but did you install the device correctly? The jumper on the back of the drive must be on cable select (cs) and the end connector of the drive cable must be plugged into the unit, not the middle connector. The procedure should be spelled out in the adding parts section of your user's guide.

Dell Dimension 4400,1.6ghz p4,768Mb ddr sdram,20gb primary hd, 60 gb slave(both wd) ,radeon 7500 64 mb ddr video,sb live 5.1 digital audio,Harmon Kardon speakers, 4 port firewire, 4 port usb,hp930c, hp 5400c, sony trv 330 digital camcorder, intel pro pac webcam ,dell E151FP lcd monitor, 24x nec cdrw, 48x samsung cdrom.Palm IIIxe.

http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dim8250/syssetup.htm#1084976


F2 into BIOS and arrow down to "integrated devices". Then arrow down to "diskette interface" - it needs to be set to "auto".

Also, double check your data/power connections to the drive; that you've not mis-pinned to power by inadvertently missing/bending one of the four pins on the drive. Be sure that the floppy cable ends are connected properly, with the split/twisted cable end plugged to the drive, the other end to the mb.

Rambo - thanks!

 

Not sure how to enter BIOS and enable floppy controller. I did enter setup and set A: as 3.5/144 device... would that be what you mean?

 

 

Did you go into BIOS and enable the floppy controller?

Did you then go into 'boot devices' and set the floppy as the 1st device?

It could be that the controller is off, XP sees "something" on the FDC but can't ID since it's not fully enabled.

Rambo - and everyone else who offered help - thanks much!

Fixing the BIOS did the trick. I was beginning to think my 3.5 was DOA...

You guys are the best!