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Thread ID: 110365 2010-06-14 02:40:00 How brand-specific are floppy drives? annie (6010) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1109947 2010-06-14 02:40:00 I need to put a floppy drive into my newer computer (2007, Dell Dimension 9200) to load drivers from while reloading XP.

I've taken the floppy drive from an older computer and installed it ok, but was toying with the idea of installing one permanently - if I bought, say, an HP or Sony drive off TradeMe, would I expect to be able to fit it into an unrelated machine?

[The Dell 9200 installs a floppy drive by sticking some screws into the side of the drive casing and then sliding these along a slot in the front drive bay. A little 98mm x 23mm panel pops out of the front of the tower where the drive is inserted].

Thanks, any advice appreciated.
annie (6010)
1109948 2010-06-14 02:44:00 Their must be alternative and more efficient means to installing drivers from XP; You mean the drives are already on the floppy disc? kahawai chaser (3545)
1109949 2010-06-14 02:49:00 I need to put a floppy drive into my newer computer (2007, Dell Dimension 9200) to load drivers from while reloading XP.

toying with the idea of installing one permanently.

1)Complete waste of time, floppies are extinct
2) Newer machines do not require any driver to be loaded from a floppy. It would have to be ancient to need that
pctek (84)
1109950 2010-06-14 02:52:00 If its a brand PC, have you made the recovery cd's / dvd? These should have SATA drivers (it sounds like youre talking about SATA drivers)? on them (once you burn them) Speedy Gonzales (78)
1109951 2010-06-14 02:57:00 The Dell 9200 system shipped with a single hard drive running under RAID as a non-RAID hard drive. I want to install another drive and reload XP and change the BIOS from 'RAID ON' to 'RAID AUTODETECT/SATA', and run both disks as non-RAID.

This apparently causes problems with XP reload because the drivers for the hard drive controllers have to be changed - for some people it works ok if they have an install disk with XP SP2 (which I have), others find it works if they slipstream SATA drivers onto an install CD, but still others find they need to load the drivers from drive A during XP installation. I've got the drivers, and I've now got a floppy drive in the 9200 - not pretty to look at, but it works.

So before I start, I want to have all the options sorted to avoid being computerless for a week in the main part of the house, hence installing the floppy drive and idly thinking that maybe keeping a floppy drive permanently installed in the computer might be a good idea.
annie (6010)
1109952 2010-06-14 03:10:00 borrow a USB floppy drive temporarily from someone (if you are in Wellington you can borrow mine)

or don't use XP, use Windows 7
nmercer (3899)
1109953 2010-06-14 03:12:00 Thanks, nmercer - I've got one in the computer atm on a temporary basis, I was looking to buy one. Thanks though annie (6010)
1109954 2010-06-14 03:20:00 Floppy drives are NOT "Brand Specific". They are available new from about $20 to $30. See Ascent.co.nz. You may also need cables and screws. Installation is quite easy. bluenose (14548)
1109955 2010-06-14 03:26:00 Thanks, bluenose, that's what I needed to know. I've got a nice long cable from Quay Computers, and the screws. I think I'll just get a used one from TradeMe. annie (6010)
1109956 2010-06-14 03:43:00 i still have a floppy drive in my pc. but i don't use it (i used to for my old 1995 toshiba sattelite laptop as that didnt have a cd drive and the external one i had had no driver)

the floppy drive is their now just to fill a slot as my dad is using the slot cover in his pc as it didn't have one
goodiesguy (15316)
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