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Thread ID: 99232 2009-04-24 05:26:00 Floppy drive needed? Mcpisik (4924) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
768055 2009-04-24 05:26:00 Hi,
Have just started a few courses involving os installation and pc stuff in general.
I'm wondering if external floppy drives are still needed and if there is anything else used instead to boot from these days.
The course seems to mention booting from floppy quite often, so was wondering if I should get one.
Thanks for your opinions!
Mcpisik (4924)
768056 2009-04-24 05:28:00 USB flash drives are bootable (some are). You can make it, so it boots like a floppy. Altho, this will depend on whether your system can boot from USB flash drives (not all systems can).

You can also install an OS on one (if its big enough). Floppies are pretty much obsolete these days.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
768057 2009-04-24 05:29:00 Well you can always boot from a CD, DVD or even a USB stick these days.
I have two machines here and neither have a floppy drive fitted.
Sweep (90)
768058 2009-04-24 05:33:00 Same here, 3 PC's here, none of them have floppies. Only dvd's. And a card reader on this PC. If I want to copy something, I'll copy it across the network Speedy Gonzales (78)
768059 2009-04-24 05:36:00 Same here, 3 PC's here, none of them have floppies. Only dvd's. And a card reader on this PC. If I want to copy something, I'll copy it across the network
Lol...and that's why they call you Speedy.
Thanks for the quick reply and to the other replier also.
I'm just looking at it for using on any system I may come across.
Not so much for my own machines, which also have no floppies.
I'll just go through the course and see what happens along the way.
:rolleyes:
Cheers!
Mcpisik (4924)
768060 2009-04-24 05:42:00 The only reason you would need a floppy, is if you want to update the BIOS (on older systems)

Altho, this will depend on the motherboard / computer system (and what it supports). Later mobos support flashing from USB flash drives, or the hdd, you dont need a floppy.

Other than that, a USB flash drive will do exactly the same thing as a floppy. And will probably write to it faster, and last longer.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
768061 2009-04-24 05:44:00 except for booting i hardly use floppies even if an old laptop that only has a floppy and a parallel port (or PCMCIA) i can use a compact flash reader to transfer mass data up to 120MB, via a network if it has the drivers installed or laplink cable williamF (115)
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