Floppy Disk(s) Failed (40)

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10 Jan 2009
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35
Location
Stoke on Trent, England
Just before last Christmas I was having problems formatting floppy disks so I through it away and inserted a new one, same problem. I thought the drive was beginning to fail again so I bought a new drive. Now all my 300 original floppy disks can still be read on the old drive so I didn't bother to put the new drive in until it gave up.

Yesterday I tried to format a floppy and it just kept clicking and nothing happened. Ok it time to change the drive. I inserted the drive and started up then we get the Floppy Disk(s) Failed (40) error on startup. Now I last changed the drive 6 years ago without a problem, just insert it and start up.

I have another spare floppy drive out of an old computer so I thought I would try that one just in case the new one is faulty. As I unplugged the new one the cable clip came apart. I thought the only other option is use the B floppy plug and set the BIOS to B floppy and drive seek to find either drive. Did a restart and the same error appears. I've ordered a new cable but that will take a couple of days to come.

I know you are all saying why bother with floppy drives as they are dated. True they are dated but I programme in Visual Basic and the projects are quite small so a floppy is the ideal medium to use. I also have a flash drive with them all on and I've burnt them to a CD as a backup.

Before you ask, no the floppy light isn't on all the time. If it was then the cable is connected the wrong way around, I do know that much.

Any suggestions on how to get my floppy drive to be accepted?

I would appreciate any advice, thanks. ;)
 
Have you tried sourcing a USB Floppy drive? I know they used to exist.

Thanks for your suggestion Rising I don't need a USB floppy its a Win98SE system.

I shall have to wait until my new cable comes and go from there. ;)
 
The cable came today and I plugged it in with my old drive at first because I knew that one still worked in a fasion. It started up ok and I could read floppies from it in Windows. I shut down plugged the new drive in and started up and I get the same Floppy Disk(s) Failed (40) error so it must be a faulty drive.

I've emailed the seller to see how we are going to get the drive changed, waiting for the reply. ;)
 
Floppy Disks....

Didn't think people still used these..

Under £6 for a brand new Sony one..

Did you get it off the bay ?

Yes it was a new Sony drive of eBay £4.60. I know they sell black ones at overclockers but mine is an old system so I needed a beige one. The only place I could locate one is eBay. ;)

Edit: the correct amount is £4.49 + £3.19 P&P
 
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