floppy can boot but can't access from windows

[garwain]

I just split up my floppy cable to round it (one small nick that I covered with electrical tape, I don't think it damaged the wire though) Now when I boot my computer with a floppy in the drive the computer will boot from the floppy drive, but if I put a disk in and try to read it from windows 2000 I get a message "please insert disk into drive A" (or something like that).

If i wasn't able to boot from the floppy drive I'd immediatly throw the cable and go shopping, but since I can boot I'd think that the problem lies elsewhere (can't access drive from dos prompt either.) I've also tried using a cable stolen from another computer and no matter how I connect it I don't have any access to the floppy drive (the led just stays on ALL the time.

I appreciate any suggestions even if it's just "toss the cable and try again."

 

[allenadale]

I'd plug another floppy cable in and see if the problem is still there. If it's gone, then you did damage the cable. If its still there then at least you know its not the cable and can look elsewhere.

Allenadale

 

[soonerland]

Two thoughts...

One, some floppies allow the cable to be turned the wrong way, I would just try hooking the cable up opposite of current connection.

Second, the power indicator (LED) on all the time seems to suggest that the floppy drive unit may be bad itself.

Hope it helps...

 

[edfair]

LED on all the time is the general indication of the cable on backwards. BUT since it boots that isn't possible. I would suggest a new drive.
With the new drive, drive should be on the end where the split and twist is.
And it is possible that you get enough crosstalk in the rounded cable to create some problems. And some machines are sensitive to the length of the cable.
Sounds like fun. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[dakota81]

This isn't going to help anything but -

I've had weird problems too on a couple of Dell's running Windows 2000 where they just simply don't like reading floppy discs, responding with the same message you're getting...