Floppy drive malfunction. . . Instead of reading the disk when trying to open it, this floppy drive rewrites the last files I copied over the existing data on the disk I just inserted.

lol, weird. have you done an updated virus scan on your computer? just a thought. kinda sounds like a batch file running whan you access your fdd.

How old is the floppy drive? And do you have the latest drivers for it? Try running a Windows Update to see.

Virus protection up to date . . . Microsoft Windows auto updates daily . . . I thought about just changing out the drive but that would be too easy a fix.

Windows Update auto updates only critical updates, not drivers and optional updates. But if the floppy is old, it's more than likely just had enough and doesnt function. Also, check the cables and make sure they're in all the way. Take them out, dust them, and put them back in. Try getting a can o' air and blowing out the inside of the floppy disk. If that and new drivers fail, it's time for a new FDD. Your best bet, if you have the money, is an external. They're a little more reliable and they look cool, too.

I don't think your problem is the fdd, this would be a software issue.