BleepingComputer.com: Internal/External floppy drive problems

My 31/2 floppy drive started giving me messages like.."Not formatted...do you want to now?"
I changed the disc and got the same message. Doing system checks, I got this message..
"Saturday, July 11, 2009 Sfloppy The device, \Device\Floppy1, has a bad block."

Going on the assumption that this drive no longer operates, I bought an new external usb drive.
I installed the driver with the enclosed cd and my computer accepted it.
The first time I used it,several of my needed files showed up. The next time,with a *DIFFERENT* disc I got
the same exact files showing, as if I never changed the disc. Did 3 different discs with
same content shown.

Now, checking properties, I get the needs to be formated message AGAIN.
Surely, the new usb drive can't be bad, but I'm lost as to how to fix all this.
winxp sp2
Thanks.

It's not the drive...it's the disks you are inserting.

Try running chkdsk /r on each disk that is reported bad. The equivalent is described below, putting checks in both boxes.

Graphical Chkdsk Interface - http://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget....1276030,00.html

Louis

That was simple enough!! My usb floppy seems to be fine now, but i got no results of any kind
checking the internal floppy, with or without a disc in it.

Considering that, when I called the store I purchased the usb external from and they insisted
the problem was my computer, you, sir, have made my day and have displayed one of many
reasons why this computer forum ranks above the rest.
Many thanks!!!

Easily done, happy computing .

Louis

Same problems..again. Nothing shows on floppy disc...get the format msg...wont chkdsk..
all floppy drivers, etc show working properly, but it now show that floppy block again.
I've inserted 3 different discs...no change in negative messages.
Sorry to bother aagain..just trying to figure this out. Worked fine yesterday.
Today, nothing and I've made no computer changes since then.

Well...if you cannot run chkdsk on the floppy...I would guess that the particular floppy is bad beyond repair.

Floppies are somewhat notorious for going bad (which is one of the reasons they are not currently used) and have been replaced by CDs and DVDs as storage media.

Louis

But this is the NEW external floppy drive I bought that worked fine after your chkdsk suggestion yesterday
and none of the discs themselves are working now..

Again...it's not the drive that is the problem...it's the disks that I've been talking about.

Louis

Ok, I understand that, but the floppy won't even do a chkdsk WITHOUT a disc inserted..it acts just like my failed internal floppy.
I won't bother you after this, but I feel like I've missed something in setting things up, especially when all my checking with device manager. all drivers and system checks say everything is working properly.

I just pulled a discc out of the external drive and did a properties check...it still asks if i want to format the disc..
and theres no disc in it.

Quick followup forgot to inquire about, then i'll leave you alone,lol.

New external drove..shows as b drive, working properly...Yes, I Understand about potental disc
problems, but I've inserted all 9 that I have with content on them and all 9 get that
same message...I'm just trying to understand why all 9 worked yersterday and not
today....

I'm not totally illiterate on pc stuff, but surely not an expert either..the way this new
external drive is responding just makes me think there's something else wrong, maybe in
a setup, instead of the discs.
thanks again.

No external drive should be reflected as a "B" drive letter.

A & B are letters reserved for floppy disks which are directly connected to the motherboard, not via USB.

I can't tell you from here what's wrong with your system...but if the data you've stated here is correct...something is wrong.

FWIW: Chkdsk...is an operation that must be run on a drive or disk. If you try to run it from a floppy, with no drive inserted...it cannot happen. No floppy represents nothing for the operation to be performed on, so it cannot run.

Louis

Ok...I promised I wouldn't pester you after this, so just a final followup on my part.

The b drive floppy was what was assigned after I loaded the cd that came with the external.
Perhaps this explains my entire system problems.

I also found today that rebooting with the external cdrom in, all 9 of my floppy discs
are now been read under chkdsk..again.

I'm removing all disc contents for future storage elsewhere and am
looking at better pc's..

Thank you for your time and patience.