"Floppy is Write Protected". NOT!

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hi,

I installed a regular floppy drive in my Dell 2400, (had to buy the
adapter also). Set it up in the BIOS. All OK!

It will read all floppy disks I have, about(4) of them.

But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.

Does Dell hate me or does my floppy hate me or both ????

Thanks!!!

Mike

Problem with this world is that there is too much apathy!!! But who
cares??

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

axipolti@yahoo.com wrote:
>But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.

Sounds like a hardware problem with the write-protect sensor on the
floppy drive. Could also be a bad cable between the drive and the MB,
or a motherboard problem, but I'd suspect the drive first. Get a DVM
or scope and track down the write-protect line. Pin 28 according to
http://www.bbdsoft.com/floppy.html

>Problem with this world is that there is too much apathy!!! But who
>cares??

"Is it ignorance or apathy? [...] Well, I don't know and I don't
care." Jimmy Buffet.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I don't know about your Dell, but a lot of computers have a floppy write
protect setting in the bios. Check and see if it is there and disable it if
it is.

<axipolti@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1115750909.646403.44610@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I installed a regular floppy drive in my Dell 2400, (had to buy the
> adapter also). Set it up in the BIOS. All OK!
>
> It will read all floppy disks I have, about(4) of them.
>
> But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.
>
> Does Dell hate me or does my floppy hate me or both ????
>
> Thanks!!!
>
> Mike
>
> Problem with this world is that there is too much apathy!!! But who
> cares??
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Tweek" <shawnwingetNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Yh8ge.40$qT1.30@trnddc06...
>I don't know about your Dell, but a lot of computers have a floppy write
>protect setting in the bios. Check and see if it is there and disable it if
>it is.
>


I agree. Double check the floppy write settings in BIOS....


Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Tweek" <shawnwingetNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Yh8ge.40$qT1.30@trnddc06...
>I don't know about your Dell, but a lot of computers have a floppy write
>protect setting in the bios. Check and see if it is there and disable it if
>it is.
>
> <axipolti@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1115750909.646403.44610@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I installed a regular floppy drive in my Dell 2400, (had to buy the
>> adapter also). Set it up in the BIOS. All OK!
>>
>> It will read all floppy disks I have, about(4) of them.
>>
>> But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.
>>
>> Does Dell hate me or does my floppy hate me or both ????
>>
>> Thanks!!!
>>
>> Mike
>>
>> Problem with this world is that there is too much apathy!!! But who
>> cares??
>>
>
>

I seem to remember that this was a symptom if the cable was upside down.
Maybe not

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:389ge.8955$w15.5394@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> "Tweek" <shawnwingetNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Yh8ge.40$qT1.30@trnddc06...
>>I don't know about your Dell, but a lot of computers have a floppy write
>>protect setting in the bios. Check and see if it is there and disable it
>>if it is.
>>
>> <axipolti@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1115750909.646403.44610@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I installed a regular floppy drive in my Dell 2400, (had to buy the
>>> adapter also). Set it up in the BIOS. All OK!
>>>
>>> It will read all floppy disks I have, about(4) of them.
>>>
>>> But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.
>>>
>>> Does Dell hate me or does my floppy hate me or both ????
>>>
>>> Thanks!!!
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> Problem with this world is that there is too much apathy!!! But who
>>> cares??
>>>
>>
>>
>
> I seem to remember that this was a symptom if the cable was upside down.
> Maybe not
>


The drive would continually poll and the LED would be on if that were the
case. Not that I've ever done that or anything.....just what I heard....
;-)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

It shouldn't read disks at all if the cable is upside down. I think that the
read light stays on when the cable is backwards too.

"Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:389ge.8955$w15.5394@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>
> "Tweek" <shawnwingetNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Yh8ge.40$qT1.30@trnddc06...
>>I don't know about your Dell, but a lot of computers have a floppy write
>>protect setting in the bios. Check and see if it is there and disable it
>>if it is.
>>
>> <axipolti@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1115750909.646403.44610@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I installed a regular floppy drive in my Dell 2400, (had to buy the
>>> adapter also). Set it up in the BIOS. All OK!
>>>
>>> It will read all floppy disks I have, about(4) of them.
>>>
>>> But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.
>>>
>>> Does Dell hate me or does my floppy hate me or both ????
>>>
>>> Thanks!!!
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> Problem with this world is that there is too much apathy!!! But who
>>> cares??
>>>
>>
>>
>
> I seem to remember that this was a symptom if the cable was upside down.
> Maybe not
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Tweek schrieb:
> It shouldn't read disks at all if the cable is upside down. I think that the
> read light stays on when the cable is backwards too.

yep, and every floppy disk that would be inserted then would be erased
immediately.

Olaf

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

William P. N. Smith wrote:
> axipolti@yahoo.com wrote:
>
>>But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.
>
> Sounds like a hardware problem with the write-protect sensor on the
> floppy drive. Could also be a bad cable between the drive and the MB,
> or a motherboard problem, but I'd suspect the drive first. Get a DVM
> or scope and track down the write-protect line. Pin 28 according to
> http://www.bbdsoft.com/floppy.html

IIRC the OP didn't say he'd checked the floppies to be sure the Write
Protect slide is in the Write position? (not insulting anyone's
intelligence, but it's best to start with basics)

Could also be dirt (little dust ball in the FDD which blocks the Write
Protect sensor) - give it a little blast of breath or from a can of
compressed air.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

In article <1115750909.646403.44610@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
axipolti@yahoo.com says...

>I installed a regular floppy drive in my Dell 2400, (had to buy the
>adapter also). Set it up in the BIOS. All OK!
>
>It will read all floppy disks I have, about(4) of them.
>
>But it will NOT Write!! Error message: floppy is write protected.
>
>Does Dell hate me or does my floppy hate me or both ????


Sorry to dwell on the obvious, but is the floppy disk write protected?

There is a hole in the corner of the floppy disk with a sliding tab,
which is called a write tab. When the slider closes the hole, the drive
can write on the disk. When the slider is not covering the hole, the
disk is write protected. If the slider is missing, you can cover it
with clear tape to enable writing (tape goes on the back side, where the
hole is elongated, just make it feel flat). There is a mode hole in the
other corner (leave it alone). The write tab has the elongated hole for
the slider.