nforce2 + floppy drive = CRAP

[CowMan]

I've got a Leadtek CR18D motherboard with the nforce2 chipset and I've had problems with using a floppy drive ever since I got it. Simply speaking, the floppy drive light is always on, but whenever I put a disk in the drive and open the A: drive in Windows XP, it doesn't register. I just recently built a computer for my cousin with the Chaintech 7NJL3/4 motherboard (same nforce2 ultra 400 chipset) and the exact same thing is happening. I personally don't use floppy drives anymore, but he finds it necessary. Anyone have an idea about this?

 

[Crashman]

Floppy light always on is a symptom of a reversed cable. Listen carefully and don't argue like so many people have:
1.) The red stripe of your cable goes to Pin1 on the board
2.) Drive A position is after the part of the cable where a few of the wires are flipped over.
3.) Pin 1 of the drive is on the left side as you face the rear. This is DIFFERENT from IDE drives which have the pin on the right side as you face the rear.
4.) If your floppy cable has an outside key, it should point downward on the drive.
5.) Some floppy drives are not keyed right!

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<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[pat]

I dont know if there any exception, I know you've seen a lot of stuff that why I ask you... is the pin one always on the connector side for ide HD and floppy drive? At right on HDD and left for floppy.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[sparky853]

Pretty bad that you trash some of the best motherboard chipsets simply because your floppy drive doesn't work.

Listen to Crash, he knows what hes taslking about. I have had the same problem myself in the past, and it was invariably a cable installed backwards/upside down.

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[Crashman]

It's always been on the right for IDE and left for floppy as you face the rear as far back as I can remember. And Sony as always left the bottom of their floppy drives unkeyed as far back as I can remember. Some other drives had a breakout for a key at the bottom.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[robertk]

if in doubt your motherboards floppy conenctor and the pcb at the back of your floppy drive will tell you which end is Pin1. Just look carefully and it will say
And as said earlier red to pin1

 

[blah]

It is different from floppy to floppy..

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[blah]

so I put it in and check if the light is always on on boot..


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[blah]

if not, that's the right way


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[blah]

""nforce2 + floppy drive = CRAP""

There are couple of letters and one word missing at the end - "py user"

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[sparky853]

AMEN to that!!!

Spec:
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R9600XT 128MB
SB Live 5.1
WD 60GB
Maxtor 120GB
LG DVD+-R/RW
WIN2K PRO SP4

 

[Crashman]

Nope, Pin1 is always on the left as you face the rear. The only reason people think it's "different" is because they often refer to the posistion of the power connector, arguing that Pin1 is on the same side as the power connector. That's not true, Pin1 is always on left as you face the rear: the power connector however can be on either side.

So it's best off to ignore the position of the power connector and just remember that pin1 is ALWAYS on the left as you face the rear.

I've owned nearly every brand of floppy made, including the more common brands like Sony, Mitsumi, Panasonic, NEC, Alps Electronics, Newcom, Teac, Toshiba, and Samsung, all of which I carry in stock and can verify if you like. But verification shouldn't be necessary as I've assembled over 1000 systems and never seen a 3.5" 1.44MB floppy with any other orientation.

Now you'll probably prove me wrong with a 5.25" floppy...

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

Oh, and I still find it distressing that after all these years so many floppy drives have key notches either at the top, or non-existant, when the key has to face the bottom for the cable to be in the correct orientation. Heck, some drives have key notches on both the top AND bottom. Sony stands out as the most notorious, most of their drives don't even have a breakout for a key.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

LOL, a lot of BIOS will do a drive check at boot, and hence you'll see the light. If it doesn't go out, the cable is on the wrong way.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[jihiggs]

im sure i have seen floppy drives with p1 on the right.

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[Crashman]

Yes, I have too! But none of those worked until I moved it to the left :tongue:

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[blah]

""as you face the rear.""

I try to stay away from facing that, but sometimes it fill better that way ;e>

..this is very useful and helpful place for information...