XP and FDD issue

Hi guys. From what I've read and researched this is a Win XP issue but I haven't been able to find a fix. Any help you guys can offer, I appreciate greatly. Here is the problem:

Any floppy I put in gets this message "this diskette needs to be formated" I press ok, and it attempts, then says "windows was unable to complete the format" This occurs with format and quick format. Now I know the floppies are good because I can format them on a 2nd XP machine, they have data on them that can be read by the 2nd machine and I tried with new and old floppies.

XP Home was installed on a clean hdd. I tried uninstalling in device manager and letting XP reinstall on reboot. Still get that stoopid message. Oh it gets better, I put in a different fdd and the same thing occurs. I've double and triple checked the cables too. I'm at my wits end here.

Many, many thanks in advance for your help!

Go to bootdisk.com, download a DOS bootdisk. Put it on a floppy and boot from that one. Try to format another floppy. If it doesn't work, it's the hardware (most likely floppy controller or the cable, you have tried another cable not just checkked if it's plugged in correctly, right?). If it works it's your XP install.

I know you mentioned that you checked the FDD cable numerous times, and I don't mean to insult your intelligence... but just to be certain, you have the twisted end of the cable connected to the drive, and pin #1 of the cable connected to the corresponding pin #1 of the drive correct?

Thanks for the quick reply guys!

Yup, tried different cables even the one out of my machine, no luck. Tried the twisted cables, one way the fdd light is constantly on the other the fdd light comes on at start up and comes on when it tries to read a floppy.

The floppy controller, stoopid question how and where do I get a new one to install? The mobo is a KG-7 raid. Didn't finad anything at Abits site. There is a lengthy post at annoyances abou this issue. Numerous people and differenent mobo's to include a KG-7. No one has found a solution and the consensus is that it's an XP issue. Of course that thread is from last year so who knows.

Thanks!


Just a quick update: tried the bootdisk as suggested above and I get a Disk I/O error.

The FDD controller is built into the MB. When you check the Device status of both "Floppy disk controllers" and "Floppy disk drive" in Device Manager, are both shown as working correctly with no conflicts? Open the System Information tool (Start | Run | Type msinfo32, and click OK) | Expand "Components", and highlight "Problem devices" in the LH pane... are there any problem devices present?

Embarrased to say the least

Hi redduc,

Well I feel like a total *ss .

Ok, I mentioned that I had uninstalled and reinstalled the floppy in device manager and no joy. Sheesh......I had just remembered that I updated the VIA 4 in 1's afterward BUT DID NOT uninstall and reinstall the fdd. Well I just did and Viola! all works well!

Anywho, here's a to you and klingens. Thanks for your help!!!


To anyone else who is having this problem or will have this problem: Check, double check and recheck EVERYTHING.