Building new PC...Will I need a Floppy Drive?

[Crispy]

I've never actually ever used my floppy drive. But that's mainly because it's never really worked. I also noticed some new computers that are coming out don't have floppy drives included. Should I buy a floppy drive for new pc? I don't have it on my list but I figured I'd see what some of you have to say.

 

[Seven7Thirty30]

You don't need one. I don't have one. The best portable storage to use nowadays is flash memory (pen drives).

 

[tom10167]

I don't have one, but to install SATA drivers you need one, so if your OS is on a SATA drive, you will need one, but only for that time. There are enough working floppy drives on earth, no more need to be produced, just borrow one and give it back.


If you use NLite, (google it) you won't just use your current machine to make an NLitened disc and throw the latest SATA drivers on there, works great, been doing it for ages.

 

[GáTê©rÀ$Hë®]

I used a Slipstreamed SP2 with WinXP Pro when i fresh installed OS.
I skipped the 'press F6 to install 3rd party... bla bla yada yada' n my SATA drive was recognized.

 

[johan851]

It never hurts - they come in handy every now and then, I guess. They're what - $5? I have one that's a pull from a 486, and I still use it for BIOS flashes or whatever.

 

[tom10167]

That's the thing, if they were $5 I probably would have bought one and just let it sit in storage or something.

They're more like $15, or $20. FAR too much for something I might use twice a year.

 

[mrgreenjeans]

I don't think it's the SATA drives that are the issue, it's the RAID drivers required to be loaded into Windows Set-up in DOS (?) that require a floppy. I lot of the motherboards put their SATA drives on a RAID chip and if you want to boot off a RAID array, you will require a floppy, but once windows has loaded you can disconnect and throw it away. Boot being the operative word here. If you just want a RAID array without booting, it's not necessary.

 

[threeme2189]

just go find one in an old pc.
theres no way on earth that you eont be able to get your hands on one for no more than 000$

 

[Crispy]

That's cool. I'm don't know much about RAID and SATA yet and booting up windows. I'll have to see what's up with RAID and SATA then. So I can just stream the files/drivers for those into the WinXP setup disc so I won't needa floppy drive? I have bad luck with FD's I've owned probably about 5 in the last 7 years and they all failed on me after a few months. So I just said screw them. So if I can just slipstream them into Windows CD that'd be awesome. Do I have to wait till I recieve components or can I goto their Website or some website and download the SATA and/or RAID Drivers?
Thanks for help

 

[tom10167]

The latter. They'll be at your motherboard's website.

 

[-maddog-]

No, but I would recomend having a floppy/flash combo.

 

[harlam357]

I have floppy drives in all my rigs... it's really just personal preference. You can get away with not having one easily. I just enjoy the convienence of throwing a new BIOS, Memtest, or other bootable utility on a floppy and go. No wasted CDs... no waiting for it to burn, etc.

 

[Stavros]

Do I really need one? I've already ordered all the parts (in sig) and don't have five extra bucks. Spent that on the Static Control Bracelet. Dad's paranoid, jsut to give him peace of mind. Could I just burn them to CD (the drivers that is)?

 

[harlam357]

Yep... you can just make bootable CDs. No problem. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[GQBalla]

you really don need a static control bracelet juss some people gives them extra security
but you juss keep touchin the chassis of your case to get random static away,

but i would still wear a static control bracelet!

if you need extra cash for a floppy juss look in your couch for extra change!

but you can juss load everything in a cd!

 

[Stavros]

Dad has a USB Floppy drive, so I'll just copy from that to a CD-R. It's not that I'm paranoid, it's to keep my dad from nagging me about static discharge. I am on edge about it, because I spent a lot of money and only have a fraction of that money left. I can't afford to short out a part, but thanks for the info about the SATA Drivers.

 

[K15]

That's the thing, if they were $5 I probably would have bought one and just let it sit in storage or something.

They're more like $15, or $20. FAR too much for something I might use twice a year.

Considering EVERY single computer made from 1990-2000 came with one, it shouldn't be hard to find one for free or a couple bucks. If I ever need one, i'll use the one from my old computer temporarily, then put it back into the old case, since the beige floppy cover doesn't match my new black case

It's sort of funny. Floppy drives are about the ONLY piece of hardware that hasn't seen massive, evolutionary change. RAM, CPU, motherboards, hard drives, PSUs, optical drives, even mice have changed completely. But whenever I use a floppy, I sort of laugh because people did the same thing since before I was born

 

[fAlCoNNiAn]

was debating with myself about this as well. i need a floppy for the raid install in windows, but other than that i dont use it for squat. cant decide, i think its just a issue with security, knowing that you have it there incase something else failed.

the other week i was sucessful in convincing my father to give up his 5-1/4 floppy drive. he as upset to part with it. tech changes, back your crap up that you have on floppies and move on. and reconfigure windows to recognize the driver by using nlite (mentioned above).

 

[Aphex_Tom_9]

i didnt put my floppy back in after my last rebuild, it's still sitting out, unused, we'll see how long i can go without it.

 

[stool]

Problem is, the floppy turms out to be necessary just when you least expect it. Even though I rarely use it, I include one in every rig I build.
Also, I got the Ultra-X diagnostic software package, which definitely requires a floppy.