My new computer is nice, but doesn’t come with a floppy drive. (I know a lot of people don’t like them, but I do.) Do I need to buy anything but the drive - like this one - for it to be installed? Are there any cables like with a Hard Drive, or is everything needed included? How to install it isn’t an issue, since someone else will be, but I need to have everything so he can. Thanks!
Here’s a suggestion. Get yourself an external USB floppy. I plugged it into my laptop, put in the driver disk and it autoinstalled. No bother.
Second super k’s suggestion. Get an external. Less of a pain all around.
Can you boot off a USB floppy?
You will need a floppy drive cable - they go for two bucks on up to about 8 for the fancy glow in the dark ones. :rolleyes: For three bucks, I’d go for the rounded version as it blocks less airflow in the case than the old ribbon cables do.
Keep it simple and get the “two-head” type - it’s a normal looking cable with two ends. If your cable has a third connector and an odd twisted section in the wire, just ignore that middle connector.
In times past, when you had 3.5 and 5.25" floppy drives, you needed a three-headed cable to plug them all in. The end that’s “all alone” goes to the motherboard. At the other end with two connectors and a twisted section of cable between them - the far end is what you’d connect your “A” drive to, and that middle connector is where the “B” drive would plug in.
Final note: Floppy cables are pretty easy to plug in backwards. You’ll know it’s wrong as soon as you boot - a backwards-plugged cable will cause the drive’s light to stay on. If this happens, just power down and flip the plug around.
The most important thing you need for an internal floppy drive is a connection for it on the motherboard. Most larger computer makers have their motherboards built to specification and if the computer came without a floppy, I would not assume that the motherboard has a connection for one. Before you buy an internal floppy, open the case and make sure the motherboard has a connection for it.
Most modern (2002 and later) motherboards will support USB devices as boot devices - I booted off a camera once. That was very cool.
Okay, I think I’ll spend the extra money on the USB one. The next computer I buy probably won’t have one either, if this is the new trend, so it might be more useful in the long run. Thanks!
to actually answer the OP yes. you would need the cable for it, and more than likely the power connector thingy to… sorry for the technical terms.
The last computer I put a 5.25 in, I scavenged the parts from my old one, and made notes on how it was set up as I pulled it.
I’ll do the same if I ever get a machine without a 3.5. Floppies are just easier for small files, and they fit in my pocket better than CDs.