# Installing a 3.5" floppy drive **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751 "2004-08-13T21:27:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/1 "2004-08-13T21:27:52Z")
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](http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=21-103-116&depa=1) 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! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/2 "2004-08-13T21:34:43Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/3 "2004-08-13T22:04:37Z")
Second super k’s suggestion. Get an external. Less of a pain all around. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/4 "2004-08-13T23:00:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/5 "2004-08-14T00:26:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![SteelWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@SteelWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteelWolf)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/6 "2004-08-14T03:41:42Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Can you boot off a USB floppy? Most modern (2002 and later) motherboards will support USB devices as boot devices - I booted off a camera once. That was very cool. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/7 "2004-08-14T16:07:51Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/8 "2004-08-15T00:48:33Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/installing-a-3-5-floppy-drive/259751/9 "2004-08-15T00:57:01Z")
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.