3.5" Drive Reading Problem

[ziffgone]

Hello folks, hope someone can help me here. My computer recognizes that I have a 3.5 floppy drive, but despite having a disk in it, (yes, formatted with content already on it), the computer keeps asking me to insert a disk. I have tried updating drivers, but it doesn't help. So I thought the drive was pooched and bought a new one.

The computer recognized the new drive, but, alas, the same problem still persists. Does anyone know what could be wrong? Why can the computer access the drive, run it, but not read or recognize that there is a disk inside. Even if I put in a new disk and choose to format it, I get the same error every time - "Please Insert a Disk into Drive A"

I hope there is some kind of setting I can simply tweak to get this thing working, I wish to create a back-up system using Norton Ghost but can't seem to without access to drive A.

Thanks for any help/suggestions anybody is willing to impart.

Regards...

 

[Storm]

Cable, power supply for FDD? Checking them may help!!

 

[ekÆsine]

if its a really old drive you may have to set jumpers. it sounds like you forgot to connect the power cable. also check your floppy cable for proper connection and try a new cable in case there is a small short circuit.

 

[ziffgone]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, the only thing I haven't checked yet is the cable. Although this is a shared cable with the Hard Drive and is brand new, so I have a hard time thinking that's it. I'll check it anyway though.

I'm working with WinXP on a HP Pavilion 7935. The drive does get power as you can hear it spin when the computer tries accessing the drive.

The Bios settings were good, being set at 1.44.

I toss my hands up, if the cable proves to be Ok, I don't know what to do. I recently went through HP's suggested process of Uninstalling Controllers and Drivers and reinstalling them, to no avail.

Well, I'll check the cable anyway and see what happens. Thanks for all the input!

Regards...

 

[irbigbird]

What is mode 3 and how do you get out of it if your in it?
Thankyou