floppy disk issue

[unvi$ible]

hi there,
yes i still use floppy disk
ok problem is this:
every time I insert disk in A drive it comes with this disk is not formated.Do you want to format it now?
and i have files on that disk.So i just right click it and explore it and all is ok.
But why this message always comes on if disk is formated and have files on it??
thnks

[SirDice]

Bad disk? I've had this happen when track 0 was damaged.. Virusscanner tried to scan track 0 (bootsector) of the disk, couldn't read it because of errors.. Windows thought it wasn't formatted.. Fortunately the file/directory structure was still intact so I could still read the files..

[ShippMA]

Hi,

SirDice is correct, but too add to it, (seeings as your floppys appear to be wearing out )if both the boot sector and the other sectors have become corrupted or partially unreadable and you find there is no way to view the files on your disk via windows, then all is not lost.

You can still run a disk recovery program to find a put back together the files.

I remember back when i had doom2 zipped across 5 floppys. They all got formatted and reused and formatted again number of times. Well one day I had a piece of work that was really important on one of them that had been deleted. I recognised the disk as one of my old doom disks and couldn't believe it was still being used, any way i ran the recovery program and aswell as the file, i found most of the doom zip file that had been on there from years ago.

As for which program to use, this one looks good:
http://www.download.com/Analyzer-for...ml?tag=lst-0-2

However its not free (free to try, $21 for full use), there are free ones out there i believe, but i can't remeber them

[nihil]

Hi,

To add to what you already have been told:

1. Please copy the contents to your hard drive and make a new floppy.
2. Get a floppy drive cleaning disk, and run it 3 times at least (they attract dust, pet hairs etc)
3. Whilst you are at it get a CD cleaner as well if you are in that sort of environment, both can suffer the same.

Then there is "unstoppable copier" by Roadkil.............but you really should not let things get that bad!!!

http://www.roadkil.net/

His stuff is free, and his site is worth a browse if he isn't messing with it

[ShippMA]

or...

Stop being cheap and buy a new pack of floppies


Seriously though do you mind if i ask the reason why you still use floppys. To be honest if its for backup purposes then a CD writing drive can be purchased for peanuts now a days and the cd's them selves are just as cheap, if not more so in some cases.

If its a case of needing them simply to keep info with you when you move around then i would seriously suggest looking at a USB Stick as they are just so incredibly convenient. I introduced my dad to them at christmas and he can't believe he didn't get one sooner.

Also you will find that a lot of new computers do not even come with floppy drives any more, so in time you may find that actually you can't use your floppy everywhere!

[.:front2back:.]

Howdy.

I'm going to be different and say that your floppy drive is on it's way to floppy drive hell.

had this problem so many times in the past, i just throw in a 50cent floppy drive and problem solved..

front2back

[nihil]

Hah!

Seriously though do you mind if i ask the reason why you still use floppys

Cos he was born in Yorkshire?.................you can reuse floppies many times.............it is an old, stable and universal technology?

I still use them

[ShippMA]

he he,

Well, your right on it being a stable technology, however not necessarily right on the universal thing. For instance the PC i'm using right has a CD drive and two USB ports in the front of it and thats it, in fact all the PCs here are the same. Additionally these aren't exactly new state of the art machines, i work for the NHS in a community hospital that is SEVERLY in debt and hasn't altered/changed its IT infrastructure for at least the two years i've been here.

So what i'm saying is yes they may be reliable, yes they can be reused many times, yes we all know how to use them and yes any computer that still has a floppy drive will be able to read them, however can the same not be said about a USB drive? (Not sure how plug and play *nix systems are as never used them),(obviously you need a USB port not a floppy drive to read it )

The additional bonus of a USB drive is that they can't get clogged with dust (if they do a sharp blow on the port will cure it)

You can't get at and scratch/damage (easily) where the data is held

One drive can hold HUGE ammounts of data if necessary and therefore no more worries about "will it fit, damn, what if i zip it/span disks" etc

They are smaller so don't take up much room (some may argue this is actually a bad point what with potentially mis-placing a small device, however i still thinks its a plus )

just my thoughts anyway

[Aspman]

Floppies might be a stable technology (as in enduring) but they are not robust. The spread of mobile phones has killed the floppy as a storage medium. I lost track of how often kids lost work at the school on corrupted floppies. The first question is always "was the disk next to your mobile", in almost every case the answer was yes.

Got to agree with Ship about flash drives, they're more resistent to the radiation from mobiles, provide larger storage space, faster access and they are increadibly tough. I've got friends who have put their USB drives thru the washing machine many times with no data loss. And they are not much more expensive than a box of floppies.

Floppies are not to be trusted with anything important. I only use them for very specific tasks now.

[unvi$ible]

hi everyone and thanks for your answers and sugestions and solutions. I just had a feeling this will start a debate about floppies.
Shipma its not about been cheap as i have cd and dvd burner on this system which i built.
I did put floppy on it on purpose because i just find it sometimes handy.
Maybe it is old batch of floppies as all of them show same message which sidetrack me in thinking thats drive is bad.
i rarelly use it but wanted to post it as something was/is wrong with it.
i have to admit that usb drive enhance your apperance
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/news...ory_3392.html- like this one????lol
Probably is fashion statment as well as beeing very handy.
If i have 2-3 mg file cant be bothered to save it/burn it on cd or dvd.
thanks once more