Why would a floppy A drive say all my disks are write-protected?

[2cvbloke]

256Kb 8" drives were serious bits of kit once, I used to hold them in awe when they first appeared. O-Ha


L.

wow!!! 256k!!!

Imagine what a 1970's techies response would be at a 1GB hard drive!!! O-Ha

 

[spiney]

When floppy drives for micropcomputers first appeared, there were no dedicated controller chips, and the controllers had to be made from TTL chips!

I think the Apple 2 was the earliest micro with floppy drives.

See: http://apple2history.org/history/ah05.html .

 

[PoloMint]

...“Failsafe” means that, for the default condition, nothing happens! Then, in order to activate a (possibly dangerous) process, you have to do something.

On a floppy, this would only apply if the hole were CLOSED for write protect (nothing happens), rather than open (a mechanical switch has to move).

Sorry to drag this point out, but I still see it as being the right way round for fail safe protection.

If the disk is damaged and the tag comes out, the disk is write protected.

In the drive (if it is a spring switch) then the switch has to be depressed to enable writing, any failure in the spring of switch assembly is more likely to leave the switch in the "out" position and so leave drive permanently write protected. When no disk is in the drive the switch is in the out position meaning the default setting for the drive is write protected, so something does have to change to enable writing (inserting a disk with the hole covered).

Or am I missing something?

 

[Simba27]

The 8 inch and 5.25 inch floppies had a notch cut out of the side and the drives had an optical switch. You covered the notch with a sticky label to write protect. This is the OPPOSITE to the 3.5 inch standard. ie. Closed = Write Protect.

Cassettes and VHS tapes use Closed = Write Enabled.

It seems that for devices with mechanical switches, Closed = Write Enabled, so if the switch fails the media is protected.

For devices with optical switches, Closed = Write Protect, so if the switch fails the media is protected.

 

[spiney]

Well, yes and yes ...... and then again, no!

I'd have thought, you can easily see (or feel!) whether or not the disk tab's in place. But, you don't know whether the drive internal microswitch is working!

 

[2cvbloke]

So on 5 1/4" disks covering the cutout is write protect?

(I've attatched one of my 5 1/4"s I got recently, and yep, it says Norton Utilities from 1990!!!)

 

[2cvbloke]

Well, I just won a combi 5 1/4" and 3 1/2" floppy drives module on eBay!!! I can see what's on these disks I have now!!!

Incase you're wondering what I'm on about, have a look for yourself:

_http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&item=110014029082

 

[Saturlight]

After all that discussion ;) let me say I now have my new floppy drive installed and formatted. And it works. Ta, mac. ;)

 

[Saturlight]

I was surfing the Internet, and saw a great deal for an internal pc DVD recordable drive that handles all DVD formats, VCDs, CDs, pictures, music, the lot. At just £19.99, I couldn't resist it.

But I encountered a problem. I still wanted my old non recordable DVD/CD drive to work alongside the new drive, but I discovered upon opening the pc tower, that there were only connections for one DVD drive.

From left to right, a small black one, a thick, grey ribbon type one, and the power source (white).

I opted to just plug in my new device with these cables, whilst leaving the older DVD drive still in., but only the power source connected.

The thing is there is nothing wrong with the original DVD drive, all except that it doesn't record. Is there any way I can connect the two, but working working separately?

Thanks.

 

[PoloMint]

Does the thick ribbon cable also plug into the hard drive? (it’s the IDE cable)

If so look on the motherboard and see if there is space for another IDE connector near to where that one plugs in, then get another IDE cable with three connectors and set both DVD drives up on the previously unused motherboard connector. You will need to set one and master (probably the writer) and the other as slave.

If the DVD reader goes straight to the motherboard then you can just change the cable for a IDE cable with three connectors.

If, for some reason, your motherboard only has one IDE connector (which is very unusual) then you are stuck.

 

[Saturlight]

There are three IDE connector things (I think this is what you mean), the "males" the "female" ribbon things go into.

One is for the floppy, one the hard drive, and one the recorable DVD drive....funny, because there are about four extra power connectors, yet the ribbon things and IDE connectors are limited...

If I am talking sh*t, let me know, I am after all, an amatuer! ;)

 

[PoloMint]

The floppy cable should be slightly narrower, just ignore that one as it’s no use for DVD drives.

If you find the one the recordable DVD goes into, and follow it back, does it also connect to the hard drive? Or does it connect straight to the motherboard?

If it connects to the hard drive, follow it back from there to the motherboard, is there an empty (male) IDE connector near to where the one from the hard drive plugs in? If so you can plug both DVD drives into that (with a separate cable from the one going to the hard drive).

 

[Saturlight]

Thanks, Polo, I'll check it out.