Floppy Disk Drive

[Mike55]

Hello,

My computer's pretty new, ie a year or so old.
I'd like to be able to use some of my old floppy disks but there's no drive in my computer.
I was thinking I could do it cheaply and rip one out of an old computer I have upstairs and shove it in my current one, I'll probably pay for a computer shop to do it though, so I don't break anything.
I suppose the question is, do floppy disks still work with new software and OS's? like, is it recognised the same way a usb or cd is? I have windows 7.
Thanks.

Mike

[Allan]

Yes

[Computer_Commando]

Your computer must have a floppy disk port (connector) on the motherboard & a bay to mount the drive.

[Geek-9pm]

Look at the documentation for your computer.
Is thee a place for a floppy drive?

You can buy new floppy drives on-line real cheap. But the shipping cost may be more that the cost of the drive.

Check with people in your area. Somebody near you may have a drive he wail just give you.

[Allan]

Or: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NWO9EG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00006B938&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0TJB4WGN6Z2CX4JB1VFJ

[Salmon Trout]

In "modern" operating systems, if a floppy drive is connected properly and enabled in the BIOS, it will be recognized just like it always was. A question to consider is whether your PC hardware (motherboard) has provision for an internal floppy drive, that is, does it actually have a floppy controller onboard and also a "header" - essentially a socket into which you plug the data cable from the floppy drive. I say this because not every motherboard has floppy provision these days. The DC power connector is simple. If one is not present in the bundle of wires coming out of the power supply, you can get an adapter lead to convert a spare hard drive power connector.

Many people prefer to just purchase and connect a USB floppy drive. No case opening, and they are quite cheap.

[truenorth]

One of our household computers is using an external USB floppy drive and it works great. Very cheap way to go as others are suggesting. You will have a lot less trouble going that route than the "ripping" and "shoving" approach.truenorth

[Mike55]

Thanks guys, I didn't know there was external USB ones out there, I'll get my hands on one of them.

Mike

[Computer_Commando]

Your new computer will support booting from the USB FDD, too.
Here's one for $23:  1.44/0.72/1.25 MB 3.5" External USB Floppy Drive