Thread View: a2000.comp.software.os.windows-nt
7 messages
7 total messages
Started by Steve
Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
floppy drive error
Author: Steve
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
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When trying access the floppy drive on nt4 sp5 this error appears: "a:\ is not accessible incorrect parameter" if I "retry" I then get an error something like: "unrecognized file system" swapped out floppy drive with another, same error. Also tried several different disks known to work fine on other NT machines. I know this error has happened to other people but no one seems to know the fix. Spent a couple of hours searching TechNet with no luck. Any help would be appricieciated.
Re: floppy drive error
Author: DualIP
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
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On Wed, 12 Apr 2000 03:18:59 GMT, "Steve" <noisseau@yahoo.com> wrote: >When trying access the floppy drive on nt4 sp5 this error appears: "a:\ is >not accessible incorrect parameter" if I "retry" I then get an error >something like: "unrecognized file system" > >swapped out floppy drive with another, same error. Also tried several >different disks known to work fine on other NT machines. > >I know this error has happened to other people but no one seems to know the >fix. > Probably dumb questions , but I've helped cooleagues out with them: Does the flop function when booted to DOS ? Does the ribbon cable have a "twist"? DualIP
Re: floppy drive error
Author: Steve
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
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Yes will boot to dos. No twist. "DualIP" <six10again@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message news:38f50895.5133020@news.bart.nl... > On Wed, 12 Apr 2000 03:18:59 GMT, "Steve" <noisseau@yahoo.com> wrote: > > >When trying access the floppy drive on nt4 sp5 this error appears: "a:\ is > >not accessible incorrect parameter" if I "retry" I then get an error > >something like: "unrecognized file system" > > > >swapped out floppy drive with another, same error. Also tried several > >different disks known to work fine on other NT machines. > > > >I know this error has happened to other people but no one seems to know the > >fix. > > > Probably dumb questions , but I've helped cooleagues out with them: > Does the flop function when booted to DOS ? > Does the ribbon cable have a "twist"? > > DualIP
Re: floppy drive error
Author: Roger Hamlett
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
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Steve wrote in message <_7aJ4.2070$GP3.11890@typhoon.nyroc.rr.com>... >Yes will boot to dos. No twist. This is your problem. The first floppy, should have the twist. I suspect you may have the BIOS set to 'swap A/B' (an option for this exists in most BIOS's), so you actually have drive 'B' attached, but being seen as 'A' from DOS or W9x. In NT, the drivers ignore the BIOS, and are finding no drive A attached... Best Wishes
Re: floppy drive error
Author: Steve
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
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Yes........but if this is the case why does it access the floppy before giving the error? "Roger Hamlett" <roger@ttelmah.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:955623051.18364.5.nnrp-06.9e988e54@news.demon.co.uk... > > Steve wrote in message <_7aJ4.2070$GP3.11890@typhoon.nyroc.rr.com>... > >Yes will boot to dos. No twist. > This is your problem. The first floppy, should have the twist. I > suspect you may have the BIOS set to 'swap A/B' (an option for this > exists in most BIOS's), so you actually have drive 'B' attached, but > being seen as 'A' from DOS or W9x. In NT, the drivers ignore the BIOS, > and are finding no drive A attached... > > Best Wishes > > >
Re: floppy drive error
Author: Roger Hamlett
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 00:00
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Steve wrote in message ... >Yes........but if this is the case why does it access the floppy before >giving the error? > >"Roger Hamlett" <roger@ttelmah.demon.co.uk> wrote in message >news:955623051.18364.5.nnrp-06.9e988e54@news.demon.co.uk... >> >> Steve wrote in message <_7aJ4.2070$GP3.11890@typhoon.nyroc.rr.com>... >> >Yes will boot to dos. No twist. >> This is your problem. The first floppy, should have the twist. I >> suspect you may have the BIOS set to 'swap A/B' (an option for this >> exists in most BIOS's), so you actually have drive 'B' attached, but >> being seen as 'A' from DOS or W9x. In NT, the drivers ignore the BIOS, >> and are finding no drive A attached... The problem is that it depends on how your drive is attached. The original floppy interface design, had a single 'motor on' select line, and four seperate 'drive select' lines. IBM elected to make the interface more complex, by just supporting two drives, adding a second 'motor select' line, twisting this into the right position on the drive, and leaving the 'drive select' lines all joined. This was fractionally cheaper to build in the control board, but required the cable twist. Different drives respond differently to the control combinations, so if a drive is on the 'untwisted' part of the cable, it is fairly common for it to display the 'select' light, when the select signal is received, and (depending on the make), even step the heads, but no data is returned. This gives exactly your drive symptoms... Best Wishes
Re: floppy drive error
Author: Doug Logie
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 00:00
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 00:00
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Have you recently installed a new device on your machine, like a flatbed scanner? "Roger Hamlett" <roger@ttelmah.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:955705134.8930.0.nnrp-14.9e988e54@news.demon.co.uk... > > Steve wrote in message ... > >Yes........but if this is the case why does it access the floppy > before > >giving the error? > > > >"Roger Hamlett" <roger@ttelmah.demon.co.uk> wrote in message > >news:955623051.18364.5.nnrp-06.9e988e54@news.demon.co.uk... > >> > >> Steve wrote in message > <_7aJ4.2070$GP3.11890@typhoon.nyroc.rr.com>... > >> >Yes will boot to dos. No twist. > >> This is your problem. The first floppy, should have the twist. I > >> suspect you may have the BIOS set to 'swap A/B' (an option for this > >> exists in most BIOS's), so you actually have drive 'B' attached, > but > >> being seen as 'A' from DOS or W9x. In NT, the drivers ignore the > BIOS, > >> and are finding no drive A attached... > The problem is that it depends on how your drive is attached. The > original floppy interface design, had a single 'motor on' select line, > and four seperate 'drive select' lines. IBM elected to make the > interface more complex, by just supporting two drives, adding a second > 'motor select' line, twisting this into the right position on the > drive, and leaving the 'drive select' lines all joined. This was > fractionally cheaper to build in the control board, but required the > cable twist. Different drives respond differently to the control > combinations, so if a drive is on the 'untwisted' part of the cable, > it is fairly common for it to display the 'select' light, when the > select signal is received, and (depending on the make), even step the > heads, but no data is returned. This gives exactly your drive > symptoms... > > Best Wishes > > >
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