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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
#30
Author: Steve
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
12 lines
1506 bytes
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
#31
Author: DualIP
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 00:00
17 lines
1638 bytes
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
#32
Author: Steve
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
23 lines
1895 bytes
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
#33
Author: Roger Hamlett
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
10 lines
1499 bytes
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
#34
Author: Steve
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 00:00
18 lines
1855 bytes
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$GP3.11890@typhoon.nyroc.rr.com>...
> >Yes will boot to dos. No twist.
> This is your problem. The first floppy, should have the twist. I
> suspect you may have the BIOS set to 'swap A/B' (an option for this
> exists in most BIOS's), so you actually have drive 'B' attached, but
> being seen as 'A' from DOS or W9x. In NT, the drivers ignore the BIOS,
> and are finding no drive A attached...
>
> Best Wishes
>
>
>
Re: floppy drive error
#35
Author: Roger Hamlett
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 00:00
34 lines
2704 bytes
Steve wrote in message ...
>Yes........but if this is the case why does it access the floppy
before
>giving the error?
>
>"Roger Hamlett" <roger@ttelmah.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:955623051.18364.5.nnrp-06.9e988e54@news.demon.co.uk...
>>
>> Steve wrote in message
<_7aJ4.2070$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
#36
Author: Doug Logie
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 00:00
42 lines
3026 bytes
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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