Re: Inspiron suddenly won't recognise floppy

If this is an older model Inspiron there's a good chance the floppy
became clogged with dust. They're not always modular and sometimes
require a technician (the floppy on some models also has a label on it
saying "replacable only by trained technician" or some such phrasing).
Honestly it's not too tough to replace if you're used to ribbon
connectors...but in reality, who is? ;) They're all a pain in the
***.

Dan


On Mon, 3 Oct 2005 08:52:40 -0400, "news.rcn.com" <news.rnc.com>
wrote:

>I am suffering what appears to be a Dell issue (I have only had it on Dell
>computers, - and too often on various different Dells), which is that
>suddenly this computer wont recognise its floppy drive. It spins and spins
>and however many times I try to check the BIOS and boot off it, the computer
>wont boot off the floppy. So I cant get it to see whatever CD I put in the
>drive.
>
>The unit wont see its floppy whether I put it into the bay or at the end of
>the cable. I don't think it is a BIOS revision issue OR is there some way of
>reinstalling the same BIOS as is in the unit already? Can an attempted
>install of an OS screw up the BIOS? I haven't unplugged the Unit since all
>this arose so I can't see this as a BIOS battery issue
>
>The full problem is that I have changed the hard drive and put one off a
>ThinkPad in with Win 95 on it. It works. I tried to install 98SE off the
>original install discs but, booting off the CD, the unit won't do a clean
>install. I discovered that it also obviously won't install with the 95
>win.com in place. Then suddenly after this failed install, the OS stopped
>seeing the floppy (and, later, the CD as well)! Now I don't dare format
>the hard drive and try to install 98 SE from the CD for fear that the unit
>won't see its CD when I try this. I kinda presume that the not seeing the CD
>is not a hardware fault but is something to do with the OS although it wont
>see its CD on boot either. It booted off the CD when it was doing this
>install but wont boot off it any more now after restarting the unit.
>
>Anyone know what causes this Dell floppy issue or is it simply a poor
>quality hardware issue?
>

.