Formatting a Diskette under XP Home SP2 _NTFS

[Randy]

I cannot format a diskette (for use w/a BIOS Flash) via the Control Panel, or
Command Prompt, Copy or Explore functions. Keep getting "Invalid media or
Track 0 Bad - Disk Unusable. Have tried several different diskettes w/same
problem. Using 1.44mb HD disks.

[Yves Leclerc]

Check to see if the floppy drive is:

1) Correctly defined in the computer's/motherboard's BIOS. Should be 1.44MB
3.5 inch.

2) Check to see if the floppy drive's power and data cable are correctly
connected.


"Randy" > wrote in message
...
>I cannot format a diskette (for use w/a BIOS Flash) via the Control Panel,
>or
> Command Prompt, Copy or Explore functions. Keep getting "Invalid media or
> Track 0 Bad - Disk Unusable. Have tried several different diskettes w/same
> problem. Using 1.44mb HD disks.

[Randy]

Yes to both. The drive will actually "spin" at first and you think it's
trying to read the diskette; but, then you get a message that it is unable to
comlete the format.

"Yves Leclerc" wrote:

> Check to see if the floppy drive is:
>
> 1) Correctly defined in the computer's/motherboard's BIOS. Should be 1.44MB
> 3.5 inch.
>
> 2) Check to see if the floppy drive's power and data cable are correctly
> connected.
>
>
> "Randy" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I cannot format a diskette (for use w/a BIOS Flash) via the Control Panel,
> >or
> > Command Prompt, Copy or Explore functions. Keep getting "Invalid media or
> > Track 0 Bad - Disk Unusable. Have tried several different diskettes w/same
> > problem. Using 1.44mb HD disks.
>
>
>

[Bob I]

It's not set to 3-way in the BIOS is it? If so change it.

Randy wrote:

> Yes to both. The drive will actually "spin" at first and you think it's
> trying to read the diskette; but, then you get a message that it is unable to
> comlete the format.
>
> "Yves Leclerc" wrote:
>
>
>>Check to see if the floppy drive is:
>>
>>1) Correctly defined in the computer's/motherboard's BIOS. Should be 1.44MB
>>3.5 inch.
>>
>>2) Check to see if the floppy drive's power and data cable are correctly
>>connected.
>>
>>
>>"Randy" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>>I cannot format a diskette (for use w/a BIOS Flash) via the Control Panel,
>>>or
>>>Command Prompt, Copy or Explore functions. Keep getting "Invalid media or
>>>Track 0 Bad - Disk Unusable. Have tried several different diskettes w/same
>>>problem. Using 1.44mb HD disks.
>>>
>>
>>

[Randy]

I don't know what "3-way" means. The BIOS defines the floppy as 3.5 inch
1.44MB. Where is this 3-way setting?
Thanks!

"Bob I" wrote:

> It's not set to 3-way in the BIOS is it? If so change it.
>
> Randy wrote:
>
> > Yes to both. The drive will actually "spin" at first and you think it's
> > trying to read the diskette; but, then you get a message that it is unable to
> > comlete the format.
> >
> > "Yves Leclerc" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Check to see if the floppy drive is:
> >>
> >>1) Correctly defined in the computer's/motherboard's BIOS. Should be 1.44MB
> >>3.5 inch.
> >>
> >>2) Check to see if the floppy drive's power and data cable are correctly
> >>connected.
> >>
> >>
> >>"Randy" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>
> >>>I cannot format a diskette (for use w/a BIOS Flash) via the Control Panel,
> >>>or
> >>>Command Prompt, Copy or Explore functions. Keep getting "Invalid media or
> >>>Track 0 Bad - Disk Unusable. Have tried several different diskettes w/same
> >>>problem. Using 1.44mb HD disks.
> >>>
> >>
> >>
>
>

[Alex Nichol]

Randy wrote:

>I don't know what "3-way" means. The BIOS defines the floppy as 3.5 inch
>1.44MB. Where is this 3-way setting?

In the BIOS there may be an 'Enable Floppy Mode 3' which you want off.
It applies only to a very limited number of older Japanese machines


--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)

[Randy]

Thanks, Alex. I don't have that selection available.

"Alex Nichol" wrote:

> Randy wrote:
>
> >I don't know what "3-way" means. The BIOS defines the floppy as 3.5 inch
> >1.44MB. Where is this 3-way setting?
>
> In the BIOS there may be an 'Enable Floppy Mode 3' which you want off.
> It applies only to a very limited number of older Japanese machines
>
>
> --
> Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
> Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)
>

[Bob I]

Humm, is the floppy infrequently used? I have received PC's that were so
dirty inside the floppy drive read heads couldn't do full travel and I
would get errors for read and format.

Randy wrote:

> Thanks, Alex. I don't have that selection available.
>
> "Alex Nichol" wrote:
>
>
>>Randy wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I don't know what "3-way" means. The BIOS defines the floppy as 3.5 inch
>>>1.44MB. Where is this 3-way setting?
>>>
>>In the BIOS there may be an 'Enable Floppy Mode 3' which you want off.
>>It applies only to a very limited number of older Japanese machines
>>
>>
>>--
>>Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
>>Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)
>>
>>

[Randy]

Update: I have now discovered that i can get the drive to work if I use
considerable force when putting the diskette in. Duplicated this several
times, all with same results, so I believe my fi is to replace the drive.
"Slamming" the diskette in gets the drive engaged properly and I'm able to do
all functions it.
I want to thank everyone who responded for your thoughts and efforts to help
me.

"Bob I" wrote:

> Humm, is the floppy infrequently used? I have received PC's that were so
> dirty inside the floppy drive read heads couldn't do full travel and I
> would get errors for read and format.
>
> Randy wrote:
>
> > Thanks, Alex. I don't have that selection available.
> >
> > "Alex Nichol" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Randy wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>I don't know what "3-way" means. The BIOS defines the floppy as 3.5 inch
> >>>1.44MB. Where is this 3-way setting?
> >>>
> >>In the BIOS there may be an 'Enable Floppy Mode 3' which you want off.
> >>It applies only to a very limited number of older Japanese machines
> >>
> >>
> >>--
> >>Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
> >>Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)
> >>
> >>
>
>