Floppy drive will not format

If I put a floppy in the drive and attempt to “Send to” the floppy I get a message that it isn’t formatted and asks if I want to format it. If I say yes it takes me to the format window, but when I try either a fast or complete format the computer locks. The same thing happens if I just right click the A drive and try to format. I have used several brands of pre formatted new blank floppies.

The computer also slows considerably when I right click the floppy to select format – perhaps two minutes of the hourglass before the format window appears. Sometimes it locks completely when I select format and sometimes I can get out of it with Ctrl+Alt+Del.

The floppy drive reads fine in both Windows and DOS.

I have tried removing the floppy controller in device manager and rebooting. It seems to reload the floppy controller OK but the problem persists.

Any ideas before I buy a new floppy drive?

Well, the drive is OK as I can put previously recorded floppies in and read them by selecting the A drive in Windows Explorer. If I right click and select format after reading them they will format fine. The problem is with putting blank pre-formatted floppies in the drive.

I have a box of old floppies with no purpose in life other than be formatted and used again, so I’m OK to go. Just hate strange behavior I don’t understand.

So and floppy that is formatted already that you try re-format or right-click on causes this problem? What about if one of your "old" floppies, if these are formated and you try to format again do they do it? What about from a dos prompt, same hang on format? Questions, questions.:)

Hi Doc

I’m starting to smell a brain fart.

In one of my cases of floppies are several groups of new floppies. New as in never used. About eight years ago my wife started on her nursing degree. I couldn’t get her near the computer but I was able to work her into a dedicated Canon word processor by starting it out to work as a typewriter. I think this might be the cache of leftover floppies from the word processor – hard to place after all this time. They look the same and have “HD” printed on them like everything else

I had thought the 1.44 drives were backward compatible but mine chokes on whatever these are. I have plenty of old floppies to format and reuse, so I’ll just chuck that lot and be done with the problem. Still curious why the computer would choke on them.

Stop me if you've heard this:

In my part time job at the local computer store, this guy came in and bought a pack of 10 floppies. He asked me if they were formatted, and I said no, but it would be best, if, when he got home, that he formatted them all at once.

So, awhile later, the phone rings, and the guy says,
"Hey, are you the guy who sold me those floppies?"
And I said "Yeah"
And He said "Well, when I got home, I tried to format those floppies all at once, and I got three in there, but I don't think the fourth one is going to fit".


Hope I didn't violate the AUP. :D

Leurgy

lololololol

Well, you did in a way, but since you were up front and reported what you did, I see no harm in leaving it, AS IT IS FUNNY and it pertains to the post.

I would suggest to posters who read this, please do not start posting computer jokes ijn this thread as we will close it.

"I’m starting to smell a brain fart".

Thanks Murf, could'nt resist.

Just a Newbie, learning the rules.