dockboy549
asked on
Floppy...Went Missing
Actually the new PC I just bought (Dell 3100/E310) didn't come with a floppy drive. Didn't come with system, driver, software, or peripheral disks either. I guess I should be grateful they could spare a box to ship me "the box". Anyway, I sure would like a floppy. I popped open the box to see inside and no cable for a floppy. But I did spot a male connector on the motherboard that seems to be the right size and number of pins, and keyway for a floppy cable. The only one of it's kind in sight. Do you suppose that would be it ??? No clue as to the maker of the motherboard..
The PC came with a serial ATA drive, so things inside were a little different to me. Just a 2 position ide cable for 2 cd roms
The PC came with a serial ATA drive, so things inside were a little different to me. Just a 2 position ide cable for 2 cd roms
#3 is your floppy drive connector :
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3100/en/sm/techov0.htm#wp1058089
you just need to buy a floppy drive and cable, connect it , and enable the floppy drive in the bios.
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim3100/en/sm/techov0.htm#wp1058089
you just need to buy a floppy drive and cable, connect it , and enable the floppy drive in the bios.
ASKER
We have a problem. #1. The 2 older floppy drives I have seem to have a bigger front face plate than the Dell bezel (?) opening allows. My drives are 1/16th" wider and 3/64ths taller. #2 The cables I have seem to have the 2 rows of 17 holes but only 1 of the three would even allow the light to light on the front of the drive. That one seemed to have been made with about 4-5 conductors "flipped" on the drive side of the cable. So what's up with that ?
Am I better off just buying a new floppy that comes with a cable ? You don't suppose the Dell floppy situation is some sort of a propriatary dealy ?
Am I better off just buying a new floppy that comes with a cable ? You don't suppose the Dell floppy situation is some sort of a propriatary dealy ?
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There is a pin 1 on the floppy drive connector and in the motherboard connector.
(May be hard to read/see..., On the drive it may be on the PC board where the connector is soldered on.)
At both ends, the side of the cable with the red line goes so that it's closest to the pin 1 end of the connector.
(May be hard to read/see..., On the drive it may be on the PC board where the connector is soldered on.)
At both ends, the side of the cable with the red line goes so that it's closest to the pin 1 end of the connector.
If the faceplate on the drive won't fit the case the best thing to do is get a new floppy drive with a standard faceplate.
If you are not picky about looks you could probably remove the face plate (and leave it like that, or) sand down the edges of the faceplate until it fits.
Some cases only allow installing the drives from one side.
As in, the drive will either only go into the bay from the front -or- it will only go in from inside the case.
.
If you are not picky about looks you could probably remove the face plate (and leave it like that, or) sand down the edges of the faceplate until it fits.
Some cases only allow installing the drives from one side.
As in, the drive will either only go into the bay from the front -or- it will only go in from inside the case.
.
If you look closely at this picture it looks like the floppy faceplate goes behind the case's faceplate, meaning either the floppy is installed from inside the case or the case's faceplate comes off to install a floppy drive.
http://i2.ebayimg.com/04/i/06/7e/43/f8_1.JPG
http://i2.ebayimg.com/04/i/06/7e/43/f8_1.JPG
ASKER
PCBONEZ
The sum all your resonses lies the solution. I guess I'll have to buy a new floppy drive and cable at some time in the future. The sand paper and file will be close at hand if needed, but do see what the *.jpg link shows Dell may have done with the install.
Thank too to nobus, although the link lead me to a page where I would have to log in..Wasn't interested in doing that..
The sum all your resonses lies the solution. I guess I'll have to buy a new floppy drive and cable at some time in the future. The sand paper and file will be close at hand if needed, but do see what the *.jpg link shows Dell may have done with the install.
Thank too to nobus, although the link lead me to a page where I would have to log in..Wasn't interested in doing that..
http://www.pcguide.com/byop/diagrams/figure91.jpg
The floppy connector is the one on the bottom.
They have 34 pins in a 2x17 arrangement.
Sometimes a pin is missing and that's normal.