Floppy disk, do I need it?

[Justin Thyme]

I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many (most?)
of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use that
feature any longer.

I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but are
they worth the trouble and expense?

What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?

TIA

Ken Bland

 

[John John]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

They only cost about $10, I say get one, but it much depends on which
operating system you get and on what you do with your computer. If you
only plan on using Vista and nothing else you will probably never need
to use another floppy ever again. If you want to use other Windows
operating systems or if you want to multi-boot it would be wise to spend
the extra $10.

John

Justin Thyme wrote:

> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many (most?)
> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use that
> feature any longer.
>
> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but are
> they worth the trouble and expense?
>
> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>
> TIA
>
> Ken Bland
>
>

 

[Heather]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

I had one put in that also read different camera cards. I use that
rather than hooking my camera up. No big difference I suppose.

I use my A disc (floppy) to back up my Family Treemaker program for
instance.....would you believe info for 1,600 people will fit on 1.4
meg?? In the world of genealogy, it is suggested you make 3 backups
regularly (which I don't).....one for your office, one for your home and
one to be put in a safety deposit box at a bank.

The reason being is in case your office and house burn down at the same
time, I suppose, LOL. Sounds kinda paranoid to me. Not to mention the
odds on being hit by lightning being higher than that. (VBG)

I also used to use floppies just to transfer small stuff from one
machine to another. I now use a 2 gig flash/jump/whatever you call it,
drive and I can actually back up all of my crucial files on it.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, JohnJohn......or Turkey Day as we call it.
The Yanks have it all wrong and celebrate it 4 weeks before Xmas. If it
is to celebrate the Harvest, well up here we would be knee deep in snow
in late November......

Cheers.....Heather

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:%23XEC3$bCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> They only cost about $10, I say get one, but it much depends on which
> operating system you get and on what you do with your computer. If
> you only plan on using Vista and nothing else you will probably never
> need to use another floppy ever again. If you want to use other
> Windows operating systems or if you want to multi-boot it would be
> wise to spend the extra $10.
>
> John
>
> Justin Thyme wrote:
>
>> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
>> (most?)
>> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd
>> be
>> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely
>> use that
>> feature any longer.
>>
>> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available,
>> but are
>> they worth the trouble and expense?
>>
>> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Ken Bland
>>

 

[Delboy]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Perhaps our US friends out there can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought
Thanksgiving originated when the Pilgrims landed on the site of present day
Plymouth and gave thanks for surviving the two month voyage from Plymouth,
England. But then in 1620, there was no USA.

--

Delboy

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely
foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

Douglas Adams
"Heather" <figgyd@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:ecmotmcCIHA.4956@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>I had one put in that also read different camera cards. I use that rather
>than hooking my camera up. No big difference I suppose.
>
> I use my A disc (floppy) to back up my Family Treemaker program for
> instance.....would you believe info for 1,600 people will fit on 1.4 meg??
> In the world of genealogy, it is suggested you make 3 backups regularly
> (which I don't).....one for your office, one for your home and one to be
> put in a safety deposit box at a bank.
>
> The reason being is in case your office and house burn down at the same
> time, I suppose, LOL. Sounds kinda paranoid to me. Not to mention the
> odds on being hit by lightning being higher than that. (VBG)
>
> I also used to use floppies just to transfer small stuff from one machine
> to another. I now use a 2 gig flash/jump/whatever you call it, drive and
> I can actually back up all of my crucial files on it.
>
> Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, JohnJohn......or Turkey Day as we call it.
> The Yanks have it all wrong and celebrate it 4 weeks before Xmas. If it
> is to celebrate the Harvest, well up here we would be knee deep in snow in
> late November......
>
> Cheers.....Heather
>
> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
> news:%23XEC3$bCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> They only cost about $10, I say get one, but it much depends on which
>> operating system you get and on what you do with your computer. If you
>> only plan on using Vista and nothing else you will probably never need to
>> use another floppy ever again. If you want to use other Windows
>> operating systems or if you want to multi-boot it would be wise to spend
>> the extra $10.
>>
>> John
>>
>> Justin Thyme wrote:
>>
>>> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
>>> (most?)
>>> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
>>> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
>>> that
>>> feature any longer.
>>>
>>> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
>>> are
>>> they worth the trouble and expense?
>>>
>>> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Ken Bland
>>>
>

 

[Heirloom]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

The Yanks have it all wrong and celebrate it 4 weeks before Xmas.>>>>>>>>>>

Geez, get some hormones.
Heirloom, old and my toe hurts

"Heather" <figgyd@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
news:ecmotmcCIHA.4956@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>I had one put in that also read different camera cards. I use that rather
>than hooking my camera up. No big difference I suppose.
>
> I use my A disc (floppy) to back up my Family Treemaker program for
> instance.....would you believe info for 1,600 people will fit on 1.4 meg??
> In the world of genealogy, it is suggested you make 3 backups regularly
> (which I don't).....one for your office, one for your home and one to be
> put in a safety deposit box at a bank.
>
> The reason being is in case your office and house burn down at the same
> time, I suppose, LOL. Sounds kinda paranoid to me. Not to mention the
> odds on being hit by lightning being higher than that. (VBG)
>
> I also used to use floppies just to transfer small stuff from one machine
> to another. I now use a 2 gig flash/jump/whatever you call it, drive and
> I can actually back up all of my crucial files on it.
>
> Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, JohnJohn......or Turkey Day as we call it.
> The Yanks have it all wrong and celebrate it 4 weeks before Xmas. If it
> is to celebrate the Harvest, well up here we would be knee deep in snow in
> late November......
>
> Cheers.....Heather
>
> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
> news:%23XEC3$bCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> They only cost about $10, I say get one, but it much depends on which
>> operating system you get and on what you do with your computer. If you
>> only plan on using Vista and nothing else you will probably never need to
>> use another floppy ever again. If you want to use other Windows
>> operating systems or if you want to multi-boot it would be wise to spend
>> the extra $10.
>>
>> John
>>
>> Justin Thyme wrote:
>>
>>> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
>>> (most?)
>>> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
>>> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
>>> that
>>> feature any longer.
>>>
>>> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
>>> are
>>> they worth the trouble and expense?
>>>
>>> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Ken Bland
>>>
>

 

[Heirloom]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Actually, it didn't start until well after the 'landing.' It is hard to
tell which version of "history" is the most accurate, however, most are
displayed here:
http://www.google.com/search?q=than...-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1
Obviously, the 'real' Americans were not treated as kindly as many of our
"history" books would have you believe.
Heirloom, old and must get up from here

"Delboy" <spamfree.delboy.hoy@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:u1atZNdCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Perhaps our US friends out there can correct me if I'm wrong, but I
> thought Thanksgiving originated when the Pilgrims landed on the site of
> present day Plymouth and gave thanks for surviving the two month voyage
> from Plymouth, England. But then in 1620, there was no USA.
>
> --
>
> Delboy
>
> A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
> completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
>
> Douglas Adams
> "Heather" <figgyd@nospam.invalid> wrote in message
> news:ecmotmcCIHA.4956@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>I had one put in that also read different camera cards. I use that rather
>>than hooking my camera up. No big difference I suppose.
>>
>> I use my A disc (floppy) to back up my Family Treemaker program for
>> instance.....would you believe info for 1,600 people will fit on 1.4
>> meg?? In the world of genealogy, it is suggested you make 3 backups
>> regularly (which I don't).....one for your office, one for your home and
>> one to be put in a safety deposit box at a bank.
>>
>> The reason being is in case your office and house burn down at the same
>> time, I suppose, LOL. Sounds kinda paranoid to me. Not to mention the
>> odds on being hit by lightning being higher than that. (VBG)
>>
>> I also used to use floppies just to transfer small stuff from one machine
>> to another. I now use a 2 gig flash/jump/whatever you call it, drive and
>> I can actually back up all of my crucial files on it.
>>
>> Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, JohnJohn......or Turkey Day as we call it.
>> The Yanks have it all wrong and celebrate it 4 weeks before Xmas. If it
>> is to celebrate the Harvest, well up here we would be knee deep in snow
>> in late November......
>>
>> Cheers.....Heather
>>
>> "John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
>> news:%23XEC3$bCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> They only cost about $10, I say get one, but it much depends on which
>>> operating system you get and on what you do with your computer. If you
>>> only plan on using Vista and nothing else you will probably never need
>>> to use another floppy ever again. If you want to use other Windows
>>> operating systems or if you want to multi-boot it would be wise to spend
>>> the extra $10.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>> Justin Thyme wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
>>>> (most?)
>>>> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
>>>> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
>>>> that
>>>> feature any longer.
>>>>
>>>> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available,
>>>> but are
>>>> they worth the trouble and expense?
>>>>
>>>> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>>
>>>> Ken Bland
>>>>
>>
>

 

[John John]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Heather wrote:

> Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, JohnJohn......or Turkey Day as we call it.
> The Yanks have it all wrong and celebrate it 4 weeks before Xmas. If it
> is to celebrate the Harvest, well up here we would be knee deep in snow
> in late November......

Canadian turkeys and dumb clucks should be awfully suspicious if they
get offered free trips to the US after the second Monday in October!

John

 

[Heather]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?


"Delboy" <spamfree.delboy.hoy@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:u1atZNdCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Perhaps our US friends out there can correct me if I'm wrong, but I
> thought Thanksgiving originated when the Pilgrims landed on the site
> of present day Plymouth and gave thanks for surviving the two month
> voyage from Plymouth, England. But then in 1620, there was no USA.

You got that part right, Delboy. I have wondered often why the Yanks
celebrate it in late November if it is to give thanks for the
Harvest......which to my knowledge is the reason, but I will go look it
up. Oh hell......most of the websites were either just plain silly or
only gave a US answer. Aha......let's look at Google Canada.......

quote.....
Most people believe that the origin of Thanksgiving in the United States
dates from the Pilgrims' first harvest in Plymouth in 1621, although the
details are disputed by modern historical revisionists.
Fewer are aware that Canada's Thanksgiving can be traced to a feast
hosted by British explorer Martin Frobisher in what is now Newfoundland
in 1578, about which there is less debate.

The reason Canadian Thanksgiving is a month earlier than in the U.S.
seems obvious: The harvest in Canada is earlier.
unquote.......and my point exactly. Too damn cold in late November!!

Next comes "Christopher Columbus Day" (Oct. 12). We Canadians don't
celebrate it because we know he never landed in North America.

Allegedly the name comes from the explorer "Amerigo Vespucci".....but he
never saw North American either.....he landed in SOUTH America. Ain't
history fun??

Awww, I really shouldn't tease the Loon. He has had another painful toe
surgery and he can't get up and kick the cat (or me).

Kissies, Loon......Figgs

PS.....Cristo Colombo (Italian too) landed in what is now the Dominican
Republic. John Cabot who allegedly discovered Canada was really
Giovanni Caboto. Were there no Englishmen in those days????? Of course
there were. But they didn't like water.

 

[Mart]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Ken, I would strongly concur with John J in so much as for the sake of $10
USD (£20 GBP) that a 'portable' Floppy Disk Drive is a must. I have just had
to replace a failing HDD on a Laptop (some 3 1/2 yrs old) and naturally the
new replacement disk was neither formatted nor FDISK'ed.

Fortunately, I'd already bought a USB Floppy Disk Drive - which I had used
fairly frequently in its early days, but it had started becoming slightly
more redundant recently. However, it came into its own this last weekend. I
was able to FDISK & Format the new 2.5 inch HDD using a good old WinMe
Floppy Startup Disk. (Try connecting a 2.5 inch drive to a standard IDE
cable after you've spent half an hour opening your desktop base unit!). The
Laptop BIOS recognised the USB Drive as the A: Drive and booted accordingly.

So in my case, it was definitely worth the (previously spent) money! Plus,
I still occasionally do use floppy disks for snail-mailing small data files
for friends (older) machines - they can be more convenient than CD's, thus
my USB Floppy Drive has probably paid for itself.

Hope that helps to add weight to JJ's point

Mart


"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:%23XEC3$bCIHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> They only cost about $10, I say get one, but it much depends on which
> operating system you get and on what you do with your computer. If you
> only plan on using Vista and nothing else you will probably never need to
> use another floppy ever again. If you want to use other Windows operating
> systems or if you want to multi-boot it would be wise to spend the extra
> $10.
>
> John
>
> Justin Thyme wrote:
>
>> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
>> (most?)
>> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
>> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
>> that
>> feature any longer.
>>
>> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
>> are
>> they worth the trouble and expense?
>>
>> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Ken Bland
>>

 

[webster72n]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Ken:

It is obvious, as the responses have proven, that the need for a floppy
drive, be it internal or external, is determined by each individual system
setup, including its age.
In the majority of situations you probably would want one at hand, but you
also may not require one at all. You'll be the judge.

Harry.


"Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
(most?)
> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
that
> feature any longer.
>
> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
are
> they worth the trouble and expense?
>
> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>
> TIA
>
> Ken Bland
>
>

 

[Eric]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

They've stopped including 3.5" drives for the same reason they stopped
including 5 1/4" drives when the 3.5" drive was invented. Technology is
past that. If you have a CD-RW drive and some CD-RW disks you should be
able to do everything you could do with the 3.5" disks. You only need the
3.5" drive if you actually have something saved on 3.5" disks that you still
want to access, which likely programs are or soon will be obsolete and data
could be consolidated. CD-RW disks can hold at least 682 MB of data, so you
could copy about 473 of your 3.5" disks to one CD.

I would personally want a 3.5" drive in a new PC for now just in case, but
then I also wanted to keep my 5 1/4" drive when I bought my first PC that
didn't have one, and I didn't end up using it much.

"Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
> (most?)
> of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
> losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
> that
> feature any longer.
>
> I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
> are
> they worth the trouble and expense?
>
> What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>
> TIA
>
> Ken Bland
>

 

[John John]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

The reason for having a 3.5" floppy is not necessarily because you still
use them for storage, it is that for certain maintenance chores they are
much easier to use and for certain installations they are absolutely
necessary. With Vista that is less of an issue but if the OP intends to
use XP he should get a floppy drive. Installing XP on certain disk
controllers is absolutely impossible unless you "slipstream" the drivers
or use a floppy for the drivers, most of the time it is much simpler to
use a diskette than it is to slipstream the drivers. A startup boot
floppy (for NT/2000/XP)is also another case where a simple boot problem
can be easily fixed with the use of a floppy diskette.

John

Eric wrote:

> They've stopped including 3.5" drives for the same reason they stopped
> including 5 1/4" drives when the 3.5" drive was invented. Technology is
> past that. If you have a CD-RW drive and some CD-RW disks you should be
> able to do everything you could do with the 3.5" disks. You only need the
> 3.5" drive if you actually have something saved on 3.5" disks that you still
> want to access, which likely programs are or soon will be obsolete and data
> could be consolidated. CD-RW disks can hold at least 682 MB of data, so you
> could copy about 473 of your 3.5" disks to one CD.
>
> I would personally want a 3.5" drive in a new PC for now just in case, but
> then I also wanted to keep my 5 1/4" drive when I bought my first PC that
> didn't have one, and I didn't end up using it much.
>
> "Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>>I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
>>(most?)
>>of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
>>losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
>>that
>>feature any longer.
>>
>>I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
>>are
>>they worth the trouble and expense?
>>
>>What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>>
>>TIA
>>
>>Ken Bland
>>
>
>
>

 

[Eric]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

I don't know what you're talking about on drivers. I've installed XP many
times and never needed drivers on another disk on install. If I have needed
them, they must have been slipstreamed. If the average home user can't
unstall XP without a driver disk, where would they obtain such a disk if
they have no OS installed? The XP disk should have enough basic drivers
included to get up and running, and regular drivers don't even fit on a 3.5"
floppy anymore. The last video driver I downloaded from nVidia was 19 MB.

I've never needed a boot floppy for XP, but on the rare case you would need
one, is it not possible to use a CD? Granted it would be a massive waste of
space if you can't write anything to it other than the boot files, but blank
CDs are pretty cheap, and in many stores now you can't even buy 3.5" disks
anymore.

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:erBg8enCIHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> The reason for having a 3.5" floppy is not necessarily because you still
> use them for storage, it is that for certain maintenance chores they are
> much easier to use and for certain installations they are absolutely
> necessary. With Vista that is less of an issue but if the OP intends to
> use XP he should get a floppy drive. Installing XP on certain disk
> controllers is absolutely impossible unless you "slipstream" the drivers
> or use a floppy for the drivers, most of the time it is much simpler to
> use a diskette than it is to slipstream the drivers. A startup boot
> floppy (for NT/2000/XP)is also another case where a simple boot problem
> can be easily fixed with the use of a floppy diskette.
>
> John
>

 

[John John]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Eric wrote:

> I don't know what you're talking about on drivers. I've installed XP many
> times and never needed drivers on another disk on install.

If you purchased your computer from one of the large oem's all that is
needed is on their reinstall or restoration disks. If you later add a
disk controller, or if you use generic OEM or retail CD's and have
certain SATA controllers, PCI disk controller or RAID controllers the
Windows XP setup program may not be able to see the hard disks. You
have to use the F6 driver installation method and you *must* supply the
controller drivers on a floppy diskette. Otherwise you have to go
through the hassles of slipstreaming the drivers to the installation cd.
It is not all that unusual to install on disk controllers that need
drivers that are not on the XP cd and it is usually a heck of a lot
easier to press the F6 key during the installation and supply the
drivers on a diskette.

John

 

[Mike M]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

John John <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

> If you purchased your computer from one of the large oem's all that is
> needed is on their reinstall or restoration disks. If you later add a
> disk controller, or if you use generic OEM or retail CD's and have
> certain SATA controllers, PCI disk controller or RAID controllers the
> Windows XP setup program may not be able to see the hard disks. You
> have to use the F6 driver installation method and you *must* supply
> the controller drivers on a floppy diskette. Otherwise you have to go
> through the hassles of slipstreaming the drivers to the installation
> cd. It is not all that unusual to install on disk controllers that
> need drivers that are not on the XP cd and it is usually a heck of a
> lot easier to press the F6 key during the installation and supply the
> drivers on a diskette.

I have a box here that duel boots between XP Pro x86 and x64 with the OS
for each on RAID 0. The only way to install the necessary RAID 0 drivers
when installing the OS was to use a floppy drive, in my case an external
USB.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby@gmail.com

 

[Eric]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

Interesting.. I've never had that sort of issue.. if you can't use a CD for
those drivers you will need the 3.5" drive (if you know this, you could
always add the drive when you add that controller). Otherwise the 3.5"
drive is practically obsolete.

I still have a 5 1/4" drive in the attic and I believe a box of disks for it
somewhere. If I get time someday I may install it and see what's on them.
When I bought a new hard drive, I set it as the primary drive and installed
Windows on it, and left in my old drive as a secondary drive just in case I
need anything. I haven't accessed that old drive in a long time. One of
these days I'll go through it and see if there's anything worth saving that
we don't normally need (ie pictures), then wipe it out. Those old 40 GB
drives are big enough to still be useful, though by today's standards
practically obsolete.

"John John" <audetweld@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote in message
news:OCf$oZoCIHA.1204@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Eric wrote:
>
>> I don't know what you're talking about on drivers. I've installed XP
>> many times and never needed drivers on another disk on install.
>
> If you purchased your computer from one of the large oem's all that is
> needed is on their reinstall or restoration disks. If you later add a
> disk controller, or if you use generic OEM or retail CD's and have certain
> SATA controllers, PCI disk controller or RAID controllers the Windows XP
> setup program may not be able to see the hard disks. You have to use the
> F6 driver installation method and you *must* supply the controller drivers
> on a floppy diskette. Otherwise you have to go through the hassles of
> slipstreaming the drivers to the installation cd. It is not all that
> unusual to install on disk controllers that need drivers that are not on
> the XP cd and it is usually a heck of a lot easier to press the F6 key
> during the installation and supply the drivers on a diskette.
>
> John
>

 

[Justin Thyme]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

My comment at the bottom.

"Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
: I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
(most?)
: of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
: losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
that
: feature any longer.
:
: I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
are
: they worth the trouble and expense?
:
: What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
:
: TIA
:
: Ken Bland
:
:
I'm responding to my original post acknowledging all the helpful
recommendations. If there's any chance at all that I might need a floppy
diskette sometime I'm going to get it. I can order several models of a Dell
computer (and perhaps others as well) with XP instead of Vista AND an
installed floppy disk reader/writer. It costs $30 US that way, but it'll be
there available when and if I need it.

Thanks again.

Ken Bland

 

[Heirloom]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

I certainly hope your experience with Dell is better than the one I recently
had. Of course, I was trying to get a laptop for my wife, not a desktop. I
finally had to cancel the order because of all the 'delays' and 'back
orders'.....all of which they knew about well ahead of time. This, I know,
because it was written up so many times that Google had pages and pages of
hits about it. Admittedly, I entered the system about the time everyone was
placing orders for their school kids, but, Dell should have been more up
front about the delays.

Sure hope your experience is better!
Heirloom, old and got a better deal locally
anyway.

"Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:%23FuozCrCIHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> My comment at the bottom.
>
> "Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> : I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
> (most?)
> : of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
> : losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely use
> that
> : feature any longer.
> :
> : I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available, but
> are
> : they worth the trouble and expense?
> :
> : What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
> :
> : TIA
> :
> : Ken Bland
> :
> :
> I'm responding to my original post acknowledging all the helpful
> recommendations. If there's any chance at all that I might need a floppy
> diskette sometime I'm going to get it. I can order several models of a
> Dell
> computer (and perhaps others as well) with XP instead of Vista AND an
> installed floppy disk reader/writer. It costs $30 US that way, but it'll
> be
> there available when and if I need it.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Ken Bland
>
>

 

[Heather]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

I started to reply earlier, but because I am not fond of Dell, I didn't
post it. But do make sure that they don't put McAfee on your
machine......unless of course, you like it.

And I did check Tiger in the US and there were at least 3 floppy
internal drives which included the digital camera card readers for
$20.....or I could sell you my separate USB one, grin.

Just be careful with Dell.....or for that matter, any of the Big Box
companies. I got burnt up here by one......MDG Computers.
Canadians.....don't buy there.

Cheers....Heather

"Heirloom" <nobodyhome@noplacelike.hom> wrote in message
news:%23$oTI%23sCIHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I certainly hope your experience with Dell is better than the one I
>recently had. Of course, I was trying to get a laptop for my wife, not
>a desktop. I finally had to cancel the order because of all the
>'delays' and 'back orders'.....all of which they knew about well ahead
>of time. This, I know, because it was written up so many times that
>Google had pages and pages of hits about it. Admittedly, I entered the
>system about the time everyone was placing orders for their school
>kids, but, Dell should have been more up front about the delays.
>
> Sure hope your experience is better!
> Heirloom, old and got a better deal locally
> anyway.
>
> "Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> news:%23FuozCrCIHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> My comment at the bottom.
>>
>> "Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
>> news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> : I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that
>> many
>> (most?)
>> : of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd
>> be
>> : losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely
>> use
>> that
>> : feature any longer.
>> :
>> : I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers
>> available, but
>> are
>> : they worth the trouble and expense?
>> :
>> : What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
>> :
>> : TIA
>> :
>> : Ken Bland
>> :
>> :
>> I'm responding to my original post acknowledging all the helpful
>> recommendations. If there's any chance at all that I might need a
>> floppy
>> diskette sometime I'm going to get it. I can order several models of
>> a Dell
>> computer (and perhaps others as well) with XP instead of Vista AND an
>> installed floppy disk reader/writer. It costs $30 US that way, but
>> it'll be
>> there available when and if I need it.
>>
>> Thanks again.
>>
>> Ken Bland
>>
>>
>
>

 

[webster72n]

Re: Floppy disk, do I need it?

H:

Did you ever go to one of those computer shows by 'MarketPro'?
You can find out about them on the internet for your area.
There you can get whatever you are looking for, at the best prices, but you
must be choosey, meaning to 'look around' before you buy and come early.

Harry.


"Heirloom" <nobodyhome@noplacelike.hom> wrote in message
news:%23$oTI%23sCIHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> I certainly hope your experience with Dell is better than the one I
recently
> had. Of course, I was trying to get a laptop for my wife, not a desktop.
I
> finally had to cancel the order because of all the 'delays' and 'back
> orders'.....all of which they knew about well ahead of time. This, I
know,
> because it was written up so many times that Google had pages and pages of
> hits about it. Admittedly, I entered the system about the time everyone
was
> placing orders for their school kids, but, Dell should have been more up
> front about the delays.
>
> Sure hope your experience is better!
> Heirloom, old and got a better deal locally
> anyway.
>
> "Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> news:%23FuozCrCIHA.5160@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> > My comment at the bottom.
> >
> > "Justin Thyme" <enigma-40513@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> > news:e7Tlw1bCIHA.972@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> > : I'm strongly considering a new desktop computer and notice that many
> > (most?)
> > : of them no longer include a slot for floppy disks. I feel like I'd be
> > : losing something that might be necessary, even though I very rarely
use
> > that
> > : feature any longer.
> > :
> > : I believe there are accessory floppy disk readers/writers available,
but
> > are
> > : they worth the trouble and expense?
> > :
> > : What will I lose if I have no floppy disk ability at all?
> > :
> > : TIA
> > :
> > : Ken Bland
> > :
> > :
> > I'm responding to my original post acknowledging all the helpful
> > recommendations. If there's any chance at all that I might need a
floppy
> > diskette sometime I'm going to get it. I can order several models of a
> > Dell
> > computer (and perhaps others as well) with XP instead of Vista AND an
> > installed floppy disk reader/writer. It costs $30 US that way, but
it'll
> > be
> > there available when and if I need it.
> >
> > Thanks again.
> >
> > Ken Bland
> >
> >
>
>