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When trying to make a startup disk I get the following error message..."Drive A is not a floppy disk drive or is mapped to a network drive. Setup cannot create a startup disk" My floppy drive is drive A and I am not on a network. Any way around this ? Thank you
New one on me. Have you checked to see if you can write and read floppies (in the normal way) on that drive?
DerekW
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Yes everything is normal. Don't spend too much time on this as I can always get a startup disk. Just wondering if anyone has see this error message and what it means? Thank you for your time.
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What does Device Manager say the A: device is if not a floppy?
If it's ID'd there as a floppy, first I'd remove it and reboot. Windows should re-establish it and all it's parameters/resources.
Failing this, I'd replace the c:\windows\system\APPWIZ.CPL file.
Maybe the c:\windows\control.exe & .inf files as well, if other CP elements are misbehaving.
SFC can be used for this.
Here's some extra info in case;
APPWIZ.CPL - WIN98_25.CAB
CONTROL.EXE - WIN98_44.CAB
CONTROL.INF = WIN98_49.CAB
It's a good day when you learn something
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Does it work in raw dos?
Does the machine "see" it on POST?
(Power On Self Test, the first two to three screens if not hidden by a Logo screen.)It's a good day when you learn something
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"There is no A drive listed in the device manager. Nor is the floppy drive listed."
Same thing really - Device Manager should have a listing under 'Disk drives' for a 'Generic Floppy Disk' as well as an entry under 'Floppy Disk Controller'
Maybe try 'Add new hardware' to see if it's picked up.
Only found a few (unresolved) references to this problem (one involved an LS "Superdrive") - only an issue when trying to create a startup disk from Control Panel - kinda weird
Science is built up with facts, as a house is with stones. But a collection of facts is not more a science than a heap of stones is a home
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Tried a bit of this and that but can live with a slightly eccentric computer. Thank you everyone for your advice and assistance.
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The score so far...
Windows: 4 - Humans: 0
Science is built up with facts, as a house is with stones. But a collection of facts is not more a science than a heap of stones is a home
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go to bootdisk.com and see there.
lotza nice bootdisks there!I CAN help!
mail me:
cooleole@hotmail.com
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No floppy drive listed etc...
In effect echoing Dan Penny' path and going in a little earlier in the boot-sequence...
Is the drive registered/enabled in the bios?
If it ain't... then enable it (ensuring you pick the correct size etc...)...?
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The poster stated that the floppy drive works "normally" in all other instances, it's just the "Create Startup Disk" that seems to be defunct. This points to it being recognized/set up in the bios.
He hasn't answered as far as jboy's statement on further levels of Device Manager, just; "There is no A drive listed in the device manager. Nor is the floppy drive listed"....
So if it's not there (in DM) for sure, yet it works in other instances, this is a mystery. It would be good to know about the bios. (This was going to be my next question as well if no one else asked yet.) ;>)
Also from his last posting; "Thank you everyone for your advice and assistance", he may not be back.....
We can only wait.
It's a good day when you learn something
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Dan
.... coupled with "Don't spend too much time on this...etc" I reckon it will be a long wait.
DerekW
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Sorry I am impressed at how much people want to get to the bottom of things in this forum. Please explain to me how to check if the drive is registered and enable in the bios. The only listings in device manager are 'Generic IDE Disk Type 47" which is the C Drive and "Kingston Data Traveller 11" which is the E Drive. The Floppy Disk Controller has the correct driver that I downloaded (USB External Floppy Drive) and as I say the floppy is in perfect working order. Will answer all questions about Bios if instructed how to get information. Thanks Again.
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Apologies for assuming you might be another of our vanishing posters (we do get such a lot of them on here - never hear from them again).
Forgive me too if I missed something (always possible) but is this the first time we've seen "USB External Floppy Drive" mentioned? If so this could make a world of difference.
Never used one, so I'd better leave this post to others and learn with you. Good luck.
DerekW
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It does make a world of difference, that much I know. Unfortunatly, I'm in the same boat as Derek on this one. I don't have one USB device across three systems.
But still, I would think that once windows is loaded, it knows (or should know) where "A:" is to create the startup disk........
It's a good day when you learn something
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I would have thought the drive came with some USB drivers. I trust these were loaded at some time or other, otherwise (even with my limited knowledge) it would not surprise me if it misbehaved.
DerekW
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The floppy (I/O Magic) is advertised as a portable "plug-n-play USB interface" for people on the go. Except for Windows 98, which requires a driver download from a supplied CD. My computer is a Dell,factory installed OS, with all three ports USB. As you can see the Device Manager picks up the Kingston Flash Drive. I will call I/O Tech. tomorrow to see if I can find out more.
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Using usb sticks as a model/guide... certainly one would have expected drivers with it - at least for '98... Whether or not they would work with '95 - ???
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External devices aren't normally listed in the BIOS, for one thing, and that would explain the absence from Device Manager as well
Yah - we like to know the source of rare and unusual error messages
It makes a lot more sense now:
""Drive A is not a floppy disk drive"
Technically correct - it's a USB device
Science is built up with facts, as a house is with stones. But a collection of facts is not more a science than a heap of stones is a home
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I think JBoy is right. I downloaded Everest Home Edition and it does identify it as a USB device.
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