Debate: Floppy Drive - Obsolete or Not?

MDK22 · Jun 8, 2008

I still use a floppy drive I find it is good for flashing the bios for both motherboards and video cards. I also have it so I can load Raid Drivers and SATA Drivers.

Do you think they are obsolete?
Is there any one else that has had problems because they didn't have one?

Laurijan · Jun 8, 2008

I myself had use a sata controller floppy disk as i installed windows xp prof.. in vista i didnt had to install it with a disk anymore.. lately i found a program which can make a bootable usb-stick out of any usb-stick so that i could update my bios without a floppy disk

rigelt · Jun 8, 2008

obsolete! I don't install them into my PCs since over 6 to 7 years! Never ran into any problems.The only two times I was in need for a F6-Driver, I just installed a drive for the xp setup. Then removed that $5 piece of hardware again.

echo75 · Jun 8, 2008

old yes, obsolate...not really! out of the 4 PCs in my house i still maintain 1 of then with a floppy drive. there has been some episodes in the past where the floppy has saved my ass.

Besides, if you count the total number of PCs in the world, more of em have a floppy drive as compared to the number without.

Disparia · Jun 8, 2008

Floppy drives and legacy ports - they don't bother me as much as how they're implemented.

Floppy controller/port? What can you use it for if you don't use a floppy? Practically nothing. Much like PS2, serial, and parallel.

People who need such support can use systems with it already integrated or add-on cards that provide the needed support.

[I.R.A]_FBi · Jun 8, 2008

waste ...

allen337 · Jun 8, 2008

Use it, its there with no other use, F6 raid install, Memtest,low level format. ALLEN

psyko12 · Jun 8, 2008

Still use it, for installing, flashing and booting to dos for some partitioning stuff.

a111087 · Jun 8, 2008

obsolete. u can do everything with usb now

JrRacinFan · Jun 8, 2008

I only use it if I need secured overwrite protection, I know I can set my USB to read only but that doesn't do justice for me.

Solaris17 · Jun 8, 2008

i still use mine all the time.

Namslas90 · Jun 8, 2008

I find them handy. Have 8", 5.25", and 3.5", and a 3.5" "Superdisk" Drive.

jonmcc33 · Jun 8, 2008

Legacy and done.

candle_86 · Jun 8, 2008

Jizzler said:
Floppy drives and legacy ports - they don't bother me as much as how they're implemented.

Floppy controller/port? What can you use it for if you don't use a floppy? Practically nothing. Much like PS2, serial, and parallel.

People who need such support can use systems with it already integrated or add-on cards that provide the needed support.

I use mine for my card reader actully, a lot of the cheaper ones use the FDD port and i look for boards with the FDD port because there is no reason to change a perfectly good card reader i only use once in a blue moon

Disparia · Jun 8, 2008

True, I've seen a small handful of devices that can be used on the floppy port. That why I didn't go with 'absolutely nothing'

Back when Microsoft and Intel did the yearly Systems Design Guide (97-2001) I believed it was a great service by them to keep manufacturers on track. Serial, parallel, floppy controllers, and ISA slots were all on their way out back in 1999. Floppy - the drive - was fine, as long as it was USB, IDE, or SCSI.

If more manufacturers and builders had heeded this guide, I think we'd be a bit farther along by now. You wouldn't have to worry about getting a motherboard with a floppy port for your card reader - it wouldn't have existed. You'd be hooking it up to a more common and universal USB port/header

BrooksyX · Jun 8, 2008

I personally don't install floppy drives in my computers but I always keep a few extra nearby just incase.

MDK22 · Jun 8, 2008

Yeah I have to use mine now because my bios periodically corrupts itself. It saved my butt. I have found that for some reason usb support for flashing video cards wasnt supported well although it has been a year or 2 since I looked into it. I figure its $7 bucks id rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. Although my bios for my board is huge its like 1MB so its starting to cut it close in terms of floppy.

lemonadesoda · Jun 8, 2008

I remember about a year ago trying to build a bootable flash. It was a real pain. First there is no "official" support to do this, so you have to pinch utilities from, e.g. HP, to do this.

Until MS releases an official "Bootable USB ISO", the boot from flash will only be for IT experts and hacks, not for the general consumer.

COM ports and PARALLEL ports are blxxdy brilliant. I have a phone PBX connected to my COM. And I have an EPROM programmer connected to my Parallel port. I'm already out of available PCI sockets, so I'm pleased I have these ports on my m/b and dont need extra port controller cards.

But Joe Consumer doesnt need them anymore.

Darknova · Jun 8, 2008

I have 3 bootable USB sticks. One for FreeDos, One for ATIflash, and One for BIOS flashing.

Do I need a floppy? Nope.

magibeg · Jun 8, 2008

Haven't used a floppy drive since i tried to install Commander Keen on my last computer. That games awesome

Error 404 · Jun 8, 2008

magibeg said:
Haven't used a floppy drive since i tried to install Commander Keen on my last computer. That games awesome

That game is almost as fun as Doom!

As for floppy drives:
I use them heaps, because I like to play around with OLD tech. DOS 6.22, Windows 3.11, Windows 98, etc...
DBAN uses the floppy disk drive, and the QNX Demo does as well. My laptop won't boot off of a USB drive, so yeah...
I will always have a floppy drive in my computer!
(And if I can find a 5.25" floppy drive, I'll install one of those as well!)
Update:
They can be used for music as well!
http://www.hackaday.com/2008/06/07/more-hardware-music/

System Name	Heaven-Cf
Processor	AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ BE Brisbane (215Mhz x15) 3.225Ghz 1.35v Rev BH-G2 8.5hrs prime stable
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System Name	Enslaver :)
Processor	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
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Benchmark Scores	3Dmark06 = 15,253 for 8800GT, 3Dmark06 = 15,807 for HD 4870

Processor	Intel i5-6600
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Software	Windows 10 Pro

Processor	C2Q6600 @ 1.6 GHz
Motherboard	Anus PQ5
Cooling	ACFPro
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Debate: Floppy Drive - Obsolete or Not?

MDK22

Laurijan

rigelt

echo75

New Member

Disparia

[I.R.A]_FBi

allen337

psyko12

a111087

JrRacinFan

Served 5k and counting ...

Solaris17

Super Dainty Moderator

Namslas90

New Member

jonmcc33

New Member

candle_86

Disparia

BrooksyX

MDK22

lemonadesoda

Darknova

magibeg

Error 404

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Case	Cool Master
Audio Device(s)	realtek onboard
Power Supply	hiper 880
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Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-AX370 Gaming K7 Rev 1.0 BIOS F51e
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Memory	2x8GB G.Skill Trident Z @ 3200mhz cl 16 @ 1.45v
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Software	Windows 10

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Display(s)	2 x Samsung 204Ts = 3200x1200
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Cooling	Corsair H70
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Audio Device(s)	Onboard
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Keyboard	Logitech G510
Software	Windows 10 Pro x64

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Cooling	DeepCool Assassin II
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Power Supply	Corsair AX760 Watt Fully Modular

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Case	CoolerMaster Gladiator RC-600
Audio Device(s)	Onboard 5.1
Power Supply	Antec 850w with yellow racing stripes
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