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Anyone Know where I can get a 5" usb floppy drive?

B

Baron

Jan 1, 1970
0
W. eWatson Inscribed thus:

Anyone Know where I can get a 5" usb floppy drive?

Modify a 3.5" one, just be careful to get one with a normal floppy drive
in it, not one of those with the push in ribbon connector or the nasty
laptop floppy drive. If you get the right type its just a matter of
modifying an old cable or using a 5.25" to 3.5" adaptor.
I played about with one a while back. It identified the drive correctly
as a 1.2Mb device and worked as expected.
 
W

W. eWatson

Jan 1, 1970
0
W. eWatson Inscribed thus:

Anyone Know where I can get a 5" usb floppy drive?

Modify a 3.5" one, just be careful to get one with a normal floppy drive
in it, not one of those with the push in ribbon connector or the nasty
laptop floppy drive. If you get the right type its just a matter of
modifying an old cable or using a 5.25" to 3.5" adaptor.
I played about with one a while back. It identified the drive correctly
as a 1.2Mb device and worked as expected.
I don't see how this would work. One cannot get a 5" disk into a space
for 3.5", or did I miss something?
 
B

Baron

Jan 1, 1970
0
whit3rd Inscribed thus:
The 'external USB floppy' consists of a case, USB interface, and
floppy drive. Some such devices have a standard floppy drive
34-wire header connector and you can connect those to a
5.25" mechanism. Usually, USB drives are bus-powered
and take +5V only, while the 5.25" unit will likely need +12V as
well.

I assumed that the OP would realise that he would need an external power
source. I just used one of the spare HDD plugs on the desktop machine.
So, the really important part of the 3.5" USB drive is just its
interface component; you'll need a 5.25" drive, a case, a
data cable, and a suitable power supply, to complete the unit.

Thats correct ! I didn't bother with a case since it was very much
experimental and done just to see if it would work, which it does.
The first "Laptop" USB floppy drive I examined had one of those slimline
floppy drives using a thin flexible ribbon between the electronics and
the drive. Which is why I gave the warning.
 
W

W. eWatson

Jan 1, 1970
0
whit3rd Inscribed thus:


I assumed that the OP would realise that he would need an external power
source. I just used one of the spare HDD plugs on the desktop machine.


Thats correct ! I didn't bother with a case since it was very much
experimental and done just to see if it would work, which it does.
The first "Laptop" USB floppy drive I examined had one of those slimline
floppy drives using a thin flexible ribbon between the electronics and
the drive. Which is why I gave the warning.
Thanks for the input, but it appears Memorex makes one. I thought I'd
give our "local" Fry's Electronic store, 50 miles from here in
Sacramento, a call. They have them for $40. Next time I'm down there,
I'll see what it's about. I just realized we have a used electronics
store down about there too. Worth a call. They sure are getting scarce.
 
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