Anyone Know where I can get a 5" usb floppy drive?
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From: Baron on 26 Jun 2010 17:52 whit3rd Inscribed thus: > On Jun 26, 1:17 pm, "W. eWatson" <wolftra...(a)invalid.com> wrote: >> On 6/26/2010 12:18 PM, Baron wrote:> 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... > >> 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? > > 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. -- Best Regards: Baron.
From: W. eWatson on 26 Jun 2010 18:54 On 6/26/2010 2:52 PM, Baron wrote: > whit3rd Inscribed thus: > >> On Jun 26, 1:17 pm, "W. eWatson"<wolftra...(a)invalid.com> wrote: >>> On 6/26/2010 12:18 PM, Baron wrote:> 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... >> >>> 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? >> >> 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. > 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.
From: WangoTango on 28 Jun 2010 13:24
In article <i05n9c$37n$1(a)news.eternal-september.org>, wolftracks(a)invalid.com says... > On 6/26/2010 12:18 PM, Baron wrote: > > 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? > I'm pretty sure he is just talking about the electrical connections to the guts. It will work, but it ain't pretty. |