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

[W. eWatson]

See subject?

 

[Jamie]

W. eWatson wrote:

See subject?
http://www.deviceside.com/

If you have a 5.25 floppy drive lying around? You can use the above
product to read (only), the data. It does not write to the
floppy...

Jamie..

 

[Baron]

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.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[W. eWatson]

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?

 

[Baron]

whit3rd Inscribed thus:

On Jun 26, 1:17 pm, "W. eWatson" <wolftra...@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.

 

[W. eWatson]

On 6/26/2010 2:52 PM, Baron wrote:

whit3rd Inscribed thus:

On Jun 26, 1:17 pm, "W. eWatson"<wolftra...@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.

 

[whit3rd]

On Jun 26, 1:17 pm, "W. eWatson" <wolftra...@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.

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.

 

[WangoTango]

In article <i05n9c$37n$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
wolftracks@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.