Transcript document
Chapter 7
Floppy Drives
You Will Learn…
How floppy drives work
How to manage floppy drives using Windows
Explorer
How to exchange and support floppy drives
How Floppy Drives Work
How data is physically stored on a floppy disk
How the OS logically views that data
How Data Is Physically Stored on a
Floppy Drive
Floppy Drive Subsystem
Formatting a Floppy Disk
Process of marking tracks and sectors to
prepare the disk to receive data
Done using Windows Explorer shortcut menu
or the Format command from command
prompt
Tracks and Sectors on a Floppy
Inside a Floppy Disk Drive
Read/Write Head
How Data Is Logically Stored on a
Floppy Disk
Cluster
• Smallest unit of data on a disk used to hold a file or
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a portion of a file
Describes how data is logically organized
Also called file allocation unit
Clusters
Formatting Process for
a Floppy Disk
Creates tracks and sectors by writing:
• Tracks of F6s in hex
• Sector address mark to identify the beginning
sector on a track
Creates the boot record
Creates two copies of the FAT
Creates the root directory
The Boot Record
Information stored in the first sector on the
disk about how the disk is organized
• Number of sectors
• Number of sectors per cluster
• Number of bits in each FAT entry
The Boot Record
The File Allocation Table (FAT)
Lists location of files on the disk in a onecolumn table
Lists how each cluster (FAT) is currently used
The Root Directory Table
Lists information about each file and
subdirectory stored in it
The Root Directory Table
How an OS Reads a File
Using Windows Explorer to Manage Floppy Disks
and Hard Drives
Ways to open Windows Explorer
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Click Start, Programs, Windows Explorer
Right-click My Computer; select Explore
Right-click Start; select Explore from the menu
Open My Computer and, on the menu bar, click
View, Explorer Bar, Folders
My Computer View
Shortcut Menu Options
Access with a right-click on the item
Shortcut Menu Options
Shortcut Menu Options
Create a New Folder
Click on parent folder’s name
Click File menu, Select New
Select Folder from submenu
Delete a Folder
Right-click the folder
Select Delete from shortcut menu
File Attributes
Right-click a file
Select Properties from shortcut menu
View or change attributes
File Attributes
Folder Properties
Select folder, click Tools, Folder Options
Click the View tab
Change how and when files appear in the
folder
Exchanging and Supporting Floppy
Drives
Problems that can occur with a floppy drive
and its support system
How to replace the drive
How to add an additional floppy drive to a
computer system
Replacing a Floppy Drive
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Check that computer and peripherals are working
Turn off computer and remove the cover
Unplug data cable and power cable from the old
drive; unscrew and dismount the drive
Slide new drive into the bay. Reconnect data cable
and power cable
Turn on computer, check setup, and test the drive
Replacing a Floppy Drive
Replacing a Floppy Drive
Replacing a Floppy Drive
Requirements for
Adding a New Drive
Empty bay
Extra power cable (or “Y” splitter)
Extra connection on floppy drive data cable
When a Floppy Disk Drive Doesn’t
Work
Error messages in the 600 range occur when a
floppy drive does not pass the POST test
When troubleshooting, check:
• Physical condition of the disk
• Error messages
• CMOS settings
• Cables connected to the drive
Common Error Messages
Non-system disk or disk error. Replace and
strike any key when ready.
No operating system found
Bad or missing COMMAND.COM
Error in Config.sys line xx
Himem.sys not loaded
Missing or corrupt Himem.sys
continued…
Common Error Messages
Incorrect DOS version
Invalid Drive Specification
Not ready reading drive A:, Abort, Retry, Fail?
General failure reading drive A:, Abort, Retry,
Fail?
Track 0 bad, disk not usable
Write-protect error writing drive A:
Chapter Summary
Main uses of floppy drives
• For troubleshooting a failed boot
• Quick and easy way to transfer small files from
one PC to another
How data is stored on a floppy disk and how to
manage that data
How to install a floppy disk drive on a PC