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Troubleshooting floppy disk drive issues - ThinkPad
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Some of these steps may not apply to your computer. Test the floppy disk drive after performing each step:
- Reseat the floppy disk drive including any cables if the drive is attached externally.
Note: Shut down, remove the power cord, and remove the battery from the ThinkPad system before removing the floppy disk drive.
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Verify the floppy disk drive is setup properly in the BIOS.
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In Easy-Setup for ThinkPad 600, 600E, 770, 770E/ED, 770X, and 770Z systems, verify the floppy disk drive startup sequence setting.
- Press and hold the F1 key, then turn on the computer. Hold the F1 key until the Easy-Setup menu appears. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
- Select Startup and then click Power-on.
- Verify the floppy disk drive symbol (
 ) is in one of the four boxes at the top of the window.
Note: Click Reset to remove all symbols from the boxes and then click the icons to add the symbols to the boxes in the desired order.
- For all other current ThinkPad systems, verify the floppy disk drive startup sequence setting and Legacy Floppy Drives setting.
- Turn on the computer.
- While the Press F1 for BIOS Setup Utility message is displayed at the lower left area of the screen, press the F1 key. The BIOS Setup Utility menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
- Select Startup and then press the Enter key.
- Select Boot and then press the Enter key. The display should list Removable Devices with a plus (+) next to it if the drive is detected by the system BIOS. Select Removable Devices and then press the F6 key to move it to the first boot position. Note: The normal position for the floppy disk drive is first before the CD-ROM drive and hard disk drive.
- Select Exit twice to return to the main menu of the BIOS.
- Select Config and then select Floppy Drives.
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Select the Legacy Floppy Drives setting that is appropriate to the hardware you have connected to your ThinkPad system. See the chart below:
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Enabled
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Not bootable. Accessible in OS.
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Bootable. Accessible in OS
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Disabled (Default)
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Bootable. Accessible in OS.
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Not bootable. Not accessible in OS
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Notes:
- With this Legacy Floppy drives setting set to enabled, you will be able to boot to a diskette in the internal (Ultrabay 2000) floppy disk drive.
- With this Legacy Floppy drives setting set to disabled (this is the default), you will be able to boot to a diskette in the external USB floppy drive.
- Press F10 to save and exit and then press the Enter key to restart the system.
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Test the diskette drive for errors
- Run the test in Easy-Setup for ThinkPad 600, 600E, 770, 770E/ED, 770X, and 770Z systems.
- Press and hold the F1 key, then turn on the computer. Hold the F1 key until the Easy-Setup menu appears. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
- Select Test.
- Click the FDD-1 symbol to run the test. The results will be displayed as blue OK or red error codes.
- Run the PC Doctor diagnostics for all other current ThinkPad systems. PC Doctor for DOS is available by pressing the F11 key or the blue Access button during startup to access the predesktop menu area. If these methods are not available for your system, then PC Doctor for DOS may be downloaded. This DOS version requires two or more floppy diskettes depending on the ThinkPad system.
- Verify that the latest BIOS for the ThinkPad system has been installed.
Click here to view the latest BIOS files for all ThinkPad systems.
- Verify that the diskette drive is detected by Microsoft Windows operating systems by double-clicking the My Computer icon on the desktop. If the drive is detected, then the list of drives should include 3.5 Floppy (X:) where X is the drive letter.
- Check if the drive will read multiple floppy diskettes.
- Verify that the drive works in the other machine.
If another similar machine is available, then verify that the drive works in the other machine and that the other drive works in this machine.
- Verify the machine will boot from a known good DOS bootable diskette.
- Verify the machine will read and write to the diskette after booting from the DOS diskette
- If these steps have not solved your problem refer to "Need more help?"
Please select one of the following options for further assistance:
Note: Do not use this form to submit a technical question. We cannot respond to technical questions submitted through this feedback form.
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| Applicable countries and regions |
| Worldwide |
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| Document id: MIGR-4YQHJY |
| Last modified: 2009-09-29 |
| Copyright © 2009 IBM Corporation |
| Copyright © Lenovo 2009, all rights reserved |
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