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MarvWeide

Q: 5300 won't read floppy

I am trying to update to 7.5.5 but floppy won't read disc. I get message to format disc. I have run disc repair and disk was repaired.
What do I do know?

intel mini, Other OS, 7.5.3

Posted on Oct 7, 2008 6:31 AM

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Q: 5300 won't read floppy

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  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Oct 7, 2008 1:16 PM in response to MarvWeide
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Oct 7, 2008 1:16 PM in response to MarvWeide
    Would it be correct to assume that you have created floppies from the downloaded 7.5.5 disk images via Make A Copy in the Disk Copy 4.2 utility (or the Make a Floppy command in Disk Copy 6.3.3)?

    Jan
  • by MarvWeide,

    MarvWeide MarvWeide Oct 7, 2008 3:18 PM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 7, 2008 3:18 PM in response to Jan Hedlund
    I am using 3 discs 7.5.5 updater. The computer also will not read some older commercial software that I have had.
  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Oct 8, 2008 12:43 AM in response to MarvWeide
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Oct 8, 2008 12:43 AM in response to MarvWeide
    OK, I then presume that the three 7.5.5 Update floppy disks had been correctly made from disk images. Since there is a problem reading other diskettes as well, something seems to have happened to the floppy drive.

    In order to rule out a couple of other things, you may want to reset the Power Manager and the PRAM. You could also try to remove and reinstall the floppy drive module. The floppy drive may need cleaning.

    If nothing helps, it is possible to use a PC Card adapter for CompactFlash and a CompactFlash memory card for file transfers (the PowerBook 5300 can even boot from a Mac-formatted CF card with a system folder).

    Jan
  • by John B Black,

    John B Black John B Black Nov 30, 2008 6:05 AM in response to MarvWeide
    Level 2 (320 points)
    Nov 30, 2008 6:05 AM in response to MarvWeide
    My 5300's floppy drive benefited from a cleaning. Kensington makes, or used to make, a kit that includes a cleaning disc and fluid. I used this kit on my 5300 and it improved the perfomance of the floppy drive. On the other hand, your disc media may be shot. I found that too with some old floppies.

    The PC card approach to installing software, as Jan Hedlund mentions, is the easiest way to install software on a 5300. I found a SanDisk PC card on eBay for $26 delivered, which is about half the retail price.

    John