3.5" FDD on new computers

By now you have probably come to the conclusion that I am a sandwich short of a full picnic basket when it comes computer problems, that's ok, I think I am too:D....however I thought that I had an ok understanding of the basics...

However the Oldies recently bought a new computer package to upgrade from my very old one that they had been practicing and learning on. No worries.
They asked me to come and have a look at it in the shop to see what I thought, and it seemed ok to me, and came with things such as AV that they need, and we upgraded to a bigger 300 Gig hard drive from a 160Gb. Mum was sitting at the desk in the shop at the time and I didn't feel the need (or the knowledge) to want to examine the box...

I popped in to see it fully installed at their home to find it doesn't have a 3.5" FDD - I assumed that it would have been a standard "fitting" when buying a computer, not an "accessory" to be added or taken off. I was asked if they wanted a card reader installed which I felt was likely with digital cameras and the like, and its quite possible this was a trade off for the FDD.

Am I wrong and presumptous to feel this way? Is this a standard practice these days when selling a package?

I haven't come across this before and its our first time dealing with the local business.

My Dell laptop doesn't have a floppy drive - but as I need one sometimes I bought a USB plug & play external floppy drive. These days with CD and USB memory sticks, a floppy drive isn't usually necessary.

Cheers
Kate

I think times are changing too quick for me Kate....by chance, what would be the price difference between a portable plug and play and to take the box back and get them to fit one permanently in there...can it be done whilst having a card reader installed as well?

Swaggie why do you need one? If you want to back up files burn them to a CD-ROM which costs pence. Alternatively, if you want to move files get a cheap USB flash memory - they almost give away the smaller sizes (128Mb)now. The problem with floppies is they will only store 1.44Mb and most programs/graphics files etc are bigger than that. All your software will come on CD-Roms (and the computer will boot from them in a disaster.

Peter

from my understanding floppy discs are like the CDs of the 90s, use a usb memory stick, so fast you cant believe its done anything

Arrghh, you are all too far ahead of me, I am just getting used to burning on CD's.... slow down will you!!!

GBPeter the only reason that I noticed about the disc drive was I copied their addy book and favourites list over to a disc from the old machine and was taking the disc up there to import it back in, plus some word docs that mum left on the machine. That old machine isn't compatible with my broadband stuff so I am not connecting to the 'net here either. Just good enough for daughter to type on and play her CD games...

I know I can send them up as an attachment to an email via my computer, but they are on a pensioner dial up provider and its slow at the best of times, so thought "my" way of copying onto disc sufficient as I was heading up there anyhow.

Can't see any reason other than that to buy a DD, I just thought it odd that it didn't come with one as standard.

Times have obviously changed ... again.

Unless you are talking lots of files (Mbs)an e-mail attachment is probably the easiest or get someone to copy them from the floppy onto a (borrowed) USB flash memory to transfer them - take minutes

We just bought a brand-new motherboard from the wholesaler tonight to upgrade the computer used by one of our sons for 3D design software. It supports the latest Intel Dual-core processors and has all the bells and whistles you can imagine.

Much to my surprise, it still supports a floppy drive! [:0] Even the cable is included!

So I think it's fair to say that any desktop PC can still have a floppy drive installed, so long as the physical "3.5 inch disk drive bay" is present to bolt it into. Every case I have seen still supports a floppy drive unless it is a "thin client".

So you just need to ask your local computer service shop to install the drive for you. Wholesale they cost only about $10... incredibly cheap really. I still use a floppy just occasionally to save a few files when I can't be bothered burning a CD. It is quicker because you don't have to wait for the time while the CD is recognised before it can be written to. I have lots of old floppies lying around so may as well use them rather than buying a USB key. Also, it's easier to write on the label of a floppy disk than to label a USB key.

PCs haven't come with "floppy drives as standard" for several years now. Laptops have been without them for a little longer. Also, the parallel and serial ports have completely disappeared from laptops even though desktops still frequently have them.

There's no doubt that USB ports are so much more convenient and versatile than all those old "legacy ports". Having the same connector for so many different devices is a great idea and I don't know why they didn't adopt USB many years sooner.

There's just one downside to having USB only nowadays:

==> All those old printers with Parallel-only interface are now redundant

Like my old faithful HP OfficeJet bought in 1998. It still goes just fine but nowadays is only useful as a standalone fax machine. I could buy a Parallel Print server for the network I suppose and access it that way, but the Colour Laser downstairs is just so much less fuss and we can print to it from anywhere in the house using the Wireless network (even from outside on the deck). [8D]

As you say Swaggie... Times have obviously changed ... again.

Cheers,
Grant.

Grant - I have a (oops can't remember what they're called) a hub 'thingy' which connects to a USB port on my laptop and has an lpt port along with a serial port, 2 ps/2 ports, a 100M network connection and a couple of USB ports. Keeps my old DeskJet in use

The USB keys are so fast and easy to use I've given up on floppies except for my vintage 486 PC []

Cheers
Kate

Grant - I thought you could get a parallel port/USB adapter? The problem with floppies (especially old ones) is the formatting is suspect. All those floppies you had the half written novel on may no longer be readable - much safer burning stuff to CD Rom.

I agree with the issues mentioned associated with FDD, I have found that as well, and will send up the Oldies stuff attached to an email instead....rather than buy a new memory stick or whatever just for the little I need to transfer.

I am in the same boat Grant as you mentioned, have perfectly good working order equipment, but its all dated compared to today's standards and equipment. I was very surprised not to see a FDD on the new one, but obviously this is standard practice now and not a one off.

I think I subscribe to Isla's way of thinking by not replacing items simply because they are considered "outdated". It all still works fine for me and my uses...I will let the world move on again for a while and catch up when it all completely packs it in.

thankyou for your thoughts.

Thanks Kate and GBpeter for your suggestions about the USB to Parallel adapter. Yes, of course that is another way I could use the OfficeJet but it involves wires...

After having experienced the freedom of working wirelessly from a lightweight laptop that can be used anywhere in our house, I'm loath to be shackled back to a particular desk again. It's great to sit in my comfy leather lounge chair with reclining footrest and be part of the family instead of being stuck to my office desk. In fact, I was using my office so little, we decided to convert it back into a spare bedroom for when guests come to stay. There are some big filing cabinets in there for archives, but everything I need day to day sits in a small box beside my comfy chair. Ah, this is the life...[8D]

Cheers,
Grant.

If only they could peel the potatoes though....