POLL: Do you guys still use regular floppy drives?

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

My floppy drive is installed but not plugged in lol . . .

I use a CD for Memtest and I flash my BIOS in windows with Winflash, and I use by 2GB USB flash drive for file transfers so I have no need for the floppy . . .

 

[love2skate824]

its easy becuase EVERYONE around has one. like every library computer, school computer, everthing has a floppy drive. but thats changing with usb keys.
but hey, i got a free nec floppy at newegg.

 

[BlizzardWolf]

I use a USB key, who still uses a floppy drive?

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: phantom404
Yes...

For memtesting, bios flashing, and sometimes partitioning a hard drive.

Yup, same here.

I can't remember when I last purchased one though. I just pull from old rigs in storage and install 'em in my new builds. I'm in the habit of running memtest on new builds before putting in case or installing the OS, so I still find them handy.

Fern

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: LoneWolf1
I just keep a USB floppy in reach in case I need it.

I still have to buy one of those. hehe
I mainly would use it for BIOS flashing. otherwise I just have no use for a regular floppy drive.

 

[corkyg]

Yes - but rarely.

 

[mindwreck]

nope.

 

[Maverick69]

Bootable win xp cd = death of the floppy

However, I still have one because a pc without one just doesn't look right.

 

[cryptonomicon]

Originally posted by: CrispyFried
Yup. Its like having a spare tire. Never know when youll need it but when you do youll be glad.

precisely!

 

[raanemaan]

yes

 

[bladephoenix]

I keep one from my first 386 just for sentimental value ... install it on every machine I've had -- That and I don't want to pay the $10 to get a new one

 

[nick1985]

yes

 

[EatSpam]

Only in my Windows machines... need them for the F6 driver load during install and repair.

 

[Xpred]

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
I keep one from my first 386 just for sentimental value ... install it on every machine I've had -- That and I don't want to pay the $10 to get a new one

How many years have floppy drives remain unchanged? Has it been something like 20 years? So I guess no manufacturers make newer drives, or even faster floppy drives these days?!

 

[eXx08]

YES

 

[AndyHui]

Originally posted by: Xpred

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
I keep one from my first 386 just for sentimental value ... install it on every machine I've had -- That and I don't want to pay the $10 to get a new one

How many years have floppy drives remain unchanged? Has it been something like 20 years? So I guess no manufacturers make newer drives, or even faster floppy drives these days?!

They did try to change the floppy drive. Two examples, and both failed miserably: the LS-120 and the Iomega Zip drive.

The LS-120 failed because it was way too slow, and the Zip failed because of the "click of death". There was a time when old OEMs like Micron were including it in every system, but I think Iomega really dropped the ball with regard to poor reliability and not truly following up properly. The double density Zip disks with 200MB (instead of 100MB) wasn't a good idea as it alienated all who bought a 100MB Zip drive anyway.

 

[bladephoenix]

I think that there was a common usage of 2.88 MB floppies in Japan for quite some time, but never truly caught on to the mainstream market here because of the overwhelming circulation of 1.44 MB disks when floppy drives were the only way for home users to toss files back and forth.

 

[t3h l337 n3wb]

Yeah, I use a floppy for RAID drivers.