3.5" floppy drive question

[Brangwen]

I have reassembled some computer parts in a new case:

Biostar 440BX ATX mobo
333 MHz MMX Celeron chip
64 MB PC100 SDRAM
13 GB WD HD (Caviar 5400)
40X IDE CD-ROM Drive
Zip drive
3.5" floppy

The 3.5" floppy is likely several years old. I am not able to access it from DOS prompt, i.e., if I run "dir" I receive the "fail/retry/abort message. I was able to get it to read the properties of a 3.5 disk once, but it took a couple minutes. The floppy controller in Device Manager (Win98se) states "Device working properly." But, it is not. Has this drive bit the dust? Or should I be looking at something else? Award Bios was flashed about 1 year ago, and everything but this 3.5" FD and case have been used in a recently working system. The computer boots through to the C drive and loads Windoze, but the "A" drive will just skip over a boot disk, with just a "token" LED coming on. Any ideas?

Thx!

Brangwen http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

[daveleau]

Does the fdd light stay on? If so the cable is put in backwards. I have had fdds that are even keyed the wrong way in reference to the fdd cable. I had to force the cable on in what seemed the wrong way b/c of this. Try to reverse the cable and see how that works.
Good luck
Dave

[Brangwen]

daveleau: You were absolutely correct! I read your reply AFTER changing the FD (I thought it might be defective as it was fairly worn) and when the light stayed on (error 40, I think on the post up) a buddy of mine turned the cable around. All better! I'll know next time. Thx!

Brangwen http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif