Overriding write-protection on floppy drive
phil hunt
external Toshiba floppy drive. The write-protect sensor on the
floppy drive is broken, so it think that all floppy disks are
write-protected; this means he can't write to them.
Is there a way to over-ride the write-protection in software, or
is the only way to fix it to fix the hardware problem on the
drive?
(*) Model Protege 650CT, running Windows 95.
--
*****[ Phil Hunt ***** ph...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk ]*****
"An unforseen issue has arisen with your computer. Don't worry your
silly little head about what has gone wrong; here's a pretty animation
of a paperclip to look at instead." -- Windows2007 error message
m...@here.com
fix it.
devi...@my-deja.com
R u sure the problem stems from broken write-protect sensor? Sometimes
such behaviour originates from a BIOS setting:in the "Integrated
Peripherals" the FDC Write Protect is set to "Enabled" by default .so
it might be coming from there ,just reset it.
And I've also heard of a way to remove the write protect tab from
floppies- u just tape over the hole just like u do with audio and video
tapes ,but I haven't tried it myself, therefore can't guarrantee it'll
work :)
So, it seems like if none of the above helps-u'd have to buy yourself a
new drive. Good luck.
Talli
Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/
Ghostrider
phil hunt wrote:
Find an old MS-DOS manual containing all of the commands which can be
used. There is a switch which can be appended to the copy command which
forces the overwriting of any file on the floppy diskette, over-riding the write
protection. Haven't used it in years; can't remember the switch or where I
dumped the DOS manuals.
m...@here.com
> forces the overwriting of any file on the floppy diskette, over-riding the write
> protection. Haven't used it in years; can't remember the switch or where I
> dumped the DOS manuals.
You can not override HW write protection with a switch.
William J. Leary Jr.
news:slrn95cmrd...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk...
> I've got a friend who has an old Toshiba portable(*) with an
> external Toshiba floppy drive. The write-protect sensor on the
> floppy drive is broken, so it think that all floppy disks are
> write-protected; this means he can't write to them.
>
> Is there a way to over-ride the write-protection in software, or
> is the only way to fix it to fix the hardware problem on the
> drive?
You can fix it, or bypass it.
Back when floppy drives were really expensive, I had one of mine fail like
this. I went in and installed a switch on a pull up resistor on the line
from the broken photo detector so I could switch off the write protect. *
- Bill
-------------------
* Or maybe it was a pull DOWN resistor... and it may have been switch ON
write protect. It was a long time ago so I'm not sure exactly WHAT it did
or exactly how I did it, but I do recall a switch, a resistor, and the
switch turning on or off write protect.
Rick Collins
"Ghostrider" <-0...@fitron.142> wrote in message
news:3A567E7B...@fitron.142...
There is no command which will override the hardware write-protect
circuitry on the physical floppy drive.
phil hunt
Is it? My understanding is that some disks do in it hardware, some in
software.
> It shouldn't be too difficult to
>fix it.
Fixing the hardware would involve soldering, which my friend is
prepared to do, but he doesn't want to destroy is floppy drive if
he can help it.
phil hunt
>In article <slrn95cmrd...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk>,
> ph...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk (phil hunt) wrote:
>> I've got a friend who has an old Toshiba portable(*) with an
>> external Toshiba floppy drive. The write-protect sensor on the
>> floppy drive is broken, so it think that all floppy disks are
>> write-protected; this means he can't write to them.
>>
>> Is there a way to over-ride the write-protection in software, or
>> is the only way to fix it to fix the hardware problem on the
>> drive?
>>
>> (*) Model Protege 650CT, running Windows 95.
>>
Pretty much. My fiend has dismantled his floppy drive and the write-
protect sensor has one of its terminals broken.
> Sometimes
>such behaviour originates from a BIOS setting:in the "Integrated
>Peripherals" the FDC Write Protect is set to "Enabled" by default .so
>it might be coming from there ,just reset it.
I have checked the BIOS settings and there doesn't appear to be anything
like that.
Ctrl - Alt - Del
>
> > I've got a friend who has an old Toshiba portable(*) with an
> > external Toshiba floppy drive. The write-protect sensor on the
> > floppy drive is broken, so it think that all floppy disks are
> > write-protected; this means he can't write to them.
> >
> > Is there a way to over-ride the write-protection in software, or
> > is the only way to fix it to fix the hardware problem on the
> > drive?
"Ghostrider" <-0...@fitron.142> wrote in message
news:3A567E7B...@fitron.142...
> >
> Find an old MS-DOS manual containing all of the commands which can be
> used. There is a switch which can be appended to the copy command which
> forces the overwriting of any file on the floppy diskette, over-riding the
write
> protection. Haven't used it in years; can't remember the switch or where I
> dumped the DOS manuals.
Pointless and useless... the Sensor is broken... Hardware issue here.
William Rothanburg
Every floppy drive schematic I've examined shows the write signal
gated by the write protect line. If the drive senses the floppy is
write protected, it cannot write to it.
Bill
Steve Wrochna
steve
"phil hunt" <ph...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:slrn95cmrd...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk...
Steve Wrochna
there is software write protection but the hardware write protection
overrides it all.
steve
"phil hunt" <ph...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:slrn95eofi...@comuno.freeserve.co.uk...
Steve Wrochna
steve
"Ghostrider" <-0...@fitron.142> wrote in message
news:3A567E7B...@fitron.142...
>
sebas
>> used. There is a switch which can be appended to the copy command which
>> forces the overwriting of any file on the floppy diskette, over-riding the
>write
>> protection. Haven't used it in years; can't remember the switch or where I
>> dumped the DOS manuals.
>
> Pointless and useless... the Sensor is broken... Hardware issue here.
>
diskette was enough to avoid contamination of that dkt (in case of put
the dkt in an infected computer)
So it confirm that there is no way to by pass the write-prot by soft,
and that's a good thing
Sebas
Stefan Fleischmann
> and that's a good thing
That's correct!
Stefan
cqu...@iafrica.com
<s...@NOSPAM.sf-soft.com> wrote:
>> So it confirm that there is no way to by pass the write-prot by soft,
>> and that's a good thing
>That's correct!
Amen! Only CD and write-protected diskette has this, it seems... I
don't hold much faith in sware-based "protection" e.g. Zip disks.
>------------------------------------ ---- --- -- - - - -
I can type faster now - you can tell by all teh mistakes
>------------------------------------ ---- --- -- - - - -
m...@here.com
> Is it? My understanding is that some disks do in it hardware, some in
> software.
The write protection (using the tab) on 3.5" floppies is all hardware
and can not be overridden by SW. You can modify the drive or do
some other things to defeat it, but you need to go beyond SW.
>> It shouldn't be too difficult to
>>fix it.
> Fixing the hardware would involve soldering, which my friend is
> prepared to do, but he doesn't want to destroy is floppy drive if
> he can help it.
Not necessarily. You might just have a dusty sensor that
can be cleaned with a quick blow of air. (used to happen all
the time with a disk change sensor in one of my drive)
Steve Wrochna
guees there is a reason.
steve
<m...@here.com> wrote in message news:93d5i3$8p1$2...@newshost.mot.com...
cqu...@iafrica.com
wrote:
>i am stil failing to understand why a floppy drive is being fixed. oh well i
>guees there is a reason.
It's in the drive hardware, like write protection for cassettes. A
microswitch or LED-and-sensor test for an open slot at that part of
the disk and disable the write functionality if found.
Another is used to sense Fe vs. CrO2 tape for cassettes, and 720k vs.
1.44M for diskettes. May be others for Metal and 2.88M respectively
William Rothanburg
Not in this case. On 3.5" floppies, write protection is signaled
by UNBLOCKING the light beam (sliding the bit of plastic away from the
hole). If the sensor was dirty, it would never sense the floppy was
write protected.
Bill
Steve Wrochna
at least then you will know it works and will work for many years
(ideally!).
steve
<cqu...@iafrica.com> wrote in message
news:3a5ab53d....@news.iafrica.com...
Steve Wrochna
indicating that the beam is always present.
steve
cqu...@iafrica.com
wrote:
>exactly which leads to the assumption that the sensor is defective and is
>indicating that the beam is always present.
Oh yeah, that's very common with LED sensor types, especially 5.25"
drives that act as the muzzle of a vacuum cleaner (driven by the case
fan). Often find wads of ghost turds blocking the sensor.
Huff puff etc. :-)
Quorlia
"Steve Wrochna" <m...@home.com> wrote:
> as in why is a cheap piece of hardware being fixed??? why not get a
new one.
> at least then you will know it works and will work for many years
> (ideally!).
>
One possibility is that it is a proprietry fdd which you can't get hold
of now (he said it was old).
--
Kirsty <quo...@my-deja.com>
Steve Wrochna
may have to get off my butt one day and clean it.
lol
steve
<cqu...@iafrica.com> wrote in message
news:3a5c1e4e...@news.iafrica.com...