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I tried to put a floppy disk into my IBM model number "8525-001" and it doesn't seem to be processing it.

The light below the floppy drive blinks yellow every once in a while (such as when I turn the machine on). I've tried the dir a: command to test the drive and only got an error message: It said something like "General error reading drive A:" and I could choose to abort, retry, or fail.

I'm hopeful that the drive isn't broken and I won't have to buy a new one.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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    Are you sure that the floppy that you are putting into the drive is formatted with a file system that the booted operating system can read?
    – Jeff Zeitlin
    Apr 17, 2018 at 12:16
  • Would the drive not be able to tell that a disk is even in the drive unless it is formatted?
    – Ozzy Films
    Apr 17, 2018 at 12:27
  • It doesn't make a peep otherwise
    – Ozzy Films
    Apr 17, 2018 at 12:28
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    Well that’s weird, DIR A: should give you some output — either a directory listing, if the disk is formatted and readable (even if the disk is empty), or an error message.
    – Stephen Kitt
    Apr 17, 2018 at 12:32
  • Check interface cable connected to the drive. May happen that you flipped it around (at the end of the drive or at the end of the controller).
    – Anonymous
    Apr 17, 2018 at 13:21

1 Answer 1

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General failure is a catchall error. If that's the message you're getting, then its possible the floppy you tried is simply not formatted. You could try formatting the floppy disk (Obviously you'll lose anything that's saved on it).

If the floppy is shedding oxide, then that disk is a goner.

If the heads are dirty you may have luck after cleaning them.

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