If your computer does not have a floppy drive and you still want to use 3.5 floppy disks to store your files, install a floppy drive and make it compatible with your older media. There are several types of floppy drives sold on the Internet from computer parts dealers. Before you decide to purchase a floppy drive for your computer, compare prices and look for the best bargains on wholesale computer parts.

Instructions

Step 1:

Remove the cover from your computer case. Use a Phillips screwdriver to loosen the screws attached to the cover. Pull the cover off and set it aside. As a precaution, ground yourself and wear an anti-ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) wrist strap to avoid the possibility of harming the components on your motherboard.

Step 2:

Remove the front panel cover. Depending on the type and model of your computer, it should have a small panel cover on it. Use a flat head screwdriver to pry the panel cover off of your computer case. Once you have removed the front panel cover to reveal the drive bay, you can begin mounting the 3.5 inch floppy drive on your computer.


Step 3:

Install the 3.5 inch floppy drive into the drive bay. First, insert and push the drive's connector ends through the opening of the drive bay and inside your computer case. Then, slide the floppy drive into the drive bay.

Step 4:

Move the floppy drive back and forth until the screw holes in the drive bay are lined up with the screw holes on the floppy drive. Next, attach the screws that came with your floppy drive. Use the Phillips screwdriver to tighten the screws to the floppy drive and the drive bay.

Step 5:

Look for the power cables on the power supply located on your motherboard. Connect one of the power cables to the power connector on the back of the floppy drive. Then, locate the ribbon cable on the controller card and connect the cable to the drive. The ribbon cable on your motherboard, normally has two black connectors on each end of it.

Step 6:

Replace the cover on your computer case. Re-tighten the screws that were removed and plug the power cords back into an electrical outlet.

Step 7:

Turn on your computer. Insert a floppy disk into the floppy drive. If your computer displays an error message that says, "Floppy Drive Fail," update your BIOS, so that your computer will recognize the drive.

Step 8:

Press either the "F1" or "Delete" key to enter your computer's BIOS. Search for the "Setup" menu option to activate the floppy drive. Follow BIOS on screen instructions for using the appropriate keys to adjust the BIOS settings. You may also need to add the specifications for the drive and indicate that you're installing a 1.44MB drive.

Step 9:

Choose "Save to CMOS and Exit (Y/N)" option and type the letter "Y" then, press the "Enter" key to exit your BIOS. Restart your computer to activate the floppy drive.