What can I do to stop computer searching floppy drive randomly? 1

[uselesslad]

What can I do to stop computer searching floppy drive randomly?
It seems to try to read floppy drive all the like when shutting down, browsing internet etc.

 

[butchrecon]

It is with your Anti-Virus. What Anti-Virus do you use? James Collins
Systems Support Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[uselesslad]

Command anti virus with F-Prot

 

[butchrecon]

I am not familiar with that one. Have you checked the settings for it to see if there is entries for checking the floppy? James Collins
Systems Support Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

Please let us (Tek-tips members) know if the solutions we provide are helpful to you. Not only do they help you but they may help others.

 

[uselesslad]

No but I will do,thanks I will let you know if this resolves the problem

 

[DECNET]

Disable Find Fast, I have found although it is supposed to speed things up, it is actually more trouble than it's worth. See if there is a shortcut to it in the Start Up group and delete it.
Also, are there any doc's in the recently used files list, that were loaded from floppy, if so clear that list.

Hope this helps. DEC

 

[tsuji]

Hello, u_ (I won't call your handle.)

For the symptom of a hyperactive floppy drive or random access of it, which is certainly a problem having many perplexed. I would classify it into two big categories

[1] nongeneric problem

Since the system retains memory for a good while previous activities in many places, such as in the registry MRU entries or start/documents or favorites etc, any recent failed attempt on your part to access the floppy will be remembered by the system. Thereafter, when the system attempts to check something, which it does a lot, it will attempt to access the floppy as well. If you let the system run as if nothing abnormal for a while, the problem will go away by itself. This is what I would call the nongeneric case. (If this is your case, you don't have to worry too much and let time cure the problem.)

[2] generic problem

There are settings of the system which may provoke (and explain) such hyperactive floppy drive or random access problem. This is what I would call the generic problem.

Under this category, there are two main scenario.

[2.A] Virus Scanners

If that happens only at reboots and shutdown, it is probably caused by the installed anti-virus software, McAfee VS or Norton AP or others.

ACTIONS [2.A] :
-------------
Disable their Properties or Options on Scan Floppy drives or Check Floppy drives.

According to your input, you use F-Prot which is a good DOS-based antivirus, your problem should not be caused by this. (As a side remark, do not remove F-Prot, it is sometime a necessary tool no gui-based antivirus can replace.)

[2.B] Mis-Placed PIF Shortcuts to Floppy

If the problem happens during runtime as well, it is most probably caused by shortcuts for Dos programs you have made which are pointing at the floppy drive.

However, NOT every such PIFs will cause trouble, ONLY those located on

a.) Desktop (C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP), and
b.) Start Menu (C:\WINDOWS\START MENU\PROGRAMS array)

will cause the trouble.

Notes to remember, though :
1.) Shortcuts for Dos programs are characterised by an extension PIF, whereas for Win programs by LNK.
2.) LNKs even pointing at floppy drive will not cause the trouble, only PIFs may.
3.) PIFs even pointing at floppy drive will not cause the trouble except they are sitting in the two directories mentioned above.

Those having the trouble should be quick to know which such shortcuts are.

But to identify them systematically, here is what one has to do. Click out the Find utility to search with the settings :

[Named :] *.pif
[Containing text :] a:[Look in :] c:\windows
[Including subdirectories box] checked

(if there is b drive, you can do it twice)

ACTIONS [2.B] :
-------------
Move all those shortcuts found and located in the two directories mentioned above out of them.

A suggestion is to create a directory under \windows\ with a name say \PIF_Floppy_Access or any name you prefer. Just serve as a reservoir of those shortcuts you may one day want to use. Otherwise, you might simply eliminate those shortcuts altogether.

The above are the big picture of how to get the problem resolved. (There might be some other causes which would be rarely encountered, such as tape drive etc.)

Putting all these in words does not reflect the fact that it is a simple Find then cut-and-paste procedure.

If the problem is resolved, I would suggest you to do one simple experiment to assure yourself that it really did the trick. Put one of those shortcuts back, and you will find the floppy light turns on excessively often and for no apparent reason. After that move it out again.

I hope the above clarify the issue.

 

[uselesslad]

Cheers tsuji,

you have made my day and all my floppy worries go away!!!!