More info: computer has not been used in 15 years. Floppy drive worked prior to that.

1. mainboard, since your floppy controller is integrated onto the mainboard.
2. serial or parallel link cable to another computer. serial allows you to get some software on the computer that will in turn allow you to use faster transfer speeds of a potential parallel link cable.
Also, serial link can be used to get software loaded that allows you to use a zip drive, ide, parallel, scsi (if you install a scsi card, though that will occupy some UMB space)
An IDE or SCSI floptical can also be used. LS 120 drive.
If you have a cdrom that can read cdrw discs. that's also a possibility.
3. what about boot disks ?

also, 1 is a bit unclear, did you try the floppy drive in another pc and that worked or just the floppies, and if just the floppies, why not try the drive in another pc ?

edit:
Seems like theretroweb doesn't have a photo of you mainboard. https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/azza-5 … 2.x-pt-5ivh-2.x

The chip that controls the floppy is the one in the middle of the board on the left side, marked winbond w83977f.

1. BIOS settings, cable orientation, PSU, motherboard. Assuming that the drive, cable and disk are all tested now/recently to work on another pc. A bit unlikely to be the motherboard if everything else works fine, but not unheard of.
2. Too many possibilities, some already mentioned. If you plan to do development and need to move files in and out very frequently or even semi-automated, consider adding a network card. A removable CF/SD card with the necessary adapter might also be practical.

There was a topic about these Azza mobos a few days ago and it seems they tend to suffer from chipset failures: 3x Azza PT-5IT V2.x semi dead ?
It might very well be that on your mobo the floppy controller interface decided to retire.

What about adding USB? Would something like this work and I can use a flash drive?

AHOMATE SD-NECU2-3E1I NEC Chipset NEC720102, USB 2.0, 4X (3 Ext. + 1 Int.) Ports PCI Card https://a.co/d/dDRae7N

What sort of drivers would I need?

Copy the USB Mass storage INF for win98 on, if you have USB.

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-98-u … age-driver.html

Alternatively, if you currently have NO means of getting data in or out-- A null modem cable and CTTY is the most barebones and retro way imaginable.

I can get data in but not out, using cd. I want to be able to get data out - might mess with adventure games studio for DOS or quickbasic for instance. I have a NEC USB PCI card on order hopefully I can get it working

My goto is using XP as a inbetween machine and just copying files back and forth over ethernet to and from the XP maching. XP running in a VM would work too. Its a lot less troublesume than using USB or floppys.

wierd_w wrote on 2023-08-01, 21:01:

Copy the USB Mass storage INF for win98 on, if you have USB.

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-98-u … age-driver.html

Alternatively, if you currently have NO means of getting data in or out-- A null modem cable and CTTY is the most barebones and retro way imaginable.

Would this work connecting it to my laptop? https://www.amazon.com/USB-Serial-Adapter-Mod … 131&sr=8-5&th=1

What is CTTY? Do I need special drivers for this?

Kitty Trouble wrote on 2023-08-06, 16:38:

wierd_w wrote on 2023-08-01, 21:01:

Copy the USB Mass storage INF for win98 on, if you have USB.

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-98-u … age-driver.html

Alternatively, if you currently have NO means of getting data in or out-- A null modem cable and CTTY is the most barebones and retro way imaginable.

Would this work connecting it to my windows 11 laptop? https://www.amazon.com/USB-Serial-Adapter-Mod … 131&sr=8-5&th=1

What is CTTY? Do I need special drivers for this?

wierd_w wrote on 2023-08-01, 21:01:

Copy the USB Mass storage INF for win98 on, if you have USB.

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-98-u … age-driver.html

Alternatively, if you currently have NO means of getting data in or out-- A null modem cable and CTTY is the most barebones and retro way imaginable.

Does the motherboard have a USB header? My PCChips M520 is a very low end VX chipset motherboard, and the USB ports work fine with Win98SE. That would be a much more trouble free way to get working USB ports.

Not that I can see. I just tried installing a USB PCI card and it is not even powering the devices. Can’t figure out the drivers. I am wasting too much money on this computer that I can’t afford. Another option is an IDE to USB converter but I want to make sure I know what I’m buying and doing before I decide to go that route.

Any option here that does not involve opening the case is strongly preferred.

Repo Man11 wrote on 2023-08-06, 17:05:

wierd_w wrote on 2023-08-01, 21:01:

Copy the USB Mass storage INF for win98 on, if you have USB.

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-98-u … age-driver.html

Alternatively, if you currently have NO means of getting data in or out-- A null modem cable and CTTY is the most barebones and retro way imaginable.

Does the motherboard have a USB header? My PCChips M520 is a very low end VX chipset motherboard, and the USB ports work fine with Win98SE. That would be a much more trouble free way to get working USB ports.

According to the manual on The Retroweb it does have a USB header, but check your board to be sure. Get a two port USB cable adapter and use a multi meter to check for the +5 and ground pins, and you'll have working USB ports.

I don't even know the proper search terms to find those devices, when I search for two port USB cable adapter it shows me pictures of USB splitters - I don't know where the USB headers are in that image or how to install them.

Ok I googled it and I think I understand but I am not seeing those things on my motherboard. I will post a video in a second

Kitty Trouble wrote on 2023-08-06, 17:29:

I don't even know the proper search terms to find those devices, when I search for two port USB cable adapter it shows me pictures of USB splitters - I don't know where the USB headers are in that image or how to install them.

It would be very nearly as easy as this video, though in your case (because it is a very early USB header prior to the standard nine pin layout), the pin out would need to be verified first, either by finding a manual that shows the pin out, or by verifying with a multimeter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoTt8e0OzX8

This is probably the layout you have, but probably isn't good enough because you need to be sure that you aren't plugging a ground wire to the +5 volt hot wire.

Here is a video where I show a full view of my motherboard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4q1zl30YcE

Here is a picture of the only pin-line things I found. Says PRN and is 13 x 2:

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/612275 … 68/IMG_1111.jpg

There is a thing that hooks up to my parallel/serial ports I think which might be the right shape, but other than that, dunno.

I don't see any USB ports like you're showing in the video or in the diagram.

I'm also very newbie to doing *anything* internal. I'm trying to not be a bother, but I only grew up learning the software side. And all attempts to install new hardware so far have resulted in failure. First the floppy drive I paid to have installed did not work, and now the PCI-USB I bought does not work. If it's just plug into a slot on the motherboard, then okay, but if my PCI USB isn't working, is this new USB going to work? I'm getting frustrated buying things that don't work.

Repo Man11 wrote on 2023-08-06, 17:51:

It would be very nearly as easy as this video, though in your case (because it is a very early USB header prior to the standard […]
Show full quote

Kitty Trouble wrote on 2023-08-06, 17:29:

I don't even know the proper search terms to find those devices, when I search for two port USB cable adapter it shows me pictures of USB splitters - I don't know where the USB headers are in that image or how to install them.

It would be very nearly as easy as this video, though in your case (because it is a very early USB header prior to the standard nine pin layout), the pin out would need to be verified first, either by finding a manual that shows the pin out, or by verifying with a multimeter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoTt8e0OzX8

This is probably the layout you have, but probably isn't good enough because you need to be sure that you aren't plugging a ground wire to the +5 volt hot wire.

I think I caught a peek of the USB header on your motherboard in the video. The image I posted earlier shows it located near the left edge of the motherboard between the second and third from the bottom ISA slots.

These? They also seem a bit corroded or something, I can try cleaning them out.