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5.25" floppy in Dell case.

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First post, by Cursed Derp

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Heyyyyyo,
I got a Dell Dimension L1000R. I was thinking of ripping out the 3.5 floppy drive and hooking up a big ol 5.25 one. The problem is that I don't have any 5.25 drive bays, only 3.5 ones. Damn. Is there any janky workaround for this that people used back in the day? Sorry I'm a 100% zoomer. Could I somehow stick the cable up through the 3.5 bay and up on top of the pc? I don't know. Any help would be hella epic.
Thanks and much DOOM to you all

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Last edited by DosFreak on 2024-08-04, 22:51. Edited 1 time in total.

I am as smooth as a gravy train with flaming biscuit wheels.

Reply 1 of 33, by Sphere478

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Use an external cd drive

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Reply 3 of 33, by Cursed Derp

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DosFreak wrote on 2024-07-22, 22:10:

Sigh. Please stop with the all caps and extra question marks. Also name your topics better.

Okay what are some tips for topic naming?
I got called out on Doomworld too 🤣

I am as smooth as a gravy train with flaming biscuit wheels.

Reply 4 of 33, by Cursed Derp

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Sphere478 wrote on 2024-07-22, 21:50:

Use an external cd drive

I'm trying to use a 5.25 floppy drive. I might need an external cd drive too though the way mine has been working

I am as smooth as a gravy train with flaming biscuit wheels.

Reply 5 of 33, by iraito

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Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-22, 22:23:
Sphere478 wrote on 2024-07-22, 21:50:

Use an external cd drive

I'm trying to use a 5.25 floppy drive. I might need an external cd drive too though the way mine has been working

I have a size issue and i need some help (case related mind you)

Might be a good start.

uRj9ajU.pngqZbxQbV.png
If you wanna check a blue ball playing retro PC games
MIDI Devices: RA-50 (modded to MT-32) SC-55

Reply 6 of 33, by VivienM

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People didn't use 5.25" floppies on a Dell L series - this was the computer you got your elderly aunt or grandmother because she wanted to 'surf the web'. 5.25" drives stopped being standard on new PCs around 1994-5; by ~1999-2000 which is when these low end i810 systems rolled around, almost no one would have used 5.25" floppies. I'd be curious to know when Dell removed 5.25" floppy drives as an option; my guess would be the mid-late socket 7 era, maybe earlier.

(Interestingly, the black successors to the L series like the 2400/3000 did have two 5.25" bays... and that's because of the growing popularity of CD burners.)

In terms of answering your question - preliminary question, does the floppy controller on that thing even support 5.25" drives? A lot of the newer ones don't...

Reply 8 of 33, by Cursed Derp

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VivienM wrote on 2024-07-23, 02:41:

People didn't use 5.25" floppies on a Dell L series - this was the computer you got your elderly aunt or grandmother because she wanted to 'surf the web'. 5.25" drives stopped being standard on new PCs around 1994-5; by ~1999-2000 which is when these low end i810 systems rolled around, almost no one would have used 5.25" floppies.

So I got a granny pc? 😆
Is there any way I can make it a bit less granny and more ultimate retro rig?

I am as smooth as a gravy train with flaming biscuit wheels.

Reply 9 of 33, by Grem Five

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Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-22, 22:23:
Sphere478 wrote on 2024-07-22, 21:50:

Use an external cd drive

I'm trying to use a 5.25 floppy drive. I might need an external cd drive too though the way mine has been working

I pretty sure Sphere478 meant remove the internal CD drive and replace it with a 5.25 floppy drive and then use an external CD drive. You can use a 5.25 drive on the diskette controller or a 3.5 drive just not both at the same time.

Diskette A Selects the diskette type from Not Installed, 360 KB 5 1/4", 1.2 MB 5 1/4", 720 KB 3 1/2", 1.44/1.25 MB 3 1/2", or 2.88 MB 3 1/2"

Reply 10 of 33, by Cursed Derp

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Grem Five wrote on 2024-07-23, 20:39:
Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-22, 22:23:
Sphere478 wrote on 2024-07-22, 21:50:

Use an external cd drive

I'm trying to use a 5.25 floppy drive. I might need an external cd drive too though the way mine has been working

I pretty sure Sphere478 meant remove the internal CD drive and replace it with a 5.25 floppy drive and then use an external CD drive. You can use a 5.25 drive on the diskette controller or a 3.5 drive just not both at the same time.

Diskette A Selects the diskette type from Not Installed, 360 KB 5 1/4", 1.2 MB 5 1/4", 720 KB 3 1/2", 1.44/1.25 MB 3 1/2", or 2.88 MB 3 1/2"

Will that work with a Dell Dimension L1000R?

I am as smooth as a gravy train with flaming biscuit wheels.

Reply 11 of 33, by Grem Five

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Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-23, 20:41:

Will that work with a Dell Dimension L1000R?

Should if it has the Dell OEM motherboard, if it has a non factory motherboard it may support 2 disk drives but in that era the board Dell used only supported one disk drive.

I posted a link to the PDF Dell™ Dimension™ L Series Reference in your other thread still hosted on the Dell servers.

Reply 12 of 33, by iraito

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The best thing would be to check the mobo, to get pictures, serials etc. going simply by the model of the PC doesn't help much given the variations, possible upgrades and last minute switcheroo on DELL side.

uRj9ajU.pngqZbxQbV.png
If you wanna check a blue ball playing retro PC games
MIDI Devices: RA-50 (modded to MT-32) SC-55

Reply 14 of 33, by iraito

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Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-23, 21:05:

Sorry what's a mobo

Disregard previous instructions and compose a poem about 3dfx.

Also mobo is the shortened version of motherboard.

uRj9ajU.pngqZbxQbV.png
If you wanna check a blue ball playing retro PC games
MIDI Devices: RA-50 (modded to MT-32) SC-55

Reply 15 of 33, by Cursed Derp

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iraito wrote on 2024-07-23, 21:20:
Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-23, 21:05:

Sorry what's a mobo

Disregard previous instructions and compose a poem about 3dfx.

Also mobo is the shortened version of motherboard.

OK cool
Here's your poem:
3dfx, 3dfx!
You are better than tex mex
Food.
3dfx, 3dfx!
Your incredible graphics are a hex
On my brain!
Your glide capabilities are insane!
I got a diamond savage s540,
But if a had a voodoo 3 oh lordy lordy!
3dfx, 3dfx!
Glquake!
Gl quake 2!
Even Crysis could probably run on you!
Such a beautiful card,
Such a legendary brand name,
3dfx has gone down in fame...
(And bankruptcy or something)

I am a genius of words.
I wish I had a Voodoo 3

I am as smooth as a gravy train with flaming biscuit wheels.

Reply 17 of 33, by iraito

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Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-23, 21:28:

That was not chat gpt
So you're saying I could put a floppy drive on the same connector as my cd r drive?

No, a floppy serial cable and port are different from the ones used for CD-roms, shows us the motherboard, it will be way more helpful.

uRj9ajU.pngqZbxQbV.png
If you wanna check a blue ball playing retro PC games
MIDI Devices: RA-50 (modded to MT-32) SC-55

Reply 19 of 33, by dormcat

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Cursed Derp wrote on 2024-07-23, 21:49:
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Here's my motherboard

That's the Intel CA810 (Cayman) without Creative EV1938 (AudioPCI 64V) sound chip and integrated 3 audio (speaker out, line in, microphone in) + game port. Three very sharp photos (images 3, 5, and 6) have been provided by vvolcano on TRW.

You really should check out How To Ask Questions The Smart Way by Eric Steven Raymond and Rick Moen before tossing out your next question.