Build Your Own PC
Connect Floppy to MotherboardMay 31, 1999
By David Risley
Assuming you have already installed the floppy drive into the case, it is now time to actually connect it to the motherboard and power supply.
- Connect the power supply to the floppy drive. On the 3=" drives, the plug is very small -- the smallest coming out of the power supply. On the larger 5<" drives, the connector is a large 4-wire connector, just like the hard drive power connectors. These are a little harder to plug in, and may take some rocking. The mini-plugs are much easier to plug in to the 3=" drives.
- Attach the Ribbon Cable.
- Floppy cables have a twist in the cable. A Drive goes after the twist. If you have a second B Drive, this goes before the twist. You don't need to mess with master/slave jumpers. If you choose not to mess with the twist, you can, with later BIOS versions, swap the order of the drives in the BIOS.
- 3=" drives use a set of pins for the connection to the ribbon cable. 5<" drives use a card-edge connector, just like the typical edge of an expansion card. You need to use a cable with the proper connectors for each type you use. Many floppy cables come with connectors for each type on each side of the twist.
- Always check Pin 1 on the ribbon cable connector. The red edge of the cable is connected to Pin 1. If you accidently reverse this, your drive won't be damaged, it just won't work, and the floppy drive light will stay on all the time until the error is rectified.
- The connector on the far end of the ribbon cable connects to the floppy controller on the motherboard or I/O card. Consult your motherboard's manual to determine which is your floppy controller.
- You're done. Double check your work.
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