Keeping a Floppy Disk Drive Running
Although floppy disk drives are usually rugged and dependable, they do take a lot of abuse and sometimes they fail. Some failures are simply caused by improper use, some by overuse combined with a lack of cleaning, and sometimes the mechanism just stops working.
Floppy disk drives fail more than any other part of a computer system. They are highly susceptible to failure because their internal components are directly exposed to the outside world. Often, there is only a small door or slot that separates the R/W heads from dust, grime, and cigarette smoke. Floppy disk drives are often the victims of inverted disks, paper clips, and other foreign objects that can cause mechanical damage.
Floppy disk drives are inexpensive and easy to replace. The only preventive maintenance required is to keep the floppy disk drive clean! Excellent cleaning kits are available in most computer and discount stores. To achieve the best performance from a floppy disk drive in a high-use or industrial environment, schedule monthly cleaning.
Always an Exception
One unusual floppy disk drive solution that appeared as the 3.5-inch models gained dominance was the hybrid 3.5/5.25 drive. This married the slots for both formats in a single housing. They install just like a single drive.