Super304

Think this is right section for this.

Basically, I work on a network with 1000's of machines. Quite regualrly some of them need rebuilt (wiped, added to network, xp pulls down off network, installs, pulls down packages).

To get the process started we usually run some code from a floppy disk or a floppy emulating USB pen. Basically we have run out of these USB-FDD emulating pens. They are finding increasingly difficult to find/expensive (one supplier wanted £30 a pen, we need about 50, meaning it would cost £1500).

The code is third-party so we can't re-write it. It specifically needs to look for a floppy disk, as it reads data from it, writes data to it, then restores it to its former glory.

Does anyone know a way of making an ordinary bootable USB pen emulate an FDD?

Thanks in advance

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"There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who can read binary, and those who can't."

Super304

Bump...

Anyone got any idea's?

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"There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who can read binary, and those who can't."

iradiation

Floppy's are pretty old, why not look for more recent software that doesn't need a emulated FDD? Don't back yourself into a corner when FDD become extinct or so expensive you can afford to use it and you run out of options.

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Super304

Well basically i'm just an Field engineer on this system (1200 sites, 45,000 Workstations/Laptops/Printers etc. 250,000 users). The system is due an overhaul in the next couple of years and by then the need for floppy disks will have been eliminated. But until then we still have to use them

I'm just tryin to earn some kudos from the Bosses, by coming up with an inexpensive way of solving a problem. Most of the machines don't have floppy drives anymore, but the system (third-party system) for rebuilding the machine still needs a floppy/Floppy emulating device) to boot from. (system is pushing 6/7 years old now, floppy's were still in use when it was installed).

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"There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who can read binary, and those who can't."

pippolo

You can find some informations here:

http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

ChIck3n

Could you use a USB floppy drive?

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rtm2006

theres a HP USB Floppy format utility that will format any usb key to boot like a floppy i belive

Link to a guide i found with all the filess to download. i belive it will work as a USB FDD

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Super304

Thanks for info guys! Will check it out and try and test it tomorrow. Will report back!

#ChIck3n - Yeah USB floppy drives do work, but are considerably slower and less reliable than USB FDD pens. Not even just the media. I had 2 different USB FDD drives that broke fairly easily.

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"There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who can read binary, and those who can't."