Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Resolved Question

How to make a usb read as 1.4 mb floppy

May 7, 2016 3:09AM PDT

Hi - I've inherited a theatre lighting desk that had a floppy drive changed to usb. The desk came with a usb pen that it recognises and can read/write from and to and which can also be read and written on my laptop (Win7 64). I would like to have more than 1 usb pen as back up but I've tried a number of different pen drives with no success. The desk won't recognise any of them. I've tried formatting and partitioning but no luck.
My PC skills aren't the best so I'm hoping that some one out there will be able to help if not then am I best going old school and buying a usb floppy drive and some floppy disks?

Discussion is locked

kdawg69 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

- Collapse -
Here's How
May 9, 2016 12:44PM PDT
- Collapse -
Thanks all
May 12, 2016 4:02AM PDT

Thanks Jared
Didn't need the device but the software - SFD 1.23 did the trick. Foramtted a 1gb drive to 1.4 mb and the lighting desk is now able to read from and save to the 2nd usb drive.

Big thanks to all that replied, really appreciate the help Happy

- Collapse -
Answer
This is very interesting.
May 7, 2016 10:05AM PDT

I have never heard of such that it can be done that way (usb stick?). Maybe if you "clone" the stick...it might work. So in what program you are using this?

- Collapse -
Ok here's what came up.
May 7, 2016 10:12AM PDT
- Collapse -
I didn't have much luck.
May 7, 2016 7:22PM PDT

Hope you did better. It maybe interesting but I am going to forget it. I am sticking with my USB floppy drive. Yip.

- Collapse -
Answer
This may be a feature from the maker.
May 7, 2016 11:07AM PDT

I have some older gear that used USB drives but only supported up to a few megabytes in size. Did you try it with another USB drive of the same size?

And of course you need to call the product maker to ask what to use, how to prepare, etc.

- Collapse -
Answer
Pen drive
May 7, 2016 4:58PM PDT

Take the working pen to the w7 machine and look close at the partition scheme and format style.

Like Robert said this may be just a size issue.

Any make/model/numbers on this working pen?

- Collapse -
Pen Drive
May 10, 2016 5:44AM PDT

Hi All
First of all thanks for the replies, really appreciate the help and secondly, apologies for not coming back to my post sooner.

The drive is a Crucial Gizmo 512 mb, however when i check the properties there is only 1.38 mb capacity. I've looked for any partitioning but can't see any. I have a 512 mb drive of my own, i partitioned this with no success

- Collapse -
Aha, more clues.
May 10, 2016 10:33AM PDT