When did you last use a floppy disk?

[editor]

Once an absolute essential of computing, the floppy has fallen out of use in Chez Editor for many years now - none of my PCs or laptops even have a floppy slot.

So: when was the last time you used a floppy disk: Or are you still using them?

(PS Anyone remember installing Windows on floppies? Or the 27 disks that made up Photoshop 3.0 - with the inevitable duff one at the end)

*Poll coming up

 

[Kanda]

Last week. Installing SCSI drivers for a Windows Server build.

As said in other thread, I've done loads of Win 3.1 rollouts.. from floppy disk!! Nightmare!

 

[Dillinger4]

The computer I am on right now still has a floppy drive. It has not been used for a long time.

I think the last time it was used was for a driver of some sort.

My laptop doesn't even have a floppy drive.

 

[electrogirl]

what were those big disks that actually were floppy?

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Christ it was like 4 years ago, someone gave me one at work with some work docs on and I gave them the 'why haven't you got a 128mb usb drive' look...

 

[dlx1]

last month unattended install.

save me farting about typing s/n

 

[kyser_soze]

In the last month, but that was related to learning how to install XP on the ComptiaA+1 course...

e-girl - yeah, if you removed the cardboard (for 5.25") or plastic cover (3.5") there was indeed a floppy disk, resembling a flexi-disc, contained within.

 

[Dillinger4]

what were those big disks that actually were floppy?

They were floppy disks as well.

 

[bluestreak]

5 1/2" drives. I last used one of them about six or seven years ago when I reclaimed a BBC Micro from a skip. Green screen monitor, modem, floppy drive, man it was sweet. And in the floppy drive was one solitary disk of games, like Defender and Galaxians. For months me and the gang went back to mine to play games, until a whippet gnawed through the cables for a laugh.

I carried it around for years hoping to replace the cables, but never got around to it. Sold the modem and disc drive and floppy on ebay for a pittance, and someone wombled the computer and monitor , abnd chewed cables within hours of sticking it out for the dustmen.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Used one a little over a year ago. The big floppy in that picture - maybe 15 years

 

[Hocus Eye.]

My computer doesn't have a floppy disc drive, but I bought a usb one a few years back because I had some Word documents on such discs that I needed. I remember when computers had an A drive and a B drive into which you could put floppies. The first version of Word I used came on a floppy which you put in one drive and put a blank floppy in the other drive to save your documents. Older versions of Windows used to look in the A drive for the OS when booting up and announce the fact on screen.
<reaches for Wurthers Originals to give to grandson>

 

[baldrick]

it was years ago when i was at uni, so..... 4 years ago.

 

[Kanda]

5 1/4" drives.

Corrected!

 

[Lord Camomile]

Probably my first or second year at uni, can't think I would still be using 'em in my third year. So, 2004/5? They were multicoloured!

 

[kained&able]

Reckon our uni still had floppy disks in my first year possibly 2nd so then i guess. so umm 4/5 years ago.

Think i have lost more usb sticks then i ever lost floppy disks though.


dave

 

[bluestreak]

Corrected!

*Bows in geek supplication*

 

[cliche guevara]

Would've been when I was in school, so 2002 at the latest. Six years! Jesus, they're well dead. 1.4MB of data is laughable now. I remember copying Doom onto about six floppies for all my mates when I was a little 'un.

 

[danny la rouge]

A little over a year ago.

I was most displeased to no longer have the option. Though I can understand why they fell out of favour.

 

[DotCommunist]

They were floppy disks as well.

I remember having a crushingly dull flight simulator on a few of them sized disks

 

[DotCommunist]

Would've been when I was in school, so 2002 at the latest. Six years! Jesus, they're well dead. 1.4MB of data is laughable now. I remember copying Doom onto about six floppies for all my mates when I was a little 'un.

DOOM? pah! I recall having Wolfenstien on a few of them disks

 

[hiccup]

Found a disc in the office a couple of weeks ago, found the one PC witha floppy drive to see what was on it. Before that...a couple of years ago, to get at some old files. I know a guy who does the payroll for quite a big English language school, and uses floppy discs. They only got office wide internet a year or so ago.

 

[Vintage Paw]

About 3 years ago – the recovery disk for my old Packard Bell desktop was a floppy.

I used to be mystified when my mum had a big case of them big floppy floppies when I was a kid. They seemed like magic, they did.

 

[Aldebaran]

I have a floppy drive installed on every PC and I have external too. I have uncountable floppy disks containing so many things I wrote or need or possibly will need in the future, that going through all of that to get it stored on an other carrier isn't possible.

Yes, it's "old fashion" etc.. etc... but I can't be bothered with the smiles and comments

salaam.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Last week.

I was serching for a midi file that I had backed up. My midi controler only takes floppies. I have a couple of USB floppy drives for my computer just in case.





I have a keyboard that I have to load and save on tape.

 

[untethered]

1.4MB of data is laughable now.

I've got a 256MB USB stick and even that's starting to look a bit ridiculous.

 

[Epico]

Last year, as a boot disk.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

They were floppy disks as well.

These came in 8" versions as well IIRC.

 

[neonwilderness]

Last time I used one for my own use was probably at uni a couple of years go. I recently had to recover some data from one for a guy at work, fortunately I've now managed to persuade him to buy a flash drive.

I think I still have a 5.25" drive in my box of PC spares (aka a box of junk) too. I'll have to get that on Ebay

 

[WWWeed]

Today!


You'd be surprised how many things you can only flash with a floppy. Even if your computer doesn't have a floppy drive!

My biggest problem is finding the fuckers, as nobody uses them anymore there not as easy to 'acquire'. I'm thinking of buying a box of 20 or something and never buying any again. ever.

 

[Dask]

I had to use a floppy disk to install the Raid drivers for a windows 2003 server that I built recently.