The message "the disk is not formatted" is given  when the machine does not
properly read your drive.  It may have pulled a fast one on you and now be
calling it something else.  When it happened to me it was calling my floppy
3.5disk a 5.25disk.  Check the settings in your bios to make sure they are
correct.  I have gone through three floppy drives because of this.  You have
to have your nose against the screen in control panel to know there is a
difference so I passed over this error for a whole day.  Two other bits to
go with this.  It is difficult to plug the power supply in backwards but it
can be done.  The control ribbon can go either way in some drives. In some
drives the nubby for direction had to be cut off the ribbon to put it in the
right way. If you put it in the wrong way usually the light stays on but if
you put it in the right way and the system as a whole is operative then it
should go out. (That's my experience lesson so far. Experience = test first
lesson afterwards.)

Richard Hallett Maine USA

"Hi all,
I purchased a 3 1/2" floppy from one of my suppliers, which is supposed to
have some much needed information on it. Well, when you try to open it, a
message says the disk is not formatted, would you like to format it now? Of
course I choose no as that would destroy all info on the disk. I paid $20.00
for the disk and the supplier will not replace it. When you look at the
properties in explorer, the disk shows 0 bites used and 0 bite capacity. If
there is information on the disk, does anybody know how to recover it for no
cost?

Thanks,
Jay Merritt"

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