# Solutions for Using a Floppy Disk in a Modern PC (Not USB) **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [June 19, 2019, 11:53am UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330 "2019-06-19T11:53:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/anthonysmith/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/u/AnthonySmith)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 11:53am UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/1 "2019-06-19T11:53:35Z")
Anyone got any tried and tested methods of running a floppy drive in a modern PC? Maybe a pci card with old school ide/floppy controllers? ---
**Author:** ![Solaire](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/solaire/32/4508_2.png) [@Solaire](https://hostballs.com/u/Solaire)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/2 "2019-06-19T13:47:55Z")
I’ve done a bit of research on this in the past. Please note that the next _best_ thing is probably a (software) floppy drive emulator (since you rule out USB). If that doesn’t work out, I’d say your best bet is to connect an older computer that actually has a floppy drive. But that’s not what you asked, so… PCI to FDC (Floppy Drive Controller) doesn’t exist (there’s been a few companies that have produced them in the past, but I’m talking more than 15 years ago. Quantity was very limited so chances you find them working are very slim). What does exist in larger quantities is ISA → FDC. There are converters on the market that do PCI → ISA. I’ve seen PCI → ISA → FDC work. PCIe → PCI → ISA is something I have never seen before but should technically work. ---
**Author:** ![WSS](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/wss/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@WSS](https://hostballs.com/u/WSS)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/3 "2019-06-19T14:55:27Z")
I don’t see anything branded by StarTech, who still as PATA to PCIe devices, so you might just be SOL for non-USB. I might give it a further gander shortly.. ---
**Author:** ![thagoat](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/thagoat/32/4431_2.png) [@thagoat](https://hostballs.com/u/thagoat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/4 "2019-06-19T16:23:18Z")
> [@WSS](#): > > PATA Oh how I miss ribbon cables ---
**Author:** ![AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/anthonysmith/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/u/AnthonySmith)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/5 "2019-06-19T17:15:47Z")
Though as much, ebay for an old PC it is then. ---
**Author:** ![thagoat](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/thagoat/32/4431_2.png) [@thagoat](https://hostballs.com/u/thagoat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/6 "2019-06-19T18:07:53Z")
ZIP drive FTW!!! ---
**Author:** ![Falzo](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/falzo/32/175_2.png) [@Falzo](https://hostballs.com/u/Falzo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/7 "2019-06-21T17:31:25Z")
you could try to get an old LS120 /w parallel port connector. afaik those could read 1.44 MB floppies as well… ![image](https://hostballs.com/uploads/default/original/2X/6/6b40d5211e1743c2f49f9cd37fb90537e40aeb5f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![WSS](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/wss/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@WSS](https://hostballs.com/u/WSS)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/8 "2019-06-21T19:16:03Z")
He’s just as likely to find a functional driver for that as he is getting a PATA LS120, which also existed. At least other than getting an IDE controller, he’d mostly be set. Not a clue how well it’d handle the offline/nodisk changeline, but it’d be easier than making a parallel one work, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Falzo](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/falzo/32/175_2.png) [@Falzo](https://hostballs.com/u/Falzo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 7:30am UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/9 "2019-06-22T07:30:38Z")
true story… a PATA LS120 I think I have in the basement somewhere… and a board, cpu, ram. FREE CANDY anyone? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WSS](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/wss/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@WSS](https://hostballs.com/u/WSS)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 1:08am UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/10 "2019-07-11T01:08:57Z")
If you’re still looking, I had a brainfart when someone posted some old FreeBSD CDs. An Adaptec AHA-1542 has a built-in floppy port and is accessible via SCSI. However, uh, it’s ISA. So, I guess this was a free, worthless bump. ---
**Author:** ![Harambe](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/harambe/32/2378_2.png) [@Harambe](https://hostballs.com/u/Harambe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 5:05am UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/11 "2019-07-11T05:05:50Z")
PCI → USB adapter, then a USB floppy drive 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/anthonysmith/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/u/AnthonySmith)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 9:54am UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/12 "2019-07-11T09:54:21Z")
I bought a laptop with a built in floppy drive, sorted 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![thagoat](https://hostballs.com/user_avatar/hostballs.com/thagoat/32/4431_2.png) [@thagoat](https://hostballs.com/u/thagoat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/13 "2019-07-11T13:35:51Z")
> [@AnthonySmith](#): > > I bought a laptop Expensive way to read a floppy 😄 ---
**Author:** ![WSS](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/wss/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@WSS](https://hostballs.com/u/WSS)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/14 "2019-07-11T17:38:53Z")
How old is that Thinkpad? ---
**Author:** ![AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/anthonysmith/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@AnthonySmith](https://hostballs.com/u/AnthonySmith)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/15 "2019-07-11T17:49:56Z")
its a compaq, thats how old! ---
**Author:** ![WSS](https://hostballs.com/letter_avatar/wss/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@WSS](https://hostballs.com/u/WSS)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://hostballs.com/t/solutions-for-using-a-floppy-disk-in-a-modern-pc-not-usb/2330/16 "2019-07-11T18:41:49Z")
That has got to be a 4/25c? I don’t remember anything newer that had a floppy that wasn’t on an external dongle.