windows xp Vista 64 SP2 issue

[Guest Rom]

I'd had Vista 64-bit installed for about two years, with lots of

driver and software updates and some hardware added during that time,

all Windows updates, SP1, Windows Search 4.0, IE8, very few issues,

and installed SP2 from Windows Update. After installing SP2 I noticed

when opening Computer (folder) from a shortcut in Quick Launch, the

1.44 floppy disk drive light would randomly flash and make its noise,

when it had never done that prior to installing SP2. The floppy drive

isn't used much, and after a few weeks of observing I hadn't worked

out why it did it when it did, and didn't do it if the "Devices with

Removable Storage" group was collapsed, but might if that group was

expanded after opening Computer. It's a minor but annoying problem.

 

So, I tried a clean new install of Vista SP1 (DVD) without Windows

Updates, drivers or software installed afterwards and there was no

floppy problem when opening Computer. Then installed the standalone

SP2 and afterwards the floppy problem started again, and no other

Windows Updates, drivers or software had been installed. After setting

up the system, installing drivers and software, another few weeks, and

without using the floppy drive, it was still happening randomly.

 

For the time being I've used gpedit.msc to hide A (and style_emoticons//cool.gif drives in

Computer and Explorer as a workaround, even though kinda inconvenient.

Does anyone know what the problem is, how to fix it without hiding the

floppy drive in Computer, seen or heard of it in Vista (SP2)?

 

--

Rom

[Guest Carlos]

Hmmm...

I have also this issue in Windows 7. I have disabled the floppy drive until

(if ever) I need it.

Carlos

 

"Rom" wrote:

> I'd had Vista 64-bit installed for about two years, with lots of

> driver and software updates and some hardware added during that time,

> all Windows updates, SP1, Windows Search 4.0, IE8, very few issues,

> and installed SP2 from Windows Update. After installing SP2 I noticed

> when opening Computer (folder) from a shortcut in Quick Launch, the

> 1.44 floppy disk drive light would randomly flash and make its noise,

> when it had never done that prior to installing SP2. The floppy drive

> isn't used much, and after a few weeks of observing I hadn't worked

> out why it did it when it did, and didn't do it if the "Devices with

> Removable Storage" group was collapsed, but might if that group was

> expanded after opening Computer. It's a minor but annoying problem.

>

> So, I tried a clean new install of Vista SP1 (DVD) without Windows

> Updates, drivers or software installed afterwards and there was no

> floppy problem when opening Computer. Then installed the standalone

> SP2 and afterwards the floppy problem started again, and no other

> Windows Updates, drivers or software had been installed. After setting

> up the system, installing drivers and software, another few weeks, and

> without using the floppy drive, it was still happening randomly.

>

> For the time being I've used gpedit.msc to hide A (and style_emoticons//cool.gif drives in

> Computer and Explorer as a workaround, even though kinda inconvenient.

> Does anyone know what the problem is, how to fix it without hiding the

> floppy drive in Computer, seen or heard of it in Vista (SP2)?

>

> --

> Rom

>

[Guest Carlos]

Rom,

As I have a similar issue like yours, though in Win 7, I googled for "floppy

light is permanently on" and found zillion reasons why that might happen.

So, there is not one single root cause.

I tried disabling my antivirus, no dice.

Similar issues date back to 2001.

I'll post my particular solution, if I ever find it.

Today I re-enabled my floppy and the light went on again. The mechanism was

making a noise like trying to read an absent floppy. I put a floppy in, the

noise went off, lights stayed on. The floppy could be read perfectly by

Windows Explorer. I removed the floppy, lights stayed on and the mechanism

noise returned. I just disabled the floppy again in Device Manager.

Carlos

 

"Rom" wrote:

> I'd had Vista 64-bit installed for about two years, with lots of

> driver and software updates and some hardware added during that time,

> all Windows updates, SP1, Windows Search 4.0, IE8, very few issues,

> and installed SP2 from Windows Update. After installing SP2 I noticed

> when opening Computer (folder) from a shortcut in Quick Launch, the

> 1.44 floppy disk drive light would randomly flash and make its noise,

> when it had never done that prior to installing SP2. The floppy drive

> isn't used much, and after a few weeks of observing I hadn't worked

> out why it did it when it did, and didn't do it if the "Devices with

> Removable Storage" group was collapsed, but might if that group was

> expanded after opening Computer. It's a minor but annoying problem.

>

> So, I tried a clean new install of Vista SP1 (DVD) without Windows

> Updates, drivers or software installed afterwards and there was no

> floppy problem when opening Computer. Then installed the standalone

> SP2 and afterwards the floppy problem started again, and no other

> Windows Updates, drivers or software had been installed. After setting

> up the system, installing drivers and software, another few weeks, and

> without using the floppy drive, it was still happening randomly.

>

> For the time being I've used gpedit.msc to hide A (and style_emoticons//cool.gif drives in

> Computer and Explorer as a workaround, even though kinda inconvenient.

> Does anyone know what the problem is, how to fix it without hiding the

> floppy drive in Computer, seen or heard of it in Vista (SP2)?

>

> --

> Rom

>

[Guest Rom]

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:01:02 -0700, Carlos wrote:

 

[Opening Computer (folder) causes random FDD light to flash and its

noise]

> Hmmm...

> I have also this issue in Windows 7. I have disabled the floppy drive until

> (if ever) I need it.

 

Thanks for confirming the issue in Win7. I have Win7 RC in a VM and

don't connect the FDD. I prefer the workaround of hiding the floppy

icon in Computer and Explorer to disabling. Showing/hiding the icon

with it happening or not for me should have given me a clue earlier.

 

After your post I switched back to not hiding A (and style_emoticons//cool.gif drives in

Computer (in Vista SP2), and think I've found why it's happening and a

couple of ways to reproduce it. It's the thumbnail cache file:

C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_256.db

when generating thumbnails in folders, deleting Thumbnails in Disk

Cleanup, and its cache changing.

 

In Vista SP2, if I use (any) cleanmgr.exe to delete Thumbnails (my

files or files from all users), then open Computer the FDD light and

noise happen. Close that window and open Computer again and it'll

happen once again. Another way for it to happen is opening a folder in

Explorer with many images, say, hundreds of wallpapers and when

viewing as Large Icons (I usually use details for all, and change the

view when I want or set for specific folders) the thumbnails are

(re)generated while scrolling down and viewing, which changes the

thumbcache_256.db file. Then open Computer and it'll happen again.

 

Carlos, can you, or anyone else, with a FDD confirm this with Vista

SP2 and Win7? Or add anything else?

 

--

Rom

[Guest Rom]

On Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:54:01 -0700, Carlos wrote:

> As I have a similar issue like yours, though in Win 7, I googled for "floppy

> light is permanently on" and found zillion reasons why that might happen.

> So, there is not one single root cause.

> I tried disabling my antivirus, no dice.

> Similar issues date back to 2001.

> I'll post my particular solution, if I ever find it.

> Today I re-enabled my floppy and the light went on again. The mechanism was

> making a noise like trying to read an absent floppy. I put a floppy in, the

> noise went off, lights stayed on. The floppy could be read perfectly by

> Windows Explorer. I removed the floppy, lights stayed on and the mechanism

> noise returned. I just disabled the floppy again in Device Manager.

 

Like you, I also searched and found similar issues with My Computer.

The FDD works fine, otherwise. My trying a clean install of Vista SP1

without installing any apps etc. and with no FDD problem then, but

after installing SP2 still without any apps etc. installed or setting

changes, I thought would have eliminated many things as the cause.

 

Your issue as described above is similar in that the FDD light and

noise happen, but the light stays on for you, whereas for me the light

goes off and its noise stops. Your issue also reminded me of a thread

earlier this month (June 2009) in this group, in particular these

posts (if you can find the thread or posts with the web interface):

| From: Jeff Gaines

| Subject: Win 7 (64 bit) Public RC

| Message-ID:

| Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general

| Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 08:21:41 -0700

 

| From: Jeff Gaines

| Subject: Re: Win 7 (64 bit) Public RC

| User-Agent: XanaNews/1.19.1.194

| Message-ID:

| Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general

| Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:43:08 -0700

 

It's the issue of the empty CD/DVD behaviour in Explorer/Computer and

with hiding empty drives.

 

--

Rom