floppy disk - device not configured error

[Warren Block]

On Tue, 18 Nov 2003, Technical Director wrote:

> Maybe I'm wrong but isin't dd a raw write to the device when used
> in this way? Hence a pre-formatting is not required?

A floppy will still need a low-level format before the first use.

> Preformatting may help I'm not to sure, I know that I have never had to do
> it for a boot floppy creation.

99% of floppies around today are preformatted.  The one you have might
not be, or may have been formatted by a drive that was out of alignment.

-Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota USA