Best floppy & tape drives according to redditors

Yes you do

That was probably the point, to add a little bit more malicious compliance on top.

"I said I would recover your files. I never said they would be easy to access, or that I would fix your computer."

On a side note, tape drives are real.

Their data capacity is pretty good, but the seek times (how long it takes to find the data the computer wants) are incredibly slow.

If the son really wanted to mess around with the eldest daughter, he could have a floppy drive and some disks shipped in from Amazon, stored the documents on a floppy disk, then hidden the floppy drive or held it hostage until payment was delivered.

Oh, you need help using it? Pay me $100 up front, and I will teach you once. Make sure to take notes.

You can get a USB floppy drive if it's worth $13.99 to you to see what it is

http://amzn.com/B00E9MD700

Get one of these for the office and stick it in a drawer somewhere.

I’ve had attorneys hand me client files, depositions and old property reports on floppies quite a few times.

Assuming we're using this USB 1Mbps Floppy Disk Reader for $13.99.

1Mbps takes 8 seconds per MB.

1TB = 1,000,000MB, Thus 8,000,000s per TB.

15 * 8,000,000s = 120,000,000s

120,000,000 / 60 = 2,000,000 minutes.

...skipping more basics... (33,333 hours and 20 minutes)

1388.9 days

Using the Gregorian Calendar, there are an average of 365.2425 days in a year.


1388.9 / 365.2425 = 3 years 293 days 4 hours 8 minutes and 24 seconds.

DOSBox.

But first, you'd need a 3.5" floppy drive to pull the files off.

USB Floppy Drive

I got one of these. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BS85CN9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It made our life much easier.

Can't you buy a USB 3.5 floppy adapter for about $11, dump the disk, and try it in an emulator?

external

internal

no....

https://www.amazon.com/Generic-SFR1M44-U-Emulator-Industrial-Equipment/dp/B008HYT6T2

20 second search

I found it! Sunworld® 8GB Rose Novelty Nail Polish Bottle Shape USB 2.0 Flash Drive Memory stick Gift USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N5R4XL2/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_tlrNub142DKS4

Richer-R USB Emulator, SFRM72-DU26 720K USB Floppy Drive Emulator with High Security Data Protection, Easy to Install and User-Friendly for BARUDAN BENS Embroidery Machine https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDZV8Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IUpODb428AZDC

It was mentioned in this post

Direct Amazon link

Luckily for me this cheap PC had an available four-pin "hard drive" power connector that the 5.25" floppy drive used. The hardest part was the pretzel-like twisting I had to do to get the cables connected up properly.

You can get a USB floppy drive fairly cheap, or a frame grabber for a bit more. If you don't care for either of those, this sounds like a fun senior design project.

$10 to $12 typically! Not likely W10 knows what to do with the files on disk but forward the device into VirtualBox or dosbox for added usefulness.

You can get one of this external floppy disk drives.

>which would use IDE ribbon cables

IDE cables were specific to IDE devices. Floppy drives were not IDE. They did, however use ribbon cables.

​

>I do not recognize whatever they use as a connector

Really? 5.25in drives tended to use an edge-connector and 3.5in drives tended to use pin-headers. The cable had 34-pins.

https://www.amazon.com/CablesOnline-Universal-Floppy-Ribbon-5-25in/dp/B00FZ3IL80

Edit: Fixed Pin Out

This usb floppy drive is $14 on Amazon.

Weapon of choice

Ammunition

I thought the same thing, only instead I just bought this so I have interchangable storage. Half the price of this USB 3.1 nonsense.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Monitor-Bracket-Screens-Rotation/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=pd_bxgy_147_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=BKJF1QEG1FMV2GAJQFJ2

bruh, USB

Here you go.

yep, it would take about 5 minutes to implement

Here's a USB stick that looks like a bottle of OPI nail polish:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N5R4XL2/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_tlrNub142DKS4

1.3MB file in 32 seconds

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700

Link to said product

Free Prime shippin'

Here you go! ;)

They still have new equipment available (or refurbished).

Floppy Disks

Disk Cleaner

[Floppy Drive] (http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700/ref=pd_bxgy_23_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1Q5S5MVQTPPZB0HKJ6HX)

Article about it

You can replace them with hardware emulators though such as http://www.amazon.co.uk/3-5-Inch-Floppy-Drive-Emulator/dp/B0083Z29JO if it's your own desk.

It's worth noting that you can pick up USB floppy drives cheaply! Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required/dp/B00RXEWOAA

When do I start? 3.5" USB External Floppy Disk Drive Portable 1.44 MB FDD for PC Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/Windows 10/7/8,for Mac,No Extra Driver Required,Plug and Play,Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RXEWOAA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GzHOybHMYSW5H

Sabrent External USB 1.44 MB 2x Floppy Disk Drive .

you can get 1.44mb floppy drives on ebay or amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700

technology isnt simply lost or destroyed

if there is demand for old technology, it's easily resurrected. it was as powerful as a calculator back in the day

VonHaus Single Arm LCD LED Monitor Desk Mount Bracket for 13"-27" Screens with ±45° Tilt, 360° Rotation & 180° Pull Out Swivel Arm - Max VESA 100x100 - Free 5 Year Warranty https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O2jiybX5G6WZY

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0119NXXYQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Very happy with it, also was on sale at the time

Yep!

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B01GHF5VS2?psc=1

You could buy this external floppy drive. According to a reviewer:

>Thought this device was incompatible with my Windows 10 computers but I figured out how to make it work. When you plug it in, it registers the device but it doesn't show up in the list of drives in Windows Explorer, even when you insert a diskette. But, if you type "A:\" (without the quotes) in the address bar at the top of Windows Explorer, it will then appear in the list and allow you to access the drive.

I'm not exactly sure how things are right now but Windows 10 was going to stop supporting floppy disk drives (support by having drivers ready for you) afaik.

X34 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0119NXXYQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

LG -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018MT6ZEK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Single mount for each might be the better choice.

I just ordered a VoHaus brand single mount. By its reviews it look like the tilt holds fast and doesn't make the monitor look sad by facing down. It should be here tomorrow, and once I set it up I can let you know how it goes.


Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_5vLoxbVRYSEAH


Edit: Spelling and grammar.

Could you use a USB floppy drive? I did something similar not long ago (made a Win95 boot disk for an old computer I have). The only problem I had was tracking down the right driver for the floppy drive (the drive I was using was pretty old, and didn't have easy to find drivers). It does look like the one I linked to is plug and play with Win7 (at least according to the questions/reviews).

The max arm length, according to the Amazon listed specs, is only 450mm. That is 450mm from the center post. Depending on the size of the monitors, that doesn't give you a lot of room to move the left and right arms forward.

If you were to extend the arms by mounting an intermediate between the monitor and VESA mounts pictured, you would be going beyond the maximum arm length they recommend. It would likely damage the arms, monitors and/or desk.

If I were you, I'd get three separate arms, one for each monitor. That should give you the ability to change the pivot point of each arm, maximizing the reach and giving you freedom to move and adjust without issues.

This has a max arm length of 428mm:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Monitor-Bracket-Screens-Rotation/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=pd_sim_229_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=31J1XeXC-kL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=CJMZPV0PH5QMG3X6MMC5

If it uses a standard floppy drive then check out some of the floppy emulators.
There are good ways to retrofit old tech like that.

https://www.amazon.com/Floppy-Drive-Emulator-Emulator-Keep-Install/dp/B0083Z29JO

3.5" floppies are easy, just over $10 on Amazon for one that hooks up to USB. There's a ton for sale, and the 3.5" floppy is still necessary for certain legacy hardware (mostly in industrial manufacturing).

Also it's probably worth noting that a good chunk of the data from a full decade would fit into a single modern SAN, if not smaller. Floppies were only 2.88 MB of data at their largest, in a Dell EMC array with 400 TB of useable space you'd be looking at being able to store 145.4 million of those 2.88 MB floppies. That's all of that data in only 2U of rackspace.

Another question is what use would having access to that data serve? When would we ever need it other than for historical records (most of which have probably been updated to modern storage mediums anyway)? Most of the data and programs from back then don't serve any modern purpose aside from nostalgia, anything useful has been brought forward as the tech improved.

Buy this:

https://www.amazon.com/Esynic-Floppy-External-Portable-Windows/dp/B01GHF5VS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499556849&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+floppy+drive

You may not necessarily need to port your old game. If it ran in MS-DOS, you might be able to run it under DOSBOX which could then just be bundled with it. Then you could release your fully functioning game today, working, on modern machines. GoG.com uses DOSBox for a lot of the games they sell on there.

You could make a followup post a week from now saying how you're releasing your first game, whatever state it's in.

You can still buy 3.5" floppy drives connectable via USB today. Hell, I think that that's cheaper than the last internal floppy drive I bought.

I mean, I get not breaking compatibility, but when a tiny fraction of 1% want the damn thing, let them purchase it a la carte rather than forcing everyone to do it. At that point, software being physically distributed had long since moved to CD.

Esynic USB Floppy Drive 3.5" USB External Floppy Disk Drive Portable 1.44 MB FDD USB Drive Plug and Play for PC Windows 10 7 8 Windows XP Vista Mac Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GHF5VS2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NCl7Bb79EBWDG

This is the one that I bought

I bought it for about £18 I think so at that price there are better ones. You can really get any monitor arm you find on amazon for a decent price, just check the weight limit against the weight of your monitor.

I had this exact computer as a kid. Absolutely loved it. Why are you trying to install DOS? Just install Windows 95.

As far as troubleshooting the hard drive, get some bootable diagnostics going. I like FalconFour but there are others. You can probably find free ide drives on craigslist or facebook if that one is shot.

Make sure you can see the hard drive in the bios. If you can't make sure your master/slave configuration is correct on the jumpers and the cable.

Get one of these if you don't have an easy way to make floppy's work (for OS installation and others).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_R.D5ybW76T9K1

I believe it's this, I have the exact same monitor/stand set up. Very nicely built and great finish, no qualms with this especially for the price.

You forgot this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GUY5HW/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_zjgLub1PESBE8

USB floppy drives are actually a thing, so if someone is determined then they can probably get those floppies to work (assuming they're still in working condition.)

I still have my set of Doom floppies. The fact that we needed to swap out disks would probably blow kids' minds today.

Oh someone certainly has - there is a usb floppy controller in every usb floppy drive, and there was actually a full-size usb floppy drive that existed a few years back that was literally a full-size drive in an external caddy with a usb controller that adapted to the full-size pins.

However, that external drive has been discontinued, and nobody has bothered to resurrect the technology behind it. I think that particular drive goes for something like $100 today.

There are floppy to USB devices....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RXEWOAA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_6AnPDbRCANRB4

I need to make a parts list Mount
Keyboard Nothing special but gets the job done.

If it takes standard 3.5" double density floppy disks your best bet might be snagging a cheap usb floppy drive. It looks like you can pick one up for less than $20 bucks. I work in a field where I need to use floppies every now and again. So my external drive has been a sadly necessary life saver.

A USB floppy drive is going to be cheaper than what you're looking for, assuming you can find it at all. To the best of my knowledge, PCI floppy controllers are no longer produced, and PCIe floppy controllers never were.

I have this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YnQwybY55W0CD - it's been on sale forever.

It's solid, no movement at all when I nudge the desk and my monitor weighs a fair bit!

Did you try Amazon?

https://www.amazon.com/NEWSTYLE-3-5-External-Floppy.../dp/B00KX8EMOO

Like a USB port? https://www.amazon.com/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required/dp/B00RXEWOAA
I guess those are hard to come by.

That said, bitrot is real.

One might not have a floppy disk drive, but it is easy to buy one.

i've never really been a drinker, so one thing i'm going to treat myself to is this fabulous flash drive lol

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_3Q6iyb3V49CM3

Could probably get something like this to save you a step or if that drive fails.

It's this one here. Really superb quality for the price and great cable management.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0119NXXYQ/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_bK5DR5_c_x_3_w/253-0026002-1878044?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=CY0CW54BF1F5NDYKCFY5&pf_rd_r=CY0CW54BF1F5NDYKCFY5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=54fda6e0-bb67-456d-ad5c-11ea98687cf1&pf_rd_p=54fda6e0-bb67-456d-ad5c-11ea98687cf1&pf_rd_i=296770011

This one!
VonHaus Single Arm

For the 24" Monitors Link

For the UltraWide Link

They are sturdy and well designed. No Complaints from me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006BAJ2

You can use a standard 3.5 drive in its place.

Hi, it's this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0119NXXYQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

USB-C -> USB 3.0 -> THIS

This one for the Asus and this one for the Philips.

Do you have any experience with these floppy drive emulators that let you use a USB drive with multiple partitions to emulate a stack of multiple floppy disks?

https://www.amazon.com/Gotek-SFR1M44-U100-1-44MB-Floppy-Emulator/dp/B0762NCHC6/

I knew someone a few years ago with a piece of industrial equipment that required loading data via floppy drive. I think they got one of these floppy emulators to modertnize it a little bit.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WSW1YXA

Yeah, it has the same pins as a standard floppy drive, and works just like one as far as the computer/keyboard/whatever is concerned.

Here's one: You can see it's just like a floppy drive.

Looks like they do make it (barring that the drive is removable mind you)

https://www.amazon.com/Generic-SFR1M44-U-Emulator-Industrial-Equipment/dp/B008HYT6T2

This is a pretty nice set. I clicked through on the Imgur album, and I have a bit of advice:

Don't use a hard drive (IDE) cable, because it won't fit. Instead, you need a floppy drive cable, which you can get here if you don't happen to have one laying around.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RXEWOAA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KwXtDb74QPAY8

$12.99 on amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700

Buy a floppy emulator like this.

Are you sure it even has a hard drive in it? Many computers from that time did not, and if it's asking for a boot disk it might be trying to load DOS (or something equivalent) into memory so it can function.

Edit: Also, you might be able to pick one of these up on the cheap along with some floppies and make your own boot disk for it.

I use this holds my BenQ Xl2411Z without any sag. Able to tilt, rotate. Here it is in action

Yeah. I was thinking more for a collector or something. though it's possible to get a floppy drive still:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466101893&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+floppy+drive

I love that it's commonly bought with this usb floppy drive
http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700/ref=pd_bxgy_pc_img_y
I wonder if people ever hook them together.

I see, as my ears are not as trained as the community here, maybe it will be enough?

And a last question: is there any kind of speakers stand that can be clamped to a desk like some monitor stand? (this kind of screwed clamp https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Monitor-Bracket-Screens-Rotation/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1473671450&sr=8-3&keywords=monitor+stand)

This? https://www.amazon.ca/NEWSTYLE-External-Floppy-Disk-Drive/dp/B00KX8EMOO

Or this? http://www.deviceside.com/fc5025.html

The monitor is the LG25UM65 and the arm is Von Haus

The amazon store with this link is official ledger seller. But sure id say rather buy right from the official website, but i imagine there isnt much difference. Just make sure you are the one generating the seed! https://www.amazon.com/Ledger-Nano-Cryptocurrency-Hardware-Bluetooth/dp/B07M6R4NK3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=ledger+nano+s&qid=1562362082&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Something like this? https://www.amazon.com/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required/dp/B00RXEWOAA/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=external+floppy+disk+mac&qid=1563815476&s=electronics&sr=1-3

I found an internal floppy disk drive on Amazon: Sony MPF920 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Disk Drive (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003AXXO0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nzsEAb1NT5Q9H

I don't think a desktop case has ports. It has drive bays and you add USB ports with a bay.

That would be amazing! I have access to several 3D Printers through a local maker space, but I have no skill at all with creating 3D models.

If you really want to have a go at the model, here's what the case needs:

• Space for Arduino Pro-Micro (internal only)
  
• Space for Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ (with external cutouts for ports on the back and side)
  
• Space for one of these floppy drives to rest inside with external cutout (is fine if I have to dremel that cut-out myself, since it'll be awkward fitting that thing in there, and I'll probably opt to remove the black case from that external floppy drive)
  
• Cutouts on the front for two additional USB ports
  
• Raised Pico8 logo, "PICO8" text, and "PICO PI" text, within slightly lowered horizontal trench (can paint the text manually)

Yes.

https://www.amazon.com/Floppy-Drive-Emulator-Emulator-Keep-Install/dp/B0083Z29JO
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-SFR1M44-U-Emulator-Industrial-Equipment/dp/B008HYT6T2

You are welcome ;-)

I have this one on my PG348Q, should be fine for the X34 also.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Monitor-Bracket-Screens-Rotation/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1486404326&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=vesa+mount+100xx100

Mine is not available anymore. The link from my old Amazon orders now sends me to one that doesnt have the matching picture:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0119NXXYQ



​

But this one should be just fine:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/1home-Ergonomic-Computer-Monitor-Rotation/dp/B01MZ70QJB

​

​

Yes you can. This thing is a 100% hardware solution for any system with an IDE floppy drive.

This device has an IDE interface just like a floppy, a USB port on the front, and an LED 2 digit number display.

It also comes with a CD Rom with software.

You format the USB into 26 1.44MB partitions using the utility, and select which one on using the buttons on the front panel.

So you can basically carry 26 diskettes in your pocket on a 100MB thumb drive.

The USB is read at the same speed as a floppy. All output to the IDE ribbon cable to the machine are identical to those of a floppy.

Here's one

I make a good chunk of change time to time with these so I don't know why I am telling people lol. I guess the odds you are competing in my region are slim. Machine shops buy expensive machines and don't want to have to buy new expensive machines when the old ones work perfectly good aside from the whole diskette thing.

Impossible? I think not! You can find USB floppy drives at a yard sale, flea market, ebay or even a brand new one on Amazon. From there install DOS Box or a virtual machine of whatever OS you need, and have at it. Hell, it could be a fun little project!

EDIT: Fuck, I'm tired, nevermind. I've never seen a 5.25" USB floppy drive...

USB floppy drives exist

https://www.amazon.com/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required/dp/B00RXEWOAA

Bought one of these , Vonhaus single arm. Cost £20. Hold my 34 inch aoc up perfectly.

If nothing else, here's an external USB drive:

Sabrent External USB 1.44 MB 2x Floppy Disk Drive (FL-UDRV) Black

or an internal one, if that's what you prefer:

BYTECC Black 1.44MB Internal Floppy Drive Model BT-145

I preodered the Acer Predator XB271HU from [Ebuyer.com] (http://www.ebuyer.com/722327-acer-predator-xb271hu-27-wqhd-ips-monitor-um-hx1ee-005)

December 1st to 3rd (Next week) is when they arrive and should you should receive it depending on your chosen delivery option, I chose next day delivery.

Hopefully I get it on the 2nd of December.

These are the new batches, that have gone through Quality Control and have had their firmware updated.

Have to say I am in love with this monitor, I have read and watched nearly every review on this monitor, I absolutely love the design of the monitor apart from the stand and bought the [VonHaus Single Arm LCD LED Monitor Desk Mount Bracket] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Monitor-Bracket-Screens-Rotation/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480087004&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=WALI+Single+LCD+Monitor+Desk+Mount+Stand+Fully+Adjustable+Fits+One+Screen+up+to+27)
After I saw [PC Centric video review] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFdg7kQh0ew), with the Mount-It! MI-751 to replace the tacky gamer stand that comes with the Acer Predator XB271HU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAL1-8i1AKI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbX9C3Nk0AQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf2r717BfvY

why not just spend $15 on an external usb floppy drive and then you can use your floppy disks all day long? Far easier, no messing with firmware, no extra software.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RXEWOAA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_bSELDbSMRS4ZR

just looking at it, i am quite sure, that this has a TEAC inside: https://www.amazon.com/NEWSTYLE-3-5-External-Floppy-Drive/dp/B00KX8EMOO

If it's just their data they want to back up to a modern format the only thing I can think of is to buy a External USB 3.5 Floppy Disk Drive.

Have them back up their system on floppy disks, then use the External USB 3.5 Floppy Disk Drive, connected to another modern computer to read the backup floppy disks and transfer the files to the modern computer or burn the data to CD-R's or DVD-Rs.

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Floppy-Drive-FL-UDRV/dp/B00E9MD700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450196379&sr=8-1&keywords=floppy+disc+drive+usb

You can get a USB floppy drive

https://www.amazon.com/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required/dp/B00RXEWOAA

Will this work on an American desk?

haha, thanks for the link!

edit: this appears to be the same if anyone else from the US is ever curious

I've also always enjoyed how our prices (pre-sale) are the same number, but in curly Ls instead of $. Welsh college roommate always preferred buying clothes here because of that.

I would get some cheap monitor stands from Amazon. I recently picked one up for <20$ for my monitor and its probably one of the best investments I did recently. Nice setup btw :)

Using a VESA mount stand that's attaches to your desk free's up so much desk space! I'd get the Samsung just for that reason. I know you may not use it, but freesync is a nice extra too.

These are the stands I'm on about: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_BEhwybC8TBPTT

Definitely go with three single arms. It leaves way more room for adjustment, and no worries of the arms not going far enough apart.

I just installed one of these today and I can say it's very sturdy. Virtually no wobble, option of clamp or permanent mount, and adjustment in every direction. They're also on sale right now for $23.

Pretty much this (LINK) With a extended pole to get it as high as I would like.

LINK:https://www.amazon.co.uk/VonHaus-Monitor-Bracket-Screens-Rotation/dp/B0119NXXYQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1482801732&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=screen+mount+arm+MDO5

What on earth would you be installing DOS 6.22 on now anyway? That being said, I recently bought a USB floppy drive to recover some old MIDI files and it worked famously. If you ever want to play around with your floppies it was really cheap.

what do you think about that Akai S1000. hope you got one of these?

They sell cheap lil usb 3.5" flopppy drives

There are several brands, but here is an example

https://www.amazon.com/External-Floppy-Portable-Windows-Required/dp/B00RXEWOAA

$15

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0119NXXYQ/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's the link to the arm that I'm using. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0119NXXYQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can but it can get expensive. Honestly, it's better to not use those old IDE/PATA drives. You can get a cheap optical DVD player with a SATA interface and unless you have a bunch of diskettes you need to pull old data off of, you don't need that diskette drive. If you insist on a diskette drive, get a portable one with a USB interface like this one on amazon..

About $14.

See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E9MD700/

Will be a really cheap installation :)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003AXXO0C/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500607235&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=internal+floppy+disk+drive&dpPl=1&dpID=217aojuypBL&ref=plSrch

You don't get USB 5 1/4 floppy drives so it'll be annoying. Assuming it is a PC floppy disk, you need to find a PC with a floppy connector on the motherboard and use a floppy cable with this drive. If this isn't a PC floppy disk then you'll need to work out what originally wrote it as how the disks were laid out varied a lot between different types of computer and they're not all compatible with each other.

If this is an old floppy drive then check that the heads are clean and that the drive belt hasn't perished before using it.

$20 on Amazon.