Can a Current External Floppy Disk Drive Read Windows 3.1 Floppy Disks on Windows 10?

Yes, an external floppy disk drive that is compatible with Windows 10 can read floppy disks from a Windows 3.1 computer. This is feasible with the correct setup and hardware requirements.

Hardware Requirements

A later model Pentium 4 with at least 1 gigabyte of memory and an optical drive can handle the installation of the minimum version of Windows 10, which allows you to read 1.2 megabyte floppy disks.

I have an old 3 GHz Pentium 4 with 1 GB of RAM, a 200 GB hard drive, two DVD drives, a 3.5-inch and a 5.25-inch floppy drive, and Windows 10 Home installed. This setup can read all the drives successfully.

Compatibility and Format

Since the format of the floppy disk has been consistent since the days of DOS, dating back to 1980, the answer is generally yes. However, there are some caveats.

Current external floppy disk drives are designed for 3.5-inch discs with formats up to and including 1.44 MB. If your disk from the Windows 3.1 computer is a 2.88 MB variant, which is quite rare, then they cannot be read. Additionally, 5.25-inch or 3-inch floppy disks cannot be read with the same drive.

Compatibility and Formatting

When using 3.5-inch floppies, FAT32 has been the standard format since 1972. As of now, FAT32 is backward compatible, so as long as the disk is not corrupt or faulty, Windows 10 should read it.

A potential issue could arise from the drivers. Many old external floppy drives were not plug and play, meaning you would need to install drivers for proper functionality. For instance, I had an external floppy drive that required specific drivers for it to work.

Conclusion and Advice

To read floppy disks from a Windows 3.1 computer on a current external floppy disk drive with Windows 10, ensure that your system meets the hardware requirements and that the floppy disk is the correct format and not corrupt. Additionally, have the necessary drivers installed for optimal use.

Good luck with your project!