"David R.Birch" wrote:

Right now we'd be happy if we could load files from anything other
than the failing floppy drive. The control has a db25 serial port, but
for some reason, Mitsubishi decided that just being able to transfer
files with a COM program shouldn't work.


There are solid state replacements for 3.5" floppy drives, but they
aren't cheap. They allow you to use a USB memory stick to load programs
or data in CNC machines and other, old computers & computer based
systems.

http://hxc2001.free.fr/floppy_drive_emulator/index.html is one type.

What type, brand & model floppy drive are you using? There may be a
replacement, or if it is an older, full height 3.5" a good clean & lube
of the bearings in the disk elevator may fix your problems. I used to
repair 3.5" floppy drives when they cost $75. Dry bearings and missing
springs were common. Drives with bad heads gave me a good supply of
donor parts.

If it is an oddball drive, photos would help. I currently have a
couple hundred used floppy drives on hand. They are leftovers from a
closed computer business, and others were removed from scrapped computer
systems.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.