Why is there never a "B" drive?

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

Why is that? You've got A (floppy) then it skips right to C (hard drive). Just wondering Smiling

mjames's picture

They have: 2,064 posts

Joined: Dec 1999

Actually, you can technically make a "B" drive. You can rename your drivers, not sure exactly how, though. This can also be done when partitioning. Smiling

Anyway, that's just another wonder in our world.

mairving's picture

They have: 2,256 posts

Joined: Feb 2001

I tell you, you young whippersnappers don't know about the old days back in DOS. The reason that there is a B, is because in the early days before hard drives were invented, the OS and all programs ran off of a floppy. In the DOS world the floppy became the A: drive, a bit different on the Unix side though. Then someone decided to have a computer that had two floppy drives. So DOS recognized the second drive as the B: drive. Later when the hard drive came out, it became the C: drive and up with different partitions. The B drive is still designated as the second floppy drive and really can't be used for much anything less. You can't make a B drive out of a hard drive either.

So there, you mystery is solved.

Mark Irving
I have a mind like a steel trap; it is rusty and illegal in 47 states

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

Thank you! I remember now that our old Commodore 64 had two floppy drives.

merlin's picture

They have: 410 posts

Joined: Oct 1999

ohoh, the times, when you had to boot from floppies... and the tiny little green letters on the black screen. the times of 'beep' as the only sign of life.
Smiling

mairving's picture

They have: 2,256 posts

Joined: Feb 2001

Merlin, you forgot to mention back when they were called floppies for a reason and 5-1/4" was a new smaller size. Hold on while I get my hankie.

Oh yeah, and when you new color screen (amber on black) came in. Much better on the eyes.

Mark Irving
I have a mind like a steel trap; it is rusty and illegal in 47 states

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