I seem to be getting a lot of read/write errors on the external or internal disk drive. This even happens with new disks. Is there anything I can do to fix this apart from buying a new floppy drive?

It may not be as bad as you think, simply requiring the drive heads to be cleaned. Purchase a floppy disk drive cleaning kit. These can be found in most computer shops (Tandy, Maplins, etc) or from magazine adverts. This consists of an ordinary 3.5" floppy disk, but inside is what looks like a white paper. The set should also include some type of cleaning fluid. Pull back the metal cover on the floppy cleaner disk (if there is one) and squeeze about 2-3 drops onto the inside of the disk. Then insert the disk into your faulty drive and let it spin. It is recommended that the drive should spin for around 30 seconds to clean the heads so you will have to take the disk out and reinsert a few times to get the full effect. Now a disk that you know was faulty, if it works then your problem is cured. If it is not the floppy drive is most likely to have died.

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