Forwarded from: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/gnome-utils/+bug/50685

I have found that you cannot format a completely blank disk (one erased with a magnet) using Gfloppy or fdformat unless you use:

setfdprm -p /dev/fd0 1440/1440 and then format with Gfloppy.

I am surprised that the floppy density selection in Gfloppy doesn't set these parameters for you.

If I run the setfdprm -p /dev/fd0 1440/1440 command just before formatting in Gfloppy, everything works fine.

In other words, Linux pukes on a floppy that does not already have a recognizable file system unless you run setfdprm just before the format. Gfloppy should set this the floppy parameters based on the density chosen.