Fairlight-CMI

I've always used the left-hand drive as Drive 1 on my Series I. Only 
ever used it to load a test 'beep' sound, and a tiny page R sequence, 
from the diagnostics disk - because I had no sound library. (well a 
Series I doesn't have much *practical* use any more!) Never had any 
problems.

Recently decided to try to backup the system disk. Booted qdos, tried 
to format a disk in drive 1. Formatted for a minute or so, then 
started throwing out errors. Failed. Tried a couple more times, 
failed. Hmmm. Tried a different disk, same problem. 

OK, lets check the drive - swap the 1/0 switch, boot off the left 
hand drive. Failed. Sh*t. Flip the switch back, boot the system as 
normal, try to load the test 'beep' from the diagnostics disk using 
page 2, as normal. 'Disk read/write error'. This *always* worked in 
the past... ever since I tried to format those disks, drive 1 has not 
worked at all, in any way. Tried cleaning heads - didn't help.

You're on page 2, it used to go chunkachanka a couple of times when 
you put the disk in, and give a file list. Now it goes clunk.... 
clunk.... clunk.... clunk... 

OK, has anyone got a clue how attempting to format a floppy can 
*break the disk drive* so it no longer works at all? Help!

Does anyone have a spare disk drive? Rob Brady has a couple, and he's 
just up the road from me, but both his spare drives are known to be 
dead... I've just got a loan of a sound library for a few days, so I 
have to fix this problem pronto, so I can get the sounds copied!

(nothing wierd about the disks BTW, standard DS/DD soft-sectored, 
same as the system disks I have).

Mike

1. Can you hear the disk spinning ?

- diagnostic: the mechanics of the drive can not properly transfer enough
'spin' to the disk to keep it spinning. This is a common problem with
record players, old diskette drives, laser printers and tape units of all
sorts. They use rubber which loses its 'grip' over time. Possibly the
rubber band that spins the center hub is slipping or broken. If slipping,
cleaning it with a moist cloth might help. If broken, try to find a
replacement.

2. The disk heads are dirty.

- Use a cleaning disk or open the system and inspect the disk heads
manually to find out whether any dirt (mainly dust and/or oxide) is
present on the head. Clean using pure alcohol on a cotton swab. Do not use
anything else.

3. Bad luck, I'm out of options.

Good luck to you, but chances are it's repairable.

Harald.

> I've always used the left-hand drive as Drive 1 on my Series I. Only
> ever used it to load a test 'beep' sound, and a tiny page R sequence,
> from the diagnostics disk - because I had no sound library. (well a
> Series I doesn't have much *practical* use any more!) Never had any
> problems.

sounds like it's time for the old floppy drives to
visit M. Farris (the drive doctors) in California

http://www.mfarris.com

these guys can fix & provide parts for any drives of any type.

regards,
David




--- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, feldmann@x wrote:
> 1. Can you hear the disk spinning ?
> 
> - diagnostic: the mechanics of the drive can not properly transfer 
enough
> 'spin' to the disk to keep it spinning. This is a common problem 
with
> record players, old diskette drives, laser printers and tape units 
of all
> sorts. They use rubber which loses its 'grip' over time. Possibly 
the
> rubber band that spins the center hub is slipping or broken. If 
slipping,
> cleaning it with a moist cloth might help. If broken, try to find a
> replacement.
> 
> 2. The disk heads are dirty.
> 
> - Use a cleaning disk or open the system and inspect the disk heads
> manually to find out whether any dirt (mainly dust and/or oxide) is
> present on the head. Clean using pure alcohol on a cotton swab. Do 
not use
> anything else.
> 
> 3. Bad luck, I'm out of options.
> 
> Good luck to you, but chances are it's repairable.
> 
> Harald.
> 
> > I've always used the left-hand drive as Drive 1 on my Series I. 
Only
> > ever used it to load a test 'beep' sound, and a tiny page R 
sequence,
> > from the diagnostics disk - because I had no sound library. (well 
a
> > Series I doesn't have much *practical* use any more!) Never had 
any
> > problems.

> 3. Bad luck, I'm out of options.

4. Check the +24V line going to the drives.

Bye,

  Hermann

> 2. The disk heads are dirty.
> 
> - Use a cleaning disk or open the system and inspect the disk heads
> manually to find out whether any dirt (mainly dust and/or oxide) is
> present on the head. Clean using pure alcohol on a cotton swab. 

Bingo. I used a cleaning disk with alcohol - didn't help. Pulled both 
the drives, the heads on the second drive were *filthy*. Not 
surprised it couldn't read anything. Cleaned thoroughly with a swab & 
alcohol, everything fine.

Post-mortem showed the problem; the first disk I'd tried to format 
had two grooves where the oxide was totally worn off, on the outer 
tracks. All that oxide was on the heads. No idea how it came to 
happen, something must have gone drastically wrong when the heads 
loaded - it was a brand-new disk.

Everything fine now, system & QDOS disks backed up successfully.

Thanks!

Mike