DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

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DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:36 am

Background:

- PSU blew filter caps, DuoDisk was fine for the ten mins. it ran before this, loading several different disks.

NOW:

- Apple IIe beeps as normal, drive chatters, then just spins without reading.

- Have checked / cleaned heads – no gunk on read head.

Thanks for any help, been trying to get this IIe going for over a month now!
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:39 am

PS: is there any code to boot from drive 2?
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 11:11 am

I did this below, it looks like the drive might ok as I do get the light and the chatter, but I still can't load anything.


"After you hit ctrl-Reset, type CALL -151 to get into the monitor
Then type C600L to get a listing of the Disk II firmware
A bad disk II firmware listing will have random code
Type Ctrl-C to get back to the applesoft prompt and type PR#6
If the disk drive rattles and the light comes on, then it is a bad
disk
If the computer hangs with no response from the drive and the firmware
code looked good then likely bad drive."
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 11:51 am

Also tried formatting a disk using this below – got DISK ERROR.

http://asciiexpress.net/diskserver/
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:18 pm

Pulled the DuoDisk apart and rigged it up so Drive 2 was talking to the IIe as Drive 1 – it works!

I don't need both drives working, but look like the wires are too short to simply swap the disks over...

Still no idea why Drive 1 isn't working – maybe the read head motor isn't working? Was working before the PSU died.
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:36 pm

Managed to get the wires to fit, and have installed Drive 2 to work permanently as Drive 1.

The purists might not like this approach too much, but I now have a working IIe!

Now to put all the DuoDisk case etc all back together and hope it still works... At least I know Drive 2 won't have had too much use over the years!
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby SpidersWeb on Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:05 pm

Not sure if it helps - but with regards to head cleaning, to get my drive to work correctly it took several runs with a disk cleaner - and the final winning clean involved an excessive amount of isopropyl on the disk cleaner surface (way more than I'd usually use).
Wanted - Dead or Alive - Reward $$$: Compaq Deskpro 8088 / 286 / 386 - IBM RT 6150/6151 parts - AT&T 3B2 parts
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Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:31 pm

Oh, OK – looks like the replacement drive has stopped reading now – I'll give it another clean.
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:47 pm

Thanks Spider's Web – you were right, it works again.

On my C64 FDD, if it looks clean after a dry cotton bud wiping, it works. Must be a bit touchier with the Apple II drives.

Oh bother, maybe that was all that was wrong with drive 1. I can swap them back another day and try!
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 11:42 am

Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gurner on Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:55 pm

Bit of IIe eye candy for those who are interested. :)

Image
Gurner
 
Posts: 53
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Re: DuoDisk spins endlessly / Won't load disks

Postby Gibsaw on Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:14 am

Oh, god... the hours I spent on that game as a child. (twitching)
"dsakey" on trademe. Apple II's are my thing.
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