User avatar
bakkers

Posted Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:42 am

Hi all

I've bought 50 floppy disk that was recycled, but almost everyone of them i get errors on when og format and use check-disk. Alot of error 6, some 4 and a few 2's.

The disk should be ok, i bought them from a place where they say they check all disks. I have no reason to believe otherwise.

And it looks like i can easily break a disk when trying to save to it.

So my question is this, what are the chance that my disk drive is dying and causing the problems. I also have an external drive but that one is generating alot of issues as well.

Hope someone can help, i'm considering buying a new floppy drive but before doing that i would like to know if i can do anything.

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:33 am

It is odd that all of them would be bad but I suppose although not likely, not impossible.

Have you tried cleaning the drive heads and the drive rails and lubricating the rails and the mechanism? That can make all the difference.

User avatar
bakkers

Posted Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:46 am

Zippy Zapp wrote:It is odd that all of them would be bad but I suppose although not likely, not impossible.

Have you tried cleaning the drive heads and the drive rails and lubricating the rails and the mechanism? That can make all the difference.
No i have done no cleaning of the drive. Just found the old amiga in my closet where it has been for 5-7 years since the last time.

I will try searching for how to clean the drive heads and rails. Hopefully it's something easy to do :)

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:56 am

bakkers wrote:No i have done no cleaning of the drive. Just found the old amiga in my closet where it has been for 5-7 years since the last time.

I will try searching for how to clean the drive heads and rails. Hopefully it's something easy to do :)
It is pretty easy to do. It is not a guarantee, of course, but if after proper cleaning and lubrication it still doesn't work then you may have a bum drive.

As for cleaning the drive heads and rails, you usually just have to remove 2 or so screws and slide the metal cover off the drive. You shouldn't have to do anything more then that and you don't want to remove any screws that are related to the heads as that will mess up the alignment.

But the heads are easily cleaned with either a 3.5" cleaning disk and solution or a cotton swab with a bit of 91% isopropyl alcohol. Clean the top and the bottom head gently and see if there is any gunk on the head. The rails you can clean off also with a cotton swab and isopropyl. Then if you have some silicon grease or silicon oil you can dab a little on the swab and apply it to the rails. The head should slide freely on the rails. There is also a drive screw attached to the motor at the back of the drive. This drive screw can get dunked up and you can clean it the same way and use a bit of silicon grease or even white lithium grease if you have it. In a pinch I have even used vasoline petroleum jelly.

I have seen a few drives that did not work correctly until cleaned and lubricated this way so it is possible to restore it to working this way if that is what the problem is.

User avatar
bakkers

Posted Thu Apr 18, 2019 12:35 pm

Zippy Zapp wrote:
bakkers wrote:No i have done no cleaning of the drive. Just found the old amiga in my closet where it has been for 5-7 years since the last time.

I will try searching for how to clean the drive heads and rails. Hopefully it's something easy to do :)
It is pretty easy to do. It is not a guarantee, of course, but if after proper cleaning and lubrication it still doesn't work then you may have a bum drive.

As for cleaning the drive heads and rails, you usually just have to remove 2 or so screws and slide the metal cover off the drive. You shouldn't have to do anything more then that and you don't want to remove any screws that are related to the heads as that will mess up the alignment.

But the heads are easily cleaned with either a 3.5" cleaning disk and solution or a cotton swab with a bit of 91% isopropyl alcohol. Clean the top and the bottom head gently and see if there is any gunk on the head. The rails you can clean off also with a cotton swab and isopropyl. Then if you have some silicon grease or silicon oil you can dab a little on the swab and apply it to the rails. The head should slide freely on the rails. There is also a drive screw attached to the motor at the back of the drive. This drive screw can get dunked up and you can clean it the same way and use a bit of silicon grease or even white lithium grease if you have it. In a pinch I have even used vasoline petroleum jelly.

I have seen a few drives that did not work correctly until cleaned and lubricated this way so it is possible to restore it to working this way if that is what the problem is.
I've tried cleaning it but the last screw i could not get loose, so i'll have to got to the hardware store to find a screwdriver for that one. But did remove alot of dirt.

But i'm considering buying a new drive just to test if that works better. Anyone have had the same problem as me and fixed it with a new drive?





Return to “Hardware”