A500s with bad FDD

Marchie · 31 July 2018, 04:15

I have salvaged a pair of A500's from the junk pile, both boot happily to the insert WB disk screen, but neither will read a disk...

Suggestions on where to start?

EDIT: Perhaps I should clarify: Is there anything other than swapping the floppy drive that I should consider? (I realized this is a rather ridiculously obvious thread otherwise

).

Devlin · 31 July 2018, 14:47

clean disk heads thoroughly but GENTLY, open machines and confirm connections are good and solid etc etc

Daedalus · 31 July 2018, 14:51

Another issue that crops up with drives that have been sitting for a long time is that the heads seize and can't move. Taking the lid off the drive and carefully cleaning the rails, if possible applying some new, light lubricant, is a good idea too. Over the years, the original grease mixes with dust and dirt to become a thick, gungy mess that hardens on the slide rails.

idrougge · 01 August 2018, 01:59

What happens when you insert the disk?

gdunlapsd · 01 August 2018, 08:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedalus

Another issue that crops up with drives that have been sitting for a long time is that the heads seize and can't move. Taking the lid off the drive and carefully cleaning the rails, if possible applying some new, light lubricant, is a good idea too. Over the years, the original grease mixes with dust and dirt to become a thick, gungy mess that hardens on the slide rails.

I've found that WD40 works very well as a solvent to dissolve and clean up hardened old grease. Just make sure to apply new grease afterwards; WD40 is not really a lubricant.

Marchie · 02 August 2018, 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by idrougge

What happens when you insert the disk?

Both drives just click and spin a little.

Marchie · 02 August 2018, 01:49

Looks like I'm going to have to learn how to service a floppy drive.

Never done this before - are there any guides out there? What kind of grease might I need and where would I get it?

Thanks all for the replies by the way!

idrougge · 02 August 2018, 03:17

What model is it? Some suffer from run-out capacitors.

Hewitson · 02 August 2018, 09:10

I'm no expert on repairing disk drives but for lubricating the drive I would use either RP7 or a 3-in-1 type oil.

Marchie · 03 August 2018, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by idrougge

What model is it? Some suffer from run-out capacitors.

The 500's are both rev5, can't speak for the floppy drives, do they have a model number somewhere on them?

I pulled one drive out, cleaned and lubricated it, but the result is still the same, will keep trying and see if I can pull something off before Goteks arrive in the post...

By the way - I have a working drive pulled from a 1200, can I drop that into a 500?

idrougge · 03 August 2018, 00:58

The model number is often printed on the rear of the FDD.

A1200 drives work fine, as long as they come from Commodore machines. But the mounting requires some ingenuity since A1200 drives are slimmer than A500 ones.

Wayne123 · 03 August 2018, 22:20

My A500 Rev 6 has a Chinon FB-354 drive, I see them sometimes on EBAY.

31 July 2018, 04:15	#1
Marchie Registered User Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Sydney / London Posts: 589	A500s with bad FDD I have salvaged a pair of A500's from the junk pile, both boot happily to the insert WB disk screen, but neither will read a disk... Suggestions on where to start? EDIT: Perhaps I should clarify: Is there anything other than swapping the floppy drive that I should consider? (I realized this is a rather ridiculously obvious thread otherwise ). Last edited by Marchie; 31 July 2018 at 10:45.

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31 July 2018, 14:47	#2
Devlin Bane of Magic Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bradford, UK Age: 37 Posts: 335	clean disk heads thoroughly but GENTLY, open machines and confirm connections are good and solid etc etc

31 July 2018, 14:51	#3
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,334	Another issue that crops up with drives that have been sitting for a long time is that the heads seize and can't move. Taking the lid off the drive and carefully cleaning the rails, if possible applying some new, light lubricant, is a good idea too. Over the years, the original grease mixes with dust and dirt to become a thick, gungy mess that hardens on the slide rails.

01 August 2018, 01:59	#4
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	What happens when you insert the disk?

02 August 2018, 01:49	#7
Marchie Registered User Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Sydney / London Posts: 589	Looks like I'm going to have to learn how to service a floppy drive. Never done this before - are there any guides out there? What kind of grease might I need and where would I get it? Thanks all for the replies by the way!

02 August 2018, 03:17	#8
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	What model is it? Some suffer from run-out capacitors.

02 August 2018, 09:10	#9
Hewitson Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 41 Posts: 3,771	I'm no expert on repairing disk drives but for lubricating the drive I would use either RP7 or a 3-in-1 type oil.

03 August 2018, 00:58	#11
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,332	The model number is often printed on the rear of the FDD. A1200 drives work fine, as long as they come from Commodore machines. But the mounting requires some ingenuity since A1200 drives are slimmer than A500 ones.

03 August 2018, 22:20	#12
Wayne123 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: So. California, USA Age: 63 Posts: 62	My A500 Rev 6 has a Chinon FB-354 drive, I see them sometimes on EBAY.

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