External floppy problem - Toshiba drives

[Old Fool]

I've just bought 2 pieces of identically same kind of external floppy drives for Amy. They both have Toshiba's drives and they both have the same problem:

The X-Copy detects the drives. When you insert a disk (DD or HD, no difference) the drive starts to tickle and idle the motor so the drive is constantly trying to read a disk. When I try to get disk info X-Copy tells there's a disk inserted and the disk's name is correctly presented. After this every single time the drive refuses to read any disk. It only claims that no disk inserted. The drive just constantly tries to read the disk. I have also two other external drives and they work correctly.

Funny thing is that when there's no disk inserted the drive allways try to read a ghost disk and of course gives nothing but bad sectors.

Is there anyone who would have a clue what might cause this problem? I've allready tried cleaning with cleaning disk with no luck.

Also I have couple of questions:

I noticed that these external floppies have a structure that you can just remove ide cable and power connector and then the external drive looks almost like internal one. So can I use these external drives as DF0: inside the A500? Or can I replace the external floppy drive mechanism as an internal one just by switching the drives and connecting ide and power cables?

But first of all: Can I do something to try to fix these Toshiba's drives?

[s2325]

My internal DF0 saw ghost disks when drive was dirty inside. I'm not sure why but when I placed big white sticker on metal circle of floppy disk there were a lot of black dirt on sticker after ejecting from drive. It worked after that and no ghost disks anymore.

[Old Fool]

Thanks for the quick answer. The other Toshiba drive is in parts on my table and I checked the white little pads that read the surface of a disk and they all look clean. I also tried the cleaning diskette with cleaning fluid but I could drive this disk again maybe twice or so. But it sounds too easy solution to the problem...

[Arnie]

I can remember the trouble i had with my internal df0: always showing disks df0:???, it turned out to be a sticking switch where you insert the disk.

[Old Fool]

Thanks for the tip. I earlier googled some information and found also some external drive that have the same problem with the autodetect switch. I used precision cleaner spray to the switches on the left side of the drive. I'll try the drive later in the afternoon...

[prowler]

Originally Posted by Old Fool

I noticed that these external floppies have a structure that you can just remove ide cable and power connector and then the external drive looks almost like internal one. So can I use these external drives as DF0: inside the A500? Or can I replace the external floppy drive mechanism as an internal one just by switching the drives and connecting ide and power cables?

The drive units used in extenal floppy drives are electrically and functionally equivalent to internal floppy drive units.

However, there are two problems with swapping the A500's internal drive unit with that from an external floppy drive:

(1) The A500's internal drive is taller than those fitted in external drives due to its integral housing, and
(2) The external drive unit has a fascia which would need to be removed, and also the top of the drive housing would need to be removed or cut back at the front to clear the A500's built in floppy drive fascia.

Nevertheless, you may find some Chinon units, as fitted to some Cumana external drives, which are mounted in housings which are interchangeable with the A500's internal drive housing.

[Old Fool]

Originally Posted by prowler

The drive units used in extenal floppy drives are electrically and functionally equivalent to internal floppy drive units.

However, there are two problems with swapping the A500's internal drive unit with that from an external floppy drive:

(1) The A500's internal drive is taller than those fitted in external drives due to its integral housing, and
(2) The external drive unit has a fascia which would need to be removed, and also the top of the drive housing would need to be removed or cut back at the front to clear the A500's built in floppy drive fascia.

Nevertheless, you may find some Chinon units, as fitted to some Cumana external drives, which are mounted in housings which are interchangeable with the A500's internal drive housing.

Thanks for the indormation Prowler!

Yeah I noticed too that they not gonna fit just like that because of the different size of the units. But nice to know that basically with some modification they will be mixed.

By the way I tested the other drive that I was repairing yesterday and something was happened: Now the drive won't spin the motor at all. Everything else is the same.

Maybe I just give up cause I might get two working units soon.