df0:????

[Ebster]

hello folks!

i have had an a1200, ks3.0, blizzard 1230-iv with 8mb, dce flickerfixer with a fully working old df0: as my desktop-miggy for years.

recently i built the components into an elbox ez4 tower. upgraded to:

new internal disk drive
elbox atx power adapter
right angeled pcmcia adapter
ks3.1 roms
lyra2
indivision
idefix express
1 2,5" hd jumpered as master
1 2,5" ide-cf-adapter as slave
1 dvd-drive jumpered as slave
1 cd-drive jumpered as master
blizzard got the 50mhz fpu, 64 mb fastram, and a new vl2020

everything seems to work fine, still testing a lot - but df0: does not work. neither does it boot from disk, nor are disks recognized in workbench.

df0:????

it always clicks with lights on when a disk is inserted, but then lights go out and i get the error. format results in clicking and then the error that it couldn't format cylinder 0. i have already tried the drive that worked before with the same result.

df1: works fine though

can someone help me? is there any diagnosis software, that would help?

thanks in advance and best regards!!

[Galahad/FLT]

Are both cables plugged in properly? You've got the ribbon cable for the drive the right side up?

[Ebster]

yes, i think so - when i turn it around the drive-light stays on all the time and nothing happens.. no clicks etc. the other way round the drive at least tries to read.

[amiman99]

Originally Posted by Ebster

hello folks!

i have had an a1200, ks3.0, blizzard 1230-iv with 8mb, dce flickerfixer with a fully working old df0: as my desktop-miggy for years.

recently i built the components into an elbox ez4 tower. upgraded to:

new internal disk drive

You said that you got "new internal disk drive", is that drive an Amiga floppy drive or PC, did you use proper floppy cable (probably you used a longer one). I think the twist inside the cable is different then the PC one for a second floppy drive, because you did write, you have df1:.

[cosmicfrog]

good point are you connecting both drives to the same cable ?

[Ebster]

no, df1: is connected from outside the tower. different cable.
the drive is the internal one that is sold by amigakit, same as the quite long cable. i don't actually see a twist in the cable.

[Jope]

No twist needed if it's a single internal drive. Do you get the problem when DF1: is connected? Have you tried with another internal mechanism?

[Ebster]

same error when df1: is connected as when it is not. i have tried the old drive that worked in the old configuration, now it does not. actually i am more than afraid you guys telling me that i have damaged the mainboard. although i did everything very carefully. but why would df1: work then. and why would at least some data transfer happen. i mean df0: doesn't behave like dead. the a1200 just does not read/write correctly from/to the drive. but it tries to.

i just hope it has to do with the new components, cables, jumper settings or something else so i don't have to trash the motherboard.

[Ebster]

strange but true, i have found another spare drive and it works...

now i wonder why the other TWO drives don't work at the same time... strange coincidents!

[Ebster]

to my surprise the new drive now works as well, when i put it in the case without fixation-screws. but when i put only one screw and only a little in the side of the drive it starts behaving badly... can someone please help me with this issue?

[FOL]

Originally Posted by Ebster

to my surprise the new drive now works as well, when i put it in the case without fixation-screws. but when i put only one screw and only a little in the side of the drive it starts behaving badly... can someone please help me with this issue?

I have replied to your ticket. The screws must be to long (or to wide) and are causing it to short the circuit board down to ground.

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by FOL

I have replied to your ticket. The screws must be to long (or to wide) and are causing it to short the circuit board down to ground.

I would concur, is it also possible one of the screws is interfering with the motor mechanism so the drive either doesn't spin up properly or is prevented from stepping properly.

[DH]

I go with Galahad's answer. My mate had a similar problem with a HDD, using screws that were too long, he ended up locking the mechanism which prevented it from working.

[FOL]

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

I would concur, is it also possible one of the screws is interfering with the motor mechanism so the drive either doesn't spin up properly or is prevented from stepping properly.

Another good 1.

Ebster you have 2 possible reasons. Hope your able to nail the problem.

[Jope]

Yep, sounded to me like the machine thought there's always a disk in the drive.

[Ebster]

thanks again for the superfast amigakit support and to all the others here. i use two short screws in the front holes now and everything is just fine.

[FOL]

Originally Posted by Ebster

thanks again for the superfast amigakit support and to all the others here. i use two short screws in the front holes now and everything is just fine.

Thats great, glad you sorted it.

[Ebster]

small update:

it was the drive eject button of the tower that always pushed a little against the eject button of the internal drive. moving the internal drive about two millimeters more to the inside of the tower and then fixing it with screws did all the trick. weird when i think about all the things i have tried to get it working.