A500 Doesn't Boot From Disk

Jake001 · 28 March 2020, 17:02

Hello!

I just got an Amiga 500 from 1988
It powers up and shows the kickstart for workbench 1.3
but when I insert a disk the drive spins up and clicks a few times then stops and the screen returns to the kickstart icon.

Upon inspection I noticed that the drive doesn't look like it's even attempting to read the disks. The head doesn't move at all and it's not stuck.

I replaced a leaked cap in the drive and flipped the CIA's and nothing changed.

Does anyone know what could be wrong?

Thanks!

rcman · 28 March 2020, 17:20

Sounds like you need to clean the floppy drive. I would suggest checking out Jan Beta's video

[ Show youtube player ]

RC

Jake001 · 28 March 2020, 18:31

Ok I got the drive all cleaned up.
And it's still doing the same thing.
Doesn't seem like a mechanical error.
If I manually move the head forward it moves back by itself on power up.
I think there may be another cap in the drive that I could replace.

Jake001 · 28 March 2020, 19:19

Changed both caps in the drive and still nothing.

Nobby_UK · 28 March 2020, 19:36

If the Detect Disk Switch is Dirty/Broken
then it would not try --- might be that ?

solarmon · 28 March 2020, 21:05

Make sure the floppy disk is clean too.

Is it a known good floppy disk? I.e. it works in another Amiga.

Otherwise, inspect the floppy disk media and clean with isopropyl alcohol and cotton bud.

Clean the floppy drive read/write heads with isopropyl alcohol and cotton bud too. And clean and re-grease the track motor worm gear and guide,/glide rails.

Jake001 · 29 March 2020, 04:42

The disks were tested by the previous owner and they worked for him.
I have cleaned the heads and stepper track in the drive.
I'll check the sensor button to see if that's having any issue tomorrow.
I don't think the disks are the problem here because it does the exact same thing for all of them.

Could there be a problem in the computer itself? Such as a bad cap?
There's not to much more I can do to the drive.

solarmon · 29 March 2020, 09:36

Try reseating all the socketed chips. Clean the pins and sockets with isopropyl alcohol.

When the machine is showing the Kickstart screen, does the drive click periodically, as it should do normally?

It would be good to see a video of what happens on the floppy drive when you put the floppy disk in. Do you have another floppy drive to test, or a Gotek drive?

Does the track motor worm gear spin, or attempt to, when you put a disk in. If you manually turn the track motor worm gear, does the read/write head move?

Jake001 · 29 March 2020, 19:36

The drive does click normally when there is no disk.

The worm gear isn't stuck. I've moved it manually and it moves itself back to track 1 when powered on.

I ordered a Gotek but they were unable to ship do to the situation with the virus.
So I don't have any drives to test only 3 PC drives that couldn't be easily modded.

I'll try cleaning the chips and sockets with alcohol then if it does the same thing I'll get a video.

Jake001 · 29 March 2020, 21:58

I cleaned pins and sockets on both CIA's, Gary, and the ROM chip with rubbing alcohol.
Still has the same issue.
Here is a video of what's happening: [ Show youtube player ]

Franchute13 · 30 March 2020, 12:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake001

I cleaned pins and sockets on both CIA's, Gary, and the ROM chip with rubbing alcohol.
Still has the same issue.
Here is a video of what's happening: [ Show youtube player ]

Maybe the problem is the capacitors on the floppy disk driver... maybe need to be replace.
Search in the forum, the topic was discussed.

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=71760
Sorry, no image

Jake001 · 30 March 2020, 15:26

I found two caps in the drive which I have replaced already.
Apparently that wasn't the problem even though one had leaked.

Franchute13 · 30 March 2020, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake001

I found two caps in the drive which I have replaced already.
Apparently that wasn't the problem even though one had leaked.

Hi.
The capacitor that usually fails is the one next to the rotating plate. Of course it depends on the model of the floppy drive. If that capacitor has already been replaced, you will have to try another floppy drive.

solarmon · 30 March 2020, 17:10

From the video, it seems the track motor ribbon cable is in a position to suggest that it has been moved/rotated and is now out of alignment? Could you get a closure picture of it.

Also, it was a bit difficult to see, but it seemed the worm gear did not rotate? If you can show a steady video of it moving/rotating - i.e. manually move the heads, by manually rotating the worm gear, to another position and turn on the computer. The worm gear should rotate and move the read/write heads to track 0.

Jake001 · 30 March 2020, 17:12

I would but I don't have a spare drive that will work and I am unable to get a gotek at the moment.
Is it for sure the drive at fault or could something else be screwed up?
If it is the drive I can just wait until I can get a Gotek.

solarmon · 30 March 2020, 17:12

What is the make/model of you floppy drive?

Jake001 · 30 March 2020, 17:35

I will get a better video later today.

Jake001 · 30 March 2020, 17:39

The floppy drive model is:
JU-253-033P
by Panasonic

solarmon · 30 March 2020, 19:02

Check the jumper settings - at the back of the floppy drive - they should be the following:

SW3 = 0
SW2 = MO
SW1 = RY

i.e all to the left, as you look at them from the back.

Franchute13 · 30 March 2020, 19:24

Jake,
see this page, maybe the same problem

(capacitor and micro swich)
https://www.nightfallcrew.com/31/08/...-floppy-drive/

28 March 2020, 17:02	#1
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	A500 Doesn't Boot From Disk Hello! I just got an Amiga 500 from 1988 It powers up and shows the kickstart for workbench 1.3 but when I insert a disk the drive spins up and clicks a few times then stops and the screen returns to the kickstart icon. Upon inspection I noticed that the drive doesn't look like it's even attempting to read the disks. The head doesn't move at all and it's not stuck. I replaced a leaked cap in the drive and flipped the CIA's and nothing changed. Does anyone know what could be wrong? Thanks!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
My A500+ sometimes doesn’t boot first time.	Paulee_Bow	support.Hardware	12	10 September 2018 22:22
iGame doesn't boot.	stu232	support.Hardware	0	23 April 2014 20:27
A3000 doesn't boot	Pilsener	support.Hardware	11	26 June 2008 11:11
A500 doesn't boot when 512k ram added!	memothejanitor	support.Hardware	1	25 June 2007 10:51
amiga doesn't boot up	utri007	support.Hardware	5	07 June 2003 23:24

28 March 2020, 17:20	#2
rcman Long time Amiga Owner Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Uxbridge Canada Age: 56 Posts: 182	Sounds like you need to clean the floppy drive. I would suggest checking out Jan Beta's video [ Show youtube player ] RC

28 March 2020, 18:31	#3
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	Ok I got the drive all cleaned up. And it's still doing the same thing. Doesn't seem like a mechanical error. If I manually move the head forward it moves back by itself on power up. I think there may be another cap in the drive that I could replace.

28 March 2020, 19:19	#4
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	Changed both caps in the drive and still nothing.

28 March 2020, 19:36	#5
Nobby_UK Registered User Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Liverpool Posts: 2,595	If the Detect Disk Switch is Dirty/Broken then it would not try --- might be that ?

28 March 2020, 21:05	#6
solarmon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: UK Posts: 1,715	Make sure the floppy disk is clean too. Is it a known good floppy disk? I.e. it works in another Amiga. Otherwise, inspect the floppy disk media and clean with isopropyl alcohol and cotton bud. Clean the floppy drive read/write heads with isopropyl alcohol and cotton bud too. And clean and re-grease the track motor worm gear and guide,/glide rails.

29 March 2020, 04:42	#7
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	The disks were tested by the previous owner and they worked for him. I have cleaned the heads and stepper track in the drive. I'll check the sensor button to see if that's having any issue tomorrow. I don't think the disks are the problem here because it does the exact same thing for all of them. Could there be a problem in the computer itself? Such as a bad cap? There's not to much more I can do to the drive.

29 March 2020, 09:36	#8
solarmon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: UK Posts: 1,715	Try reseating all the socketed chips. Clean the pins and sockets with isopropyl alcohol. When the machine is showing the Kickstart screen, does the drive click periodically, as it should do normally? It would be good to see a video of what happens on the floppy drive when you put the floppy disk in. Do you have another floppy drive to test, or a Gotek drive? Does the track motor worm gear spin, or attempt to, when you put a disk in. If you manually turn the track motor worm gear, does the read/write head move?

29 March 2020, 19:36	#9
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	The drive does click normally when there is no disk. The worm gear isn't stuck. I've moved it manually and it moves itself back to track 1 when powered on. I ordered a Gotek but they were unable to ship do to the situation with the virus. So I don't have any drives to test only 3 PC drives that couldn't be easily modded. I'll try cleaning the chips and sockets with alcohol then if it does the same thing I'll get a video.

29 March 2020, 21:58	#10
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	I cleaned pins and sockets on both CIA's, Gary, and the ROM chip with rubbing alcohol. Still has the same issue. Here is a video of what's happening: [ Show youtube player ]

30 March 2020, 15:26	#12
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	I found two caps in the drive which I have replaced already. Apparently that wasn't the problem even though one had leaked.

30 March 2020, 17:10	#14
solarmon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: UK Posts: 1,715	From the video, it seems the track motor ribbon cable is in a position to suggest that it has been moved/rotated and is now out of alignment? Could you get a closure picture of it. Also, it was a bit difficult to see, but it seemed the worm gear did not rotate? If you can show a steady video of it moving/rotating - i.e. manually move the heads, by manually rotating the worm gear, to another position and turn on the computer. The worm gear should rotate and move the read/write heads to track 0.

30 March 2020, 17:12	#15
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	I would but I don't have a spare drive that will work and I am unable to get a gotek at the moment. Is it for sure the drive at fault or could something else be screwed up? If it is the drive I can just wait until I can get a Gotek.

30 March 2020, 17:35	#17
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	I will get a better video later today.

30 March 2020, 17:39	#18
Jake001 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: USA Posts: 47	The floppy drive model is: JU-253-033P by Panasonic

30 March 2020, 19:02	#19
solarmon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: UK Posts: 1,715	Check the jumper settings - at the back of the floppy drive - they should be the following: SW3 = 0 SW2 = MO SW1 = RY i.e all to the left, as you look at them from the back.

30 March 2020, 19:24	#20
Franchute13 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Argentina Posts: 281	Jake, see this page, maybe the same problem (capacitor and micro swich) https://www.nightfallcrew.com/31/08/...-floppy-drive/

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)