A1200 floppy drive df0:???? when empty? And doesn't work

[hyperlogos]

I find lots of fixes for df0:???? when full, but not when empty.

df1: (Amiga 1011 drive, unmodified) works great. hd0: (2.1G toshiba from old win95 laptop) works great, no power problems. I am using a 12V/80W picopsu inside the case since my original supply failed and started making a clicking noise.

[indigolemon]

Sorry for starting with the obvious, but is the cable connected the correct way round?

[PortuguesePilot]

I have similar issue but with a Gotek drive. I replicated the problem with the actual floppy drive. The problem is not the Gotek nor the cables. My inkling is that it's something on the A1200 itself. Some DMA or floppy controller capacitor of some sort. Unfortunately, I'm not a tech-savvy amigan and I honestly don't know what the problem is. I've been thinking about taking it so someone who might do a full recap on my A1200 but I haven't done so yet. I'm sort of afraid. The A1200 works well otherwise (has an 8GB CF-IDE HDD full of goodies) and I fear that a recap done by someone who's not an "Amiga expert" might do more harm than good, but eventually I'll have to do it.

[meynaf]

You will get df0:???? for empty drives when the drive falsely reports there is a disk inside (when there is none).

[hyperlogos]

Originally Posted by indigolemon

Sorry for starting with the obvious, but is the cable connected the correct way round?

It's a valid question, I assumed so because I haven't even unfolded the cable but I did have it off at some point and could possibly have got it wrong if I tried hard enough. I'll check that next chance I get to crack it open.

[hyperlogos]

Originally Posted by meynaf

You will get df0:???? for empty drives when the drive falsely reports there is a disk inside (when there is none).

That's what I thought. Is the likeliest culprit in this situation the detect switch?

[meynaf]

Originally Posted by hyperlogos

That's what I thought. Is the likeliest culprit in this situation the detect switch?

Could be anything between the detect switch and bit #2 of CIA-A port A.
However if it's just that, then the drive should still work fine (without detecting disk changes). How does it behave with a disk inside ?

[hyperlogos]

Originally Posted by meynaf

Could be anything between the detect switch and bit #2 of CIA-A port A.
However if it's just that, then the drive should still work fine (without detecting disk changes). How does it behave with a disk inside ?

I'll fire it up later today and re-check, but I don't think it actually reads it.

But I don't think I diskchange'd df0: when I tried it, so I need to double check.

[hyperlogos]

weird, quick reply didn't work. anyway.

Finally got time to mess with it again. And when I booted up there was no df0:???? on the desktop. So I tried sticking in a disc I formatted in df1: and got df0:????. I ejected it and it went away, but unfortunately, after a couple more insertions I still had df0:???? on the desktop with no disk in.

My assumption right now is that I have two problems. df0 disk detect switch is sticking on, and also df0 is mis-aligned or dirty. I've used df1 with PC1 driver to read MS-DOS floppy, which is why I suspect df0. I will clean df0 and put some Deox-it on the detect switch and see if that helps.

[Amiga1992]

I had this problem happen to me when my drive was screwed up/misaligned. I'd get a new drive if I was you, it is a huge headache to go diagnosing such a thing when you can easily get a replacement.

[hyperlogos]

Originally Posted by Akira

I had this problem happen to me when my drive was screwed up/misaligned. I'd get a new drive if I was you, it is a huge headache to go diagnosing such a thing when you can easily get a replacement.

Well, I'm not really in it for keeps anyway. I'd like to spend as little money as possible while I take this walk down memory lane, and I hate to throw things away that can be fixed. Once I've had my fun I intend to sell my 1200, so if I can't fix df0 I'll just leave it to the next owner... since I have an external drive to use in the mean time. My 3c589D card arrives today, supposedly, and I don't actually plan to even be using floppies for anything. I just want to fix it on principle

[amiman99]

I have similar problem with my disk drive. I insert a floppy disk, I get DF0:????, then I reinsert and get it working. I'm not sure what is the problem. I got the drive open right now looking at the problem.
It usually works on second time.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by amiman99

I have similar problem with my disk drive. I insert a floppy disk, I get DF0:????, then I reinsert and get it working. I'm not sure what is the problem. I got the drive open right now looking at the problem.
It usually works on second time.

Do you have KS2.0+?

Try this:
Insert the disk one time, it will give you DF0:???, right?
Do not eject it, open a Shell window, and type "diskchange df0:". See if your disk shows up properly then.

If it does, your drive probably has some issue with the disk insert signal/sensor. Is it one of those converted "PC" drives or a "native" Amiga drive?

[amiman99]

Originally Posted by Akira

Do you have KS2.0+?

Try this:
Insert the disk one time, it will give you DF0:???, right?
Do not eject it, open a Shell window, and type "diskchange df0:". See if your disk shows up properly then.

If it does, your drive probably has some issue with the disk insert signal/sensor. Is it one of those converted "PC" drives or a "native" Amiga drive?

I have kick 3.1 on this A3000, I'm using Amiga drive that was external before.
I tried the diskchange command and it did not work, same ????.
I have the drive open and I can see the heads. When the drive is not working, the head moves only 1mm, but when I reinsert it, the head moved to the end and back and it works.

[hyperlogos]

(arrrrgh got my 3c589D and it doesn't work, it's probably programmed for 10base2)

[Jope]

Originally Posted by amiman99

I have kick 3.1 on this A3000, I'm using Amiga drive that was external before.
I tried the diskchange command and it did not work, same ????.
I have the drive open and I can see the heads. When the drive is not working, the head moves only 1mm, but when I reinsert it, the head moved to the end and back and it works.

Lube the rail on the side of the head assembly. Bike chain oil or sewing machine oil, put some of the oil on the tip of a q-tip and use that to transfer the oil to the rail. Then reassemble the drive and try again.