How to repair this disk?

mc68060 · 16 December 2020, 13:31

I have a disk whose metal hub seems to be detached from the magnetic disc. Thus, when manually rotating the metal hub using a finger, the magnetic disc doesn't spin but stays at the very same position.

Is there a way to repair this disc? I think I'd somehow need to glue the metal hub to the magnetic disc but this would require me to break open the floppy disk and I'm not sure if it can be put together again after that so that a drive can actually read it... any ideas?

Jope · 16 December 2020, 13:37

Yep, you need to glue the hub back to the media.

This sounds so simple, but in reality it is very difficult indeed. You will need a lot of patience, because it must be in the same position as the factory made it in order for the tracks to still be round.

I'm afraid it is basically trial and error. If you have a kryoflux or similar flux dumper, you can try to analyse the scatter plots to see whether you're getting closer or further from your target, but be prepared for a long project.

I would recommend small slivers of very thin double sided tape. Not the foam kind, but the see-through plastic stuff that has glue on both sides. Wear nitrile gloves so you don't grease up the platter. Have some isopropyl+distilled water and cotton swabs handy so you can clean up any dirt that will inevitably end up on the platter.

mc68060 · 16 December 2020, 14:56

Thanks for the instructions but I guess this is too laborious for what's on the disk so I'll probably just let those bits rest in peace

BarryB · 16 December 2020, 16:08

If it's a plain AmigaDOS disk it shouldn't matter as nothing is checking the angular rotation is correct (copy protections) so if it's not in the same place it should be OK as long as it's still central and not off centre.

See Keirs reply in this thread: https://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=68564

Jope · 16 December 2020, 19:05

Yep, I wasn't even getting into the index orientation, but just the centering is sometimes difficult unless the platter's center hole is an exact match with the hub's diameter. It has a lot of play sometimes.

solarmon · 16 December 2020, 19:10

What type of disk is? If it is an original game, for example. You are better off writing the original IPF image to a donor disk and swapping the media.

If it has data on it that you need to recover then it is going to be very challenging. I've done it once, but it was probably more luck. You need to get it exactly central. It doesn't have to be in the correct position in term of the index. This is because you can use something like Greaseweazle to dump the image and then feed the image to HxC software and rotate the image back in to the correct position. Then write that adjusted image back to disk.

solarmon · 16 December 2020, 19:13

If you are just trying to recover the floppy disk back to be reused, then it doesn't matter that it is not aligned (centrally or index wise) - you just need to magnet wipe it and then format it.

mc68060 · 17 December 2020, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by solarmon

If you are just trying to recover the floppy disk back to be reused, then it doesn't matter that it is not aligned (centrally or index wise) - you just need to magnet wipe it and then format it.

Oh no, have floppy disks really become so rare now that people would do such a thing just to re-use an old disk?

Of course I want to rescue the data on it. It's an AmigaDOS disk by the way so I wouldn't have to deal with copy protections or anything but still it sounds like a rather laborious endeavour...

fxgogo · 17 December 2020, 21:39

Yeah, it does sound rather hectic. Some things are just not meant to be.

DamienD · 17 December 2020, 23:59

I'm interested to know what's actually on the disk.

Is it something so obscure that the OP needs to go to great lengths in order to save?

I mean, most stuff is available via TOSEC / internet etc...

Of course if it's personal data, then I understand.

mc68060 · 18 December 2020, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

I'm interested to know what's actually on the disk.

It's the Italian version of Asterix Operation Getafix, rated "extremely rare" on HOL. It's in TOSEC already but AFAICS we don't have a dump of the original disk yet.

solarmon · 18 December 2020, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by mc68060

It's the Italian version of Asterix Operation Getafix, rated "extremely rare" on HOL. It's in TOSEC already but AFAICS we don't have a dump of the original disk yet.

If there is no good dump of it then I think that would make it worth the hassle to try to restore it.

I would be willing to give it a go if you are willing to send it to me (I just need the media) . PM me if interested.

16 December 2020, 13:31	#1
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	How to repair this disk? I have a disk whose metal hub seems to be detached from the magnetic disc. Thus, when manually rotating the metal hub using a finger, the magnetic disc doesn't spin but stays at the very same position. Is there a way to repair this disc? I think I'd somehow need to glue the metal hub to the magnetic disc but this would require me to break open the floppy disk and I'm not sure if it can be put together again after that so that a drive can actually read it... any ideas?

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16 December 2020, 13:37	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,910	Yep, you need to glue the hub back to the media. This sounds so simple, but in reality it is very difficult indeed. You will need a lot of patience, because it must be in the same position as the factory made it in order for the tracks to still be round. I'm afraid it is basically trial and error. If you have a kryoflux or similar flux dumper, you can try to analyse the scatter plots to see whether you're getting closer or further from your target, but be prepared for a long project. I would recommend small slivers of very thin double sided tape. Not the foam kind, but the see-through plastic stuff that has glue on both sides. Wear nitrile gloves so you don't grease up the platter. Have some isopropyl+distilled water and cotton swabs handy so you can clean up any dirt that will inevitably end up on the platter.

16 December 2020, 14:56	#3
mc68060 With MMU and FPU! Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: On your mainboard Posts: 270	Thanks for the instructions but I guess this is too laborious for what's on the disk so I'll probably just let those bits rest in peace

16 December 2020, 16:08	#4
BarryB Amigaholic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,759	If it's a plain AmigaDOS disk it shouldn't matter as nothing is checking the angular rotation is correct (copy protections) so if it's not in the same place it should be OK as long as it's still central and not off centre. See Keirs reply in this thread: https://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=68564

16 December 2020, 19:05	#5
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,910	Yep, I wasn't even getting into the index orientation, but just the centering is sometimes difficult unless the platter's center hole is an exact match with the hub's diameter. It has a lot of play sometimes.

16 December 2020, 19:10	#6
solarmon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: UK Posts: 1,716	What type of disk is? If it is an original game, for example. You are better off writing the original IPF image to a donor disk and swapping the media. If it has data on it that you need to recover then it is going to be very challenging. I've done it once, but it was probably more luck. You need to get it exactly central. It doesn't have to be in the correct position in term of the index. This is because you can use something like Greaseweazle to dump the image and then feed the image to HxC software and rotate the image back in to the correct position. Then write that adjusted image back to disk.

16 December 2020, 19:13	#7
solarmon Registered User Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: UK Posts: 1,716	If you are just trying to recover the floppy disk back to be reused, then it doesn't matter that it is not aligned (centrally or index wise) - you just need to magnet wipe it and then format it.

17 December 2020, 21:39	#9
fxgogo Also known as GarethQ Join Date: May 2019 Location: Twickenham / U.K. Posts: 730	Yeah, it does sound rather hectic. Some things are just not meant to be.

17 December 2020, 23:59	#10
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	I'm interested to know what's actually on the disk. Is it something so obscure that the OP needs to go to great lengths in order to save? I mean, most stuff is available via TOSEC / internet etc... Of course if it's personal data, then I understand.

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