rprohask@orion.oac.uci.edu (Robert Prohaska) (12/25/90)
Is it possible to remove and clean a 1.44 meg floppy drive? The drive is installed in a iici. It stopped making its usual mechanical sound when a disk was inserted, failed to mount the disk and refused to eject it. The disk had to be ejected using a paperclip. All the disks I've tried give the same result. They engage the eject spring about half an inch later than expected and seat much more softly than usual. It looks as if the disk handling mechanism is jammed with lint The drive is still under warranty but it will probably take at least a week to collect; In the meantime I need the machine. What's the best thing to do? bob prohaska
hamilton@kickapoo.cs.iastate.edu (Jon Hamilton) (12/25/90)
rprohask@orion.oac.uci.edu (Robert Prohaska) writes: >Is it possible to remove and clean a 1.44 meg floppy drive? >The drive is installed in a iici. It stopped making its usual mechanical >sound when a disk was inserted, failed to mount the disk and refused >to eject it. The disk had to be ejected using a paperclip. I don't know what the 'official' position is on this, but at this time last year, Apple said _not_ to put anything other than a regular disk inside a 1.44M drive. That meant no cleaning disks, and leave the drive empty when you transported your machine. >All the disks I've tried give the same result. They engage the eject >spring about half an inch later than expected and seat much >more softly than usual. >It looks as if the disk handling mechanism is jammed with lint Wow, now _that's_ dirty! I thought mine were bad :) >The drive is still under warranty but it will probably take at least >a week to collect; In the meantime I need the machine. You didn't hear this from me, but I'd try to clean it (carefully). If it doesn't work, take it in to be serviced and don't mention your attempt...after all, it _is_ under warranty... >What's the best thing to do? >bob prohaska -- % Internet : hamilton@kickapoo.cs.iastate.edu | Insert cute and/or % % America Online : JonHam | deeply meaningful % % Elsewhere : ThatGeek@his.little.corner | musical quote here %
bcs.jim@pro-angmar.UUCP (Jim Rinaldo) (12/29/90)
In-Reply-To: message from rprohask@orion.oac.uci.edu Robert Prohaska writes: >>Is it possible to remove and clean a 1.44 meg floppy drive? >> >>The drive is installed in a iici. It stopped making its usual mechanical >>sound when a disk was inserted, failed to mount the disk and refused >>to eject it. The disk had to be ejected using a paperclip. >> >>All the disks I've tried give the same result. They engage the eject >>spring about half an inch later than expected and seat much >>more softly than usual. >> >>It looks as if the disk handling mechanism is jammed with lint Rob: Just get some long q-tips (Radio Shack sells them) and the highest percent alcohol (70% or better; I like using 90%) and clean the lint goober out of the drive while the machine is off. Also, clean the little thingies that look like cassette recorder heads on the top and bottom. This can be done with a flashlight from the outside of the machine. No warranty offered, but I did this on a IIx and haven't had a problem with the FDHD since. Jim Rinaldo Editor, Computer-Aided Publishing Solutions (CAPs) The Boston Computer Society BCS: (617) 367-8080, FAX: 367-8530 pro-angmar!BCS.Jim@alphalpha.com
2flopukka@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (12/31/90)
the quickest way I have to clean the drive w/o touching the pickups with a foreign object is: to remove the drive, and use compressed air to blow the dust out... if you have some kind of long nozzle this would be the safest way to do this, and still leave the drive in the case