C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) (08/30/90)
WARNING: Long, drawn out, hardware problem follows.
I'm having problems with my external floppy drives that I think is caused
by a flakey 8520.
I started out with with a pioneer external drive. I've always had problems
writing disks formated from other drives. It would also send out eroneous
diskchange signals (that what it looked like at least) ocasionally. However,
it would write it's own disks just fine. The local repair shop checked it
out and the heads are inline and the speed is in spec.
Recently, the Pioneer drive started to corrupt it's own disks. I assumed
the fault was with the drive so I bought a SupaDrive. I set up all
possible combinations.
Pioneer df1: Supra df2:
Pioneer Reads and writes it's own disk just fine.
Corrupts disks created with internal floppy
Diskchange problem SEEMS to be gone.
Supra Corrupts all disks (eventually)
Powering down and backup seems to help but it still
corrupts the disk.
Pioneer df2: Supra df1:
Pioneer Sends out eroneous diskchange signals every 20 seconds or
so.
Supra Not thouroughly tested.
Pioneer df1: no df2:
Pioneer just like before. Corrupts all disks. Occasional disk
change.
Supra df1: no df2:
Just like Pioneer. The supra never sends eroneous disk changes.
In all cases diskcopying will work whether or not other operations work.
In the same time frame that I discovered the problem of the Pioneer
corrupting all disks, the joystick port has ceased to function properly.
There is a constant "turn right" signal. Joystick works fine in mouse
port.
Given that the 8520's handle both the floppy drives and the joystick ports.
And 8520's are notorious for being the root of joystick problems.
And both problems have occured in a time frame close enough to be the same.
I tenativly point my finger at one of the 8520's. BUT I've never heard of
a chip problem causing disk problems.
Can someone verify if this is plausible or maybe suggest another
explanation?
Thanks.
Eric Edwards c506634 @ : "See computer history first hand. Dial up your :
Inet: umcvmb.missouri.edu : local IBM mainframe" 7 bits :
Bitnet: umcvmb.bitnet : |3090| -----------|Amiga| :johnhlee@svax.cs.cornell.edu (Johnny H. Lee) (08/30/90)
In article <900829.161641.CDT.C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU> C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) writes: >WARNING: Long, drawn out, hardware problem follows. > >I'm having problems with my external floppy drives that I think is caused >by a flakey 8520. [Long description of problem and symptoms deleted.] Did you check the floppy drive signal terminators? Each drive must be terminated. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The DiskDoctor threatens the crew! Next time on AmigaDos: The Next Generation. John Lee Internet: johnhlee@cs.cornell.edu The above opinions of those of the user, and not of this machine.
C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) (08/31/90)
[sorry about the entry in comp.sys.amiga, that was sent in error] In Message-ID: <45154@cornell.UUCP> "Johonny H.Lee" <johnhlee@svax.cs.cornell.edu> said: >In article <900829.161641.CDT.C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU> C506634@UMCVMB.MISSO >>WARNING: Long, drawn out, hardware problem follows. >> >>I'm having problems with my external floppy drives that I think is caused >>by a flakey 8520. >[Long description of problem and symptoms deleted.] >Did you check the floppy drive signal terminators? Each drive must be >terminated. Terminators? What ARE you talking about? None of my drives have come with any hardware beyond the drives themselves. None of the other amiga owners I know seem to use them either. Eric Edwards: c506634 @ "The 3090. Proof that by applying state of the Inet: umcvmb.missouri.edu art technology to an obsolete architecture, Bitnet: umcvmb.bitnet one can achieve mediocre performance."
johnhlee@svax.cs.cornell.edu (Johnny H. Lee) (08/31/90)
In article <900830.194305.CDT.C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU> C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) writes: > >In Message-ID: <45154@cornell.UUCP> >"Johnny H.Lee" <johnhlee@svax.cs.cornell.edu> said: >>In article <900829.161641.CDT.C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU> C506634@UMCVMB.MISSO >>Did you check the floppy drive signal terminators? Each drive must be >>terminated. > >Terminators? What ARE you talking about. My floppies didn't come with any >hardware beyond the drives themselves. And no one else seems to need them. Ooops, hehe. Never mind. You *do* need them, but I forgot that the 3-1/2" drives have the signal terminators hardwired into the drive unlike the 5-1/4" floppies and hard disks. Been fiddling with my 5-1/4" drive, you see. But your troubles do sound like they could be a cable/noise problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Windows start popping out! Next time on AmigaDos: The Next Generation. John Lee Internet: johnhlee@cs.cornell.edu The above opinions of those of the user, and not of this machine.
johnhlee@svax.cs.cornell.edu (Johnny H. Lee) (09/01/90)
(Sorry, this apparently did not get out.) In article <900830.194305.CDT.C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU> C506634@UMCVMB.MISSOURI.EDU (Eric Edwards) writes: > >Terminators? What ARE you talking about. My floppies didn't come with any >hardware beyond the drives themselves. And no one else seems to need them. Ooops, hehe. Never mind. You *do* need them, but I forgot that the 3-1/2" drives have the signal terminators hardwired into the drive unlike the 5-1/4" floppies and hard disks. Been fiddling with my 5-1/4" drive, you see. But your troubles do sound like they could be a cable/noise problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Windows start popping out! Next time on AmigaDos: The Next Generation. John Lee Internet: johnhlee@cs.cornell.edu The above opinions of those of the user, and not of this machine.