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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: gp116126 on February 12, 2006, 01:52:28 PM

Title: A600 Floppy
Post by: gp116126 on February 12, 2006, 01:52:28 PM

My A600s floppy has stopped ejecting disks.  They are not trapped, I can take them out with a pair of long nose pliers so I think it's the spring.

Cna anyone advise if this is fixable or do I need a new floppy.  If the latter will any Amiga floppy be ok (from A500/+ 1200 etc) or should it be one specifically for the A600.

Thanks

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: amigakit on February 12, 2006, 02:04:40 PM

The floppy drive is probably not faulty. It has probably moved and slightly misaligned with the disk slot.

If you open your a600, you may find that the floppy is working OK without the casing.

In this case try and realign it until the disks are ejecting OK.

The A600 can only take A1200 replacement floppy drives - not A500 as they are larger.

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: gp116126 on February 12, 2006, 02:07:59 PM

Thanks for the response.  Will have a go.

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: gp116126 on February 12, 2006, 02:20:50 PM

Casings off and floppy is out but disks don't eject.  They feel stiff to push in also so it looks as if the floppy has been through the mill.  Any other ideas.  

Also keybord ribbon lead has become detatched from it's Mobo connector, whihc is stil in the board.  What about this one.  

Thanks again

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: amigagr on February 12, 2006, 02:45:28 PM

if the ribbon system is the same with a1200's pull out the connector push the ribbon in its place and then push the connector back to ''close'' and hold the ribbon

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: zombi on February 12, 2006, 04:21:55 PM

In a600 the ribbon system is not same. There is no cover on the connector to push after ribbon. The cable should fit in connector itself. If the connection is loose, try sticking a small piece of paper with the cable.

Be careful. This ribbon cable is extreemly sensitive. First   put cable in than place a piece of paper. When removing do reverse. First remove the paper than cable. Otherwise you can  easily scrape the data paths.  

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: beller on March 17, 2006, 07:41:58 PM

Quote

amigakit wrote:

If you open your a600, you may find that the floppy is working OK without the casing.

In this case try and realign it until the disks are ejecting OK.

I've just reassembled my A600HD and have an alignment problem with the drive myself.  Is there an easy way to do this?  Can it be done via the external screws?  

Since it's booting off the HD I've decided to let it run for a bit to make sure everything else is ok.  

Suggestions for the alignment?

Bob

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: amigakit on March 17, 2006, 07:45:40 PM

If it is a Chinon mechanism, make sure the floppy cable is lying flat.  Position the floppy drive, lightly screw in the drive, make final adjustments then tighten all the screws.

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: beller on March 17, 2006, 07:54:40 PM

Quote

amigakit wrote:
If it is a Chinon mechanism, make sure the floppy cable is lying flat.  Position the floppy drive, lightly screw in the drive, make final adjustments then tighten all the screws.

Thanks...I have a Panasonic Amiga drive.  Would this be easier to mount?

Bob

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: amigakit on March 17, 2006, 07:58:43 PM

I cant remember Panasonics being originally supplied with the A600.  They are longer drives so they may be a bit tricker to secure.

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: TjLaZer on March 17, 2006, 10:23:59 PM

Three of my NTSC A600's have panasonic mechs that are originals.

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: Morax on March 18, 2006, 07:44:25 PM

Quote

zombi wrote:
In a600 the ribbon system is not same. There is no cover on the connector to push after ribbon. The cable should fit in connector itself.

I once had an Amiga 600HD, but that one did have such a cover which you had to pull out or push, like on the 1200. Maybe differences in motherboard revisions?

Quote

Be careful. This ribbon cable is extreemly sensitive. First   put cable in than place a piece of paper. When removing do reverse. First remove the paper than cable. Otherwise you can  easily scrape the data paths.  

I can second to that! I destroyed my ribbon cable due to not being careful enough.  :-(

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: banzai on March 19, 2006, 08:40:42 AM

gp116126,

My A600 did something similar, and I also thought that it was the eject mechanism. It turned out to be the... beats me what they call it... but it tensions the disk against the guide on the frame when you slide it in. Found a picture of it here (http://www.rabayjr.com/Amiga/JU257_front_resize.jpg).  It's that clear plastic lever arm in the upper right corner, behind the eject button on the top plate. Mine broke, leaving behind a piece that jammed the disk.

After removing it, and the extra pieces, I noticed that the disk is "sloppier" when inserting, but it reads/writes just fine. It seems that the plastic gets a bit brittle over the years, and snaps instead of springs.

banzai

Title: Re: A600 Floppy
Post by: CLS2086 on March 20, 2006, 04:06:58 PM

Hi,
To replace your ribbon, you can use and cut one for PC (a short one !), just use the straight right part.
Take care to look if the drive's pins have not been twisted or broken (it happens sometimes ...)
For your drive I think about a faulty spring. The clear plastic lever arm can be replaced with a modified spring that you would find in a pen.
most of the A600 i know have Panasonic drives, but the very first where equiped with Chinon drive's like A1200.