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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Retro_71 on January 13, 2008, 03:11:51 PM

Title: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: Retro_71 on January 13, 2008, 03:11:51 PM

Hi,
My Roctec external drive doesn't read floppies any more. They all appear as DF1: ???????, but if i put them in df0 all is good.
Does the drive need aligning? if so how?
or is there another reason? Should i throw the drive away  (although i don't want to) ?
Any help is welcomed.

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: CLS2086 on January 13, 2008, 04:54:16 PM

Hi,
try first to open it
clean the grease on the head displacement screw
and oil this screw and also the displacement motor.

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: rkauer on January 13, 2008, 08:26:02 PM

 Try this hack (http://www.amiga.org/gallery/index.php?n=2180), it is simple and fast to make.

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: amigatech8 on January 13, 2008, 09:13:47 PM

I have the exact same problem on my Roctec External FDD. Opened it a couple of days ago and discovered the drive belt is loose and slipping. It will still spin a cleaning disk, but can't manage to spin a floppy anymore. Unless someone has new belts available, I don't see an easy fix for this model of drive. :-?

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: delshay on January 13, 2008, 09:32:46 PM

give the read/write heads a good clean & check all connectors.

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: Retro_71 on January 13, 2008, 11:27:47 PM

@rkauer

Thanks I have made several drives from old sony and panasonic pc drives, but this rocktec use a weird floppy cable that gives it both power, looks like a laptop FDD, so i cant see how i can put one of the hacked drives in its place.

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: Retro_71 on January 13, 2008, 11:35:15 PM

Quote

CLS2086 wrote:
Hi,
try first to open it
clean the grease on the head displacement screw
and oil this screw and also the displacement motor.

The top of the drive is off. I have check all connectors they seem to be fine. Which one is the displacment screw? (i know stupid question..  :-D ) and which one is the displacement drive?

Also would cotton buds and rubing alchol be ok for cleaning the heads if not which is? (it's been a very long time since i had to do this so i can't remember)

Thanks to all for your replies and help

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: Jope on January 14, 2008, 08:23:57 AM

The laptop style connector you wrote about above tells me that this is indeed one of those slimline belt driven Roctecs that was mentioned before.

It's very probable that the belt is slipping. Try and source a new one from an electronics distributor.. Measure your current one and order one that's a few millimeters shorter.

Title: Re: Roctec External FDD problems
Post by: DinGBaT on January 31, 2009, 06:53:03 AM

this should help ya out mate. a quick quide i made a few days ago.  
http://members.optusnet.com.au/junkmails/Amiga-roctec.pdf

enjoy!  :-)