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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: thanos on April 22, 2010, 07:26:01 PM

Title: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: thanos on April 22, 2010, 07:26:01 PM
Hello, I believe I have a couple of dead floppy drives

I have tried a few floppy disks on my A1200, and they work, but not on the other drives.

I have an A2000 with an extra floppy drive, neither the internal or external seem to work.

I discovered that Amigakit sells replacements, what type of unit can I use to repair the external unit with?

I plan to order replacements, but I don't know what to repair the external drive with.

Help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: som99 on April 22, 2010, 07:29:32 PM
Quote from: thanos;554931
Hello, I believe I have a couple of dead floppy drives

I have tried a few floppy disks on my A1200, and they work, but not on the other drives.

I have an A2000 with an extra floppy drive, neither the internal or external seem to work.

I discovered that Amigakit sells replacements, what type of unit can I use to repair the external unit with?

I plan to order replacements, but I don't know what to repair the external drive with.

Help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


can you post a little more info on the external drive? Mabe a picture? If it looks like a regular drive under the shell a normal internal drive should work :) So open it up and look or post pictures.
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: beller on April 22, 2010, 07:38:28 PM
Have you tried cleaning the drives?  I've found amazing large dust bunnies in drives that haven't been used for a few decades.  Get some compressed air and blow out any muck before you toss the drives.

What does workbench say when you put a disk in the drive?  Have you tried formatting a blank disk?  Last year I was about to toss an A3000 drive but a good cleaning was all that was needed...

Good luck!
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: thanos on April 22, 2010, 07:41:59 PM
Sorry about not being more specific, but there is not a lot of information on the drive itself.

OK, let me know if the photo helps.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: som99 on April 22, 2010, 07:42:23 PM
ye cleaning could fix it, what happens when you fire a disk up in it? Does it read a disk at all and does is just give you NoDF0?

Tell us what happens and post a picture of its inside, good chances are that It houses a standard internal drive under the shell :)

edit: sorry you posted just a few secs before me :) I bet it  has a standard internal drive, to be sure open it and post a picture of the inside :)
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: thanos on April 22, 2010, 08:01:11 PM
OK, I'll give a cleaning, but in the mean time, I snapped a couple more photos.

I am surprised by the actual size of the drive mechanism.

I can post later with details on how the drive fails, I can't remember accurately.

I should be doing other stuff, heh, but heck, that other stuff won't make me happy will it?
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: som99 on April 22, 2010, 08:11:10 PM
Quote from: thanos;554946
OK, I'll give a cleaning, but in the mean time, I snapped a couple more photos.

I am surprised by the actual size of the drive mechanism.

I can post later with details on how the drive fails, I can't remember accurately.

I should be doing other stuff, heh, but heck, that other stuff won't make me happy will it?

Hmm as I tbhought a standard internal drive will work just fine :] tho its hard to see on this picture but is the drive not a littlebit thicker then a standard one? If it is a standard will work but you have to remove the front panel to get access to it, but only if its thicker :]

edit: if its thicker it migt be enough to put something under the drive to get it at the same hight as the front panel :] But as said a standard drive will work in that cover without any problems atleast connection wise :]
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: Jope on April 22, 2010, 10:06:44 PM
That's an A1010.. An A1000 or A500 floppy mechanism will fit inside

You will need to use a bit of creativity to get the access led to work with the A500 mechanism.
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: thanos on April 23, 2010, 02:56:43 AM
Hmmm, I connected the external drive to my A1200 and it works, when connected to the A2000 I get a "DF0:BAD" and "DF2:BAD".

I was attempting to use a PC serial port to Amiga floppy adapter cable at one point, it is connected to the Amiga, but not to a PC at this time.

I was never able to get it to work correctly, I will disconnect that cable and test further.
Title: Re: Amiga 3.5" external disk drive
Post by: nishtek on April 23, 2010, 07:08:15 AM
We repair drives.  We sell new drives too.  
amigaATnishtekDOTDOTcom

Quote from: thanos;554931
Hello, I believe I have a couple of dead floppy drives

I have tried a few floppy disks on my A1200, and they work, but not on the other drives.

I have an A2000 with an extra floppy drive, neither the internal or external seem to work.

I discovered that Amigakit sells replacements, what type of unit can I use to repair the external unit with?

I plan to order replacements, but I don't know what to repair the external drive with.

Help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.