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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Hardware Issues and discussion => Topic started by: Matt_H on August 04, 2017, 08:30:33 PM

Title: Alignment disk for A1000
Post by: Matt_H on August 04, 2017, 08:30:33 PM
As part of my ever-continuing saga to image old disks in my possession, I came across one called Align Disk, or something similar. It's got an official Commodore/Amiga label and part number, and I assume it must have been sent to dealers/service techs to help realign A1000 floppy drives. Interestingly, it presents to the system as a Kickstart disk! (i.e., shows up as DF0:Kickstart on the Workbench).

Is this known to the community? Has anyone seen this before?
Title: Re: Alignment disk for A1000
Post by: zipper on August 04, 2017, 08:51:55 PM
Perhaps some of these: http://web.archive.org/web/20071020052306/http://www.rbenda.de/commodore/soft7.html
Title: Re: Alignment disk for A1000
Post by: klx300r on August 04, 2017, 09:11:49 PM
@ Matt_H

I'm pretty sure I never got this disk with my A1000 manual and disk set that came with the system? I'm located in Canada and perhaps this was sent with new systems in other countries ??
Title: Re: Alignment disk for A1000
Post by: BLTCON0 on August 04, 2017, 10:35:09 PM
Quote from: Matt_H;829088
As part of my ever-continuing saga to image old disks in my possession, I came across one called Align Disk, or something similar. It's got an official Commodore/Amiga label and part number, and I assume it must have been sent to dealers/service techs to help realign A1000 floppy drives. Interestingly, it presents to the system as a Kickstart disk! (i.e., shows up as DF0:Kickstart on the Workbench).

Is this known to the community? Has anyone seen this before?


I think these disks are meant to be used with an oscilloscope (floppy drives of that day had a suitable test point IIRC). You use the accompanying software to read various tracks with predefined data patterns and check if the resulting waveform on the scope meets certain criteria.

Certainly not end-user material.
Title: Re: Alignment disk for A1000
Post by: Matt_H on August 04, 2017, 11:04:07 PM
@ zipper

I don't believe it's one of those - I think it's older than that, from when the A1000 was the only Amiga on the market.

@ klx300r & BLTCON0

I'm almost certain that this was a service department tool and that end users wouldn't have gotten it. I like the oscilloscope theory. I'll have to fire it up in *UAE to see what it looks like.