A500 disk read errors problem, help.

[wrath of khan]

Hi,I have been using my old amiga 500 recently which has been in a wardrobe for about 7 years.I keep getting messages saying insert workbench even when it's already inserted.It does this for other programs too.I tried to format some old blank discs to make a backup of my workbench and extras discs.I also tried to copy my workbench disc by trying to copy over an old floppy demo disc.I am getting messages saying 'disk is corrupt' disk is not inserted in drive or destination disk has an error etc.I even tried another original workbench 1.3 disk and the same issue is there.I don't think all of these disks that I tried could be corrupt so im thinking is it an issue with my diskdrive?
Any ideas what I should do? Also I cant seem to fing the diskdoctor.Is it accessed via the cli window? What do ye think the problem is and can it be fixed?Any help would be appreciated. Ill check back here on this thread later as ive got to go now.Thanks

[desiv]

...I keep getting messages saying insert workbench even when it's already inserted.It does this for other programs too.

That is frequently the disk sensor button.

My 500 did that when I first got it..
(Sometimes, when I ejected a disk, it didn't know I had ejected it either)...

In your disk drive, there's a little button you can see.
It's inside, near the front on the side (can't remember which side; left I think while looking at it???).
You can take a screwdriver and push the little button down and it should come back up.

Most likely, that's a bit sticky/corroded.
You can take some contact cleaner or even just some rubbing alcohol and put a bit on there and then move the button up and down a bunch.
(This is difficult to describe without it sounding bad...:rofl:  )

"Disk is corrupt" could be bad disks or a dirty floppy drive.
If you have a floppy cleaner, I'd use that...
(It's a good investment, only $5 or so bucks (or was last I checked) if you can find one usually..)

One thing, if you have a floppy disk that is dirty or moldy, and you clean the drive and then place that disk back in, your drive gets dirty again...  ;-)  I've had that happen (with a C64 floppy that I hadn't looked closely enough at.  Luckily, it's easy to wash 5 1/4" floppies.  Haven't tried that with an Amiga floppy.)

desiv

[paul1981]

First try using a cleaning disk. There's plenty of those kits still for sale on ebay, and also plenty of programs on aminet to make use of them, such as this one:

http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/Clean

[wrath of khan]

That is frequently the disk sensor button.

My 500 did that when I first got it..
(Sometimes, when I ejected a disk, it didn't know I had ejected it either)...

In your disk drive, there's a little button you can see.
It's inside, near the front on the side (can't remember which side; left I think while looking at it???).
You can take a screwdriver and push the little button down and it should come back up.

Most likely, that's a bit sticky/corroded.
You can take some contact cleaner or even just some rubbing alcohol and put a bit on there and then move the button up and down a bunch.
(This is difficult to describe without it sounding bad...:rofl:  )

"Disk is corrupt" could be bad disks or a dirty floppy drive.
If you have a floppy cleaner, I'd use that...
(It's a good investment, only $5 or so bucks (or was last I checked) if you can find one usually..)

One thing, if you have a floppy disk that is dirty or moldy, and you clean the drive and then place that disk back in, your drive gets dirty again...  ;-)  I've had that happen (with a C64 floppy that I hadn't looked closely enough at.  Luckily, it's easy to wash 5 1/4" floppies.  Haven't tried that with an Amiga floppy.)

desiv

Ahh ok I never knew about this sensor button.It was asking for the disk when it was already inserted and it didnt recognise if it was ejected.The drive could be dirty too I guess.Ill try and get a floppy disk cleaner on e-bay if such a thing is still being made by some company.

[shaf]

I don't bother with Floppy drive cleaners, I open the drive up and use some Isopropyl Alcohol and a Q-tip to clean the drive heads.

[motrucker]

I would use the cleaning disk. They do a better job, and can be bought on ebay for a couple of bucks.
If you do decide to take the drive apart, don't use a cotton Q-tip - use a foam cleaner like is used in reel to reel tape heads. That way there's no cotton bits to get loose and foul things up worse.

[Moonlighter]

For me it works better: open the floppy Drive, clean the dust off with a brush then use isopropilic alchool or electronic cleanig spay on the sensor switch.. and very gentle use a cotton swab with Isopopilic alchool and clean the heads .. like many Ppl have said before Dust is the Nº 1 enemy of fçoppy drives
Ps I even use a cotton swab with a litle bit of fine oil and lubricate the shaft where the heads Run and also the mottor coil..
dont mind my english

[wrath of khan]

Ive ordered a disk cleaning kit off e-bay.So will see if that helps.I will take a look for that sensor button thingie too.

[Tenacious]

Lubing the motor is a decent idea.  If the floppy doesn't spin at the correct rpm, disks appear corrupted.

[wrath of khan]

Hi, I used a disk cleaner but it didn;t solve the problem.I have opened my a500 and am looking for advice where to start cleaning it.I see the small switch and can access this to clean it.I need to clean the diskdrive heads.what do these look like? I maybe need to clean the motor too.I have the alcohol water solution, cotton buds for cleaning and a microfibre cloth that's used for cleaning lcds etc.There is a silver metal covering on the diskdrive.It looks like I have to remove this to gain access to the heads and motor.It doesen't seem easy to remove.Should I remove this to clean the drive? Here are some pictures I took of the inside of my a500 and the drive.http://www.mediafire.com/?8kxx7l5e88xuhw8
http://www.mediafire.com/?wb903r32yaqcaxz      http://www.mediafire.com/?r6eaybbcqbdqw52         http://www.mediafire.com/?w33ywcffizc6mmm

[wrath of khan]

Bump!! See above post.

[desiv]

Not a 500, but the same concept:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-3PtSsn8YY

desiv

[Moonlighter]

You really have to disconect the floppy drive from the Amiga itself
and apen it . unbolt the screws on the cover of the floppy unit
so you can go inside the floppy drive and clean the heads with gentle care
 
Here you have a video on how to do it
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-3PtSsn8YY
 
Use care and isopropilic Alcohol or electronic fluid Spray

[wrath of khan]

Ok.Thanks guys.I don't usually take computers apart but i will give it a try.That video is very helpful. Hope I don't **** up my old miggy.I will let ye know how it goes.Thanks again.

[Moonlighter]

Be very carefull with heads . gentle but persistent  scrub with cotton swab :lol: