So I picked up a drive for $8 in Akihabara in the junk bin. It is missing the springs on the sides of the drive that hold the disk tray in place and it looks like it is missing the felt pad for the head. I have done all the voltage mods and thoroughly cleaned the drive but still getting error 22. Assuming this is more the felt pad then the springs. So can I use any 3mm or 1/8 thick felt pad for the read head? I'd really like to get this working since the FDS was the only system I bought in Japan.
It could be both, but the pad definitely needs to be there as it puts pressure onto the disk such that it touches the magnetic head.
I think just anything cut down to size would work, as long as it slides across the disk without much friction.
As for the springs, you can use some cut down pen springs to replace them. Sometimes they need to be there because, again, they put pressure on the disk so it sits closer to the reading head.
Make sure you calibrated the spindle using the correct guide, as well.
3mm in foam thickness right? I might grab the spring at ace hardware, they have a huge selection.
I have replacement felt pads for sale and springs... somewhere. I'm based in California
I added the felt pad but I am still error 21. I have moved the spindle a full 360 in small increments. I have dial calipered the head location and it seems perfect. At this point I guess I am waiting til my FDSkey gets here to really diagnose the drive.
Why move the spindle in small increments? There is one specific position it's meant to sit at.
In the "home" position (i.e when the assembly returns to the beginning) the screw on the spindle is meant to face the head.
Actually now I got solid error 22s on each disk, no error 21s. But the spindle screw is 180 out from the head at full lock of the head travel so I might have some life here. Also this drive was worked on before I got it so I am not totally sure of its demons other then a new clear belt.
Speed could also be off. Could you post a video of it attempting a read?
Update: So I have 2 disks here 1. Ice Hockey (original disk) but picked up for 200yen as junk and 2. Eggerland which does not have labels but was sold as "working". Playing with the drive speed I could get ice hockey to boot to black screen fast then crash at error 27. Egger I only get error 22. Think I just need to wait for my FDSkey and rewrite my stuff here. I am sorta out of adjustments.
If you rewrite them they will not work once the drive is adjusted correctly though.
Have you tried that method with the oscilloscope (if you have one)? There are many guides with bad ways to calibrate.
Alright I got my FDSKey now I am trying to figure out if I can do the speed test to check the motor and I read some where about a disk checker util to see if my disks are junk. I think I need copy master for all this?
You can use FDS Lister (https://www.chrismcovell.com/fds-lister.html) (see: third and fourth box from top)