Broken fds?

[0078265317]

Got a broken fds off ebay.  It was used and untested.  I am no repair expert.  But it was only 38 dollars and 25 cents total with shipping from japan. So I took a chance.  Just the fds and ram.  No adapter but batteries are fine for now.  I am from Chicago.

Anyhow it loads the nintendo splash screen from batteries.  But it just says now loading.  No other error messages. 

I saw your list here.

https://famicomworld.com/workshop/tech/disk-system-error-messages/

But none of that applies.  It just sounds loud and says now loading. 

Its strange no error codes show up.  Just says now loading and never loads.

[P]

Read this thread as well for various interpretations of the error messages.

You say it says now loading, I guess that is after you inserted a disk? Does the diskdrive not make any noise or anything when reading the disk?

Also the RAM adapter should work on its own without the disk drive connected like any normal ROM cartridge. Can you see the attract demo with Mario and Luigi playing with the light switch?

[0078265317]

Read this thread as well for various interpretations of the error messages.

You say it says now loading, I guess that is after you inserted a disk? Does the diskdrive not make any noise or anything when reading the disk?

Also the RAM adapter should work on its own without the disk drive connected like any normal ROM cartridge. Can you see the attract demo with Mario and Luigi playing with the light switch?

I got one golf / volleyball combo disk.  That all I have for now.  I insert the disk.  It makes loud noise.  And just says now loading.  Nothing else happens.

[0078265317]

And I tested the ram.  Ram works by it self no with no fds attached.

[P]

Information is still a bit vague.
How long do you wait? Is the loud noise heard all this time or is it suddenly silenced and then it's quiet? Do you see Mario and Luigi doing their thing before inserting a disk?

[0078265317]

Information is still a bit vague.
How long do you wait? Is the loud noise heard all this time or is it suddenly silenced and then it's quiet? Do you see Mario and Luigi doing their thing before inserting a disk?

Yes I see mario and luigi dancing first.  Its loud as soon as I turn on the fds.  I insert a game and it says now loading.  If I sit there 5 minutes it still says now loafing.  Its loud all the time.  Never quiet.

[P]

I see. The RAM adapter is behaving strangely, 5 minutes is too long, I think it should timeout and return an error before that normally.
Unfortunately I can't help you other than suggest to try switching out things: Batteries, AC-adapter on the Famicom, FDS disk, RAM adapter and Famicom (in case you have access to another Famicom to try it on).

Batteries should be new, good quality and all from the same package. You can't mix batteries of different charge or maker, and the disk drive doesn't like cheap batteries either.

[0078265317]

I am from USA so I do not have a famicom.  I am using a top loader USA version.  A YOBO FC TWIN works also the same with no errors.  You are right it might be a bad ram.

I think a saw a cheap one on ebay.  If its still there I will try and see.  Maybe that is all it is.  Thanks for all your help.

[0078265317]

Also just checked ebay and one of the auctions for a loose ram says woks only with a famicom japan.  So maybe that is it.  Not sure why it matters if it loads the splash screen.  Should not load at all.  But maybe I have to hunt down a famicom.

[P]

The FDS is confirmed to work on both NTSC and PAL NES, so I don't think that's your problem, unless you are using a clone. What pin adapter do you use? That might also cause problems.

Also I'd try switching out the batteries before I'd hunt down a new RAM-adapter. Cheapest and easiest options first.

Not sure why it matters if it loads the splash screen.

Well your first post was very vague in describing your situation, so I had to make a lot of assumptions which makes troubleshooting harder. Now you are saying you are not even using a Famicom. That also changes the situation a bit.

[0078265317]

The batteries were bought new fresh and hardly used.  I will check later with a battery tester.

Or I can use an ac adapter.  But Japan uses 100v and USA is 120 I read somewhere.  Is that correct and if so it won't work?  And what does the official adapter even look like?

As for systems.  I have a toaster nes, top loader 101, and an yobo fc twin.  I also have a SNES with a retroport adapter from to play NES games on a SNES.  And I also have Tristar super 8 that's a little beat up but works on my SNES also and plays snes and nes and famicom games.

And as for the converter I got a gyromite from Ebay with a converter inside (some early 5 screw games had converters).  My friend over age atariage dot com 3d printed me a shell case so it looks like an official adapter now.  It works great to play famicom games on my nes or top loader.  And I have the YOBO 60 pin to 72 pin converter which is the reverse.  Also works great.

[0078265317]

Or maybe third party like this that includes USA voltage?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-Supply-AC-Adapter-for-Nintendo-NES-Famicom-Super-Famicom-Disk-System/302547511593?hash=item46713ca929:g:TdMAAOSw7z1aJCOQ

[P]

Yes maybe. As long as it delivers what the seller claims.

[ericj]

Remove the screws from the case and take off the top cover so you can watch the mechanism as it tries to load the disk. This will give you access to the magnetic head. If the disk is spinning and the mechanism moving, clean the magnetic head with isopropyl alcohol and even scrape it off with your fingernail if there is anything stuck to it. Link to a video if you can and this may help us figure out what's going on with it.

[0078265317]

Thanks.  Sorry forgot to mention I took some pics when it arrived.

https://mvvg.blogspot.com/2020/02/famicom-disk-system.html