Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!zephyr.ens.tek.com!gvgpsa!treehouse!andyp
From: andyp@treehouse.UUCP (Andy Peterman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: File Read Errors
Message-ID: <411@treehouse.UUCP>
Date: 25 Aug 90 04:04:57 GMT
References: <150469@felix.UUCP>
Organization: The Tree House
Lines: 28

In article <150469@felix.UUCP> kehr@felix.UUCP (Shirley Kehr) writes:
>Like everyone else I was blaming my FDHD for disk errors. I'd get the
>"Error reading file" message (even though it was writing). ....
>
>Someplace along the line I found that just changing the directory 
>structure on the floppy usually makes it possible to complete the
>file transfer. ....
>
>Has anyone else experienced this? I'm able to save a lot more floppies
>that way. Doesn't it suggest something other than hardware problems?
>Or is it possible to get past a bad spot on the floppy in this manner
>that you can't get past using the first copy procedure?

I've been noticing a similar behavior.  I've found that almost every
floppy I attempt to read fails on one of the last files.  I thought that
perhaps the drive is simply not making it to the last track(s).  Most
disks won't format in my FDHD drive.  I'm beginning to think that
perhaps the problem is the head is not able to access the last track.
I'm not sure if this is due to hardware (either physical fatigue or
alignment), firmware in the Sony drive, or even software in the Apple
driver.  I've been hearing increasing stories of failing FDHD drives,
especially in IIcx's.  Is there anyone at Apple who would care to admit
if there really is a widespread problem with these drives?  I'd sure
like to get this fixed, but I'm afraid that simply replacing the drive
won't do it!

	Andy Peterman
 	treehouse!andyp@gvgpsa.gvg.tek.com