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From: Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: Help!  My 1050 has stopped working...
Message-ID: <40153@cup.portal.com>
Date: 15 Mar 91 00:29:19 GMT
References: <824@antares.Concordia.CA>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 57

Jean writes:
>Greetings.
>
>My disk drive has suddenly refused to work.  I don't need to explain how
>Anyway, what happens is that the drive complains when it is ordered to read a
>sector (e.g. during bootup).  All I get is an annoying noise, along with
>a message saying it can't boot (this repeats ad infinitum, or at least until
>I shut it off).
>
>Power seems fine. The LEDs work, and the power supply voltage is 12V AC.
>The motor starts and the head moves when I apply power, as usual.  I have
>cleaned the head and the guide rails, and checked the circuit board for
>obvious problems (they aren't any blown components).  I changed the drive #
>selector to all four positions.  If it is selected as drive 2,3, or 4, I
>get a timeout sound, and when I put it back as drive 1, I get the annoying
>sound (not the same as the timeout sound).

  It needs to be set to drive 1 in order to boot from it.

>
>I get error 139 whenever I try reading from the drive (I get this value
>using Omnimon).  If I turn off the drive, I get error 138 (timeout).
>
>I don't think it's a bad connection between the drive and my computer because
>my old drive (which can't write properly...) works ok if I use the same serial
>cable.

  The SIO port could be bad but this is unlikely.

>
>I think I have 5 options:
>
>1) Fix it myself (but I'd need the 1050 service manual and a source for parts)
>2) Send the drive out for repairs (but where?  and for how much?)
>3) Put my 8-bit system in a closet and forget about it (not desirable)
>4) Cook up some hardware to let me use an IBM PC drive (too involved)
>5) Buy a new drive (not at this stage)

  1, 2, 4, and 5 all equate to 5.  3 is a bad idea :)

  I would suggest #5 - you should be able to get a cheap (<$150) XF551 or
even cheaper (<$100) 1050 pretty easily.

>
>I'm hoping somebody out there has some suggestions.

  Only one...try a new boot disk, or several boot disks.  Also, try swapping
the drive mechs in your 1050's - this would eliminate the possibility of
the SIO/1050 logic boards being at fault. (And who knows, you might get
one perfect drive out of it.)

>
>
>					Jean Goulet
>					dcfs018@antares.concordia.ca

Charles_K_Hughes@cup.portal.com