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From: hull@hao.UCAR.EDU (Howard Hull)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Ext. Drive on the Fritz
Message-ID: <638@hao.UCAR.EDU>
Date: Wed, 6-May-87 15:10:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: hao.638
Posted: Wed May  6 15:10:33 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 9-May-87 00:51:33 EDT
References: <117@hippo.UUCP> <3455@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: High Altitude Obs./NCAR, Boulder CO
Lines: 17
Summary: write protect switch


This problem can also be caused by the write protect switch action becoming
faulty.  For people who really slam those disks into the drive day after day,
the mechanical adjustment can creep (or there may be contamination of the
switch contacts).  AmigaDOS checks the disk to see if write protect is set,
but the switch may bounce as soon as the drive stepping hits a resonance
somewhere along the way; then you lose bits.  Track 40 is a common victim
of this malady, as that's where the root directory blocks normally end up.
It is probably possible to heuristically adjust the switch, and I wouldn't
be bashful about trying it myself.  George Robbins probably knows the
factory criteria, so I'll let him address that question rather than tell
you anything specific here.
								Howard Hull
[If yet unproven concepts are outlawed in the range of discussion...
                 ...Then only the deranged will discuss yet unproven concepts]
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