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From: richv@hpindda.HP.COM (Rich Van Gaasbeck)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: disk ][ problems
Message-ID: <6230001@hpindda.HP.COM>
Date: Wed, 11-Nov-87 14:47:48 EST
Article-I.D.: hpindda.6230001
Posted: Wed Nov 11 14:47:48 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Nov-87 19:29:24 EST
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino
Lines: 63

Although my Apple ][+ has been very reliable during the last six
years (sticky space bar fixed under warranty, failed power supply
replaced for $50), it is now having disk problems.  It seems that my
floppy drive is no longer capable of writing.  For instance when I
try to save a file the disk spins, I hear the head moving but when I
do a catalog the file is not there.  I tried initing the disk but
immdiately get a disk error.  The drive seems to boot and read just
fine, it just won't write.  Does anyone have any ideas?

So far I have tried reseating all connectors and the controller
board, cleaning the head, trying different mother board slots,
different floppies and poking around with my logic probe and multimeter.

I'm not sure what I should do next.  Some of my ideas are:

	1) Take it to an Apple dealer and have it fixed.  This looks
	to be a rather expensive option as I am sure labor rates are
	around $50 per hour and I think the current favorite
	microcomputer repair technique is to replace the entire
	controller board or disk drive.
	
	2) If I knew which part was bad (controller or disk drive)
	I could just replace it with an immitation (e.g. JDR or some such).
	
	3) Find the book I saw in a bookstore a few years ago that
	explained how to fix your Apple yourself.  (Anybody know the
	name of this book and where I can get it)?
	
	4) Hope for a response from the net from someone with the
	same problem.  (e.g. "Oh, you've got the ol' lose wunder
	widget problem.")
	
	5) Find a dealer/user group/friend in the bay area that will
	let me borrow a controller card and disk drive.  This will
	allow me to at least figure out if the problem is my disk
	drive or controller.  Anyone have a favorite dealer or user
	group between Palo Alto and San Jose?
	
	6) Replace every socketed chip on the controller and analog
	board.  It cann't cost too much, but if the problem is a
	transistor, cap, resistor or the disk head I have just wasted
	some time and money.
	
	7) Narrow the problem to a particular discrete component and
	replace it. Analog electronics is not my strongest suit, all
	I have to work with is a multimeter and a logic probe and
	since I don't have a working drive to compare to or service manuals,
	I doubt	I'll be successfull.
	
	8) Filling it with potting soil and putting it on the back
	porch. :-(

Any advise is welcome.
	
BTW, my exact hardware is 1981 Apple ][+, genuine apple disk ][ and
controller.

***********************************************************************
* Rich Van Gaasbeck    |{ucbvax, hplabs}!hpda!hpinddu!richv   [UUCP]  *
*                      |richv@hpinddu                         [SMTP]  *
* Disclaimer: I am not an official representative of my employer,     *
*             I don't even wear a tie. ;-)                            *
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