Re: Help with disk ][

[rubywand@swbell.net (Rubywand)]

Vince Briel writes ...
> 
> I have an apple 2e with disk 2 interface card and disk 2 drive. I can boot
> to dos 3.3 with master but I cant init any disks!  I had a hard time finding
> dd 5.25 disks so I had to buy old.  I can load software off of the system
> master disk, but i get an I/O error message when I try and format. Is this a
> bad drive or bad disks?
> 
 ....

     First, make sure a diskette you want to INIT is not write-protected. If the
right edge of the side you want to INIT is not properly notched, the side is
write-protected and you will get an I/O error when you try an INIT.  (In case
you do not have any notched 5.25" diskettes, the notch can be made using a hand
hole-puncher to punch half a hole centered 1-5/16 inch from the top on the right
side.) 

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     If write protection is not a problem, then ...

     Since you can boot your System Master and load other software from the
disk, it seems unlikely that the problem is a dirty R/W head. Even so, it is a
possibility-- a R/W head can be clean enough to Read but too dirty to do a good
Write.

     Cleaning the head is worthwhile if you haven't done it recently. (You can
get a 5.25" Head Cleaner disk with cleaner solution from Radio Shack and other
computer stuff stores. For more information about cleaning see
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2FDRIVE.html#004 .)

     Getting several bad diskettes is another reasonably low probability. One
way to check them is to format one or two on your PC (if your PC has a 5.25"
drive).

     Also, try formatting at least one of the diskettes for 1.2MB. If it formats
with no problem, you should try a couple other diskettes. If they all format for
1.2MB with no bad blocks, there is a decent chance that the diskettes are not DD
diskettes. (For places to get DD diskettes, see
http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2DSKETTE.html#008 .)



Rubywand

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