Re: HELP ME PLEASE!

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Nic Hallanger writes ...
> 
> Hi,  I am 15 and never learned how to align the duodisk drive for an apple
> IIe.  I really really love this computer, and It needs alignment.  When I
> turn on the drive it buzzes, and the light goes on.  After a second or two
> it stops buzzing, then the light just stays on.  Then the Apple ][ logo
> appears at the top.  I have tried 50 or so different disks, so I believe it
> needs alignment.
 ....

     Aligning Apple II 5.25" drives usually involves repeated cycles of
loosening the stepper motor, tweaking its position, retightening, and checking
track positioning on some known-aligned diskette with a utility. (Using a
special diskette and oscilloscope is another way which is supposed to be
easier.)

     Having a drive badly out of alignment is fairly rare. If the duodisk has
been with the computer for years and created some of the diskettes you tried
booting, it is even more unlikely that mis-alignment would account for booting
none of the 50 diskettes tried.

     If you have not cleaned the drive head, this is the first thing to try.
5.25" Head Cleaner kits are available from places like Radio Shack. (For more
details, see http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2FDRIVE.html .)  Cleaning the
head may solve your problem.


     Your Drive 1 may need a speed adjustment. This adjustment is typically a
mini-potentiometer with a slotted shaft you can turn with a small screwdriver.
Some drives will have a hole in the case which allows adjusting speed without
removing the case. I do not know where the speed adjustment is on a duodisk. 

     Adjusting speed is a lot easier if you can boot, say, Copy II+ and use
the VERIFY-SPEED option to get a constant speed display while adjusting. If
you can't boot anything, a pretty good adjustment is possible using the strobe
pattern usually attached to the drive pulley or flywheel. Under a fluorescent
light, you adjust for a stable pattern (using either the 60Hz or 50Hz pattern
depending upon your AC power frequency).



Rubywand