Re: How do you adjust the speed on a disk II or laser drive?

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Robert Collet writes ...
> 
> I recenly bought yet another IIE and a II+ for the extra drives, but the
> stupid things would only read and write dos 3.3 disk and would'nt work at
> all for prodos disks. I then ran some diagnostic software on them and a
> laser disk drive that came with one of my other IIE's and they were spinning
> way slow. Is the some device or knob or something within the drives that I
> could adjust? thanks.

     Drilling the hole described by LJ is something lots of II users have done--
makes keeping your Disk ][ on-speed much easier.

     The usual way to adjust speed is with a utility like Copy II Plus. From the
menu, just select "Verify", then "Drive Speed". Put a diskette into the drive you
want to adjust and, turning the min-pot shaft use Copy II's numeric speed display
to zero-in on "200". (Standard Disk ][ rotation speed is 300 rpm, which comes out
to be 200 milli-seconds per revolution.) 

     Other copier utilities (e.g. LockSmith) and dedicated disk diagnostic
programs may show an rpm number or a hires pointer. Whatever, speed check routines
usually read AND write; so, you will need a "scratch diskette" which you do not
mind having over-written. 

     If you do not have a program to help with speed adjustment or have no way of
booting a disk (because your drive's speed is too far off), you can remove the
bottom cover and use the sync pattern on the drive pulley. Place a fluorescent
lamp nearby and boot the drive with no diskette. Adjust speed so that the pattern
is stable.



Rubywand