Re: Laser 128ex disk problem...

[ag471@yfn.ysu.edu (Eric S. Ford)]

In a previous article, mspaeth@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Wayne Gretzky) says:

>A teacher I know has a laser 128ex in her classroom, and the disk drive 
>(internal) recently stopped being able to write disks, saying everything is
>write protected.
>
>I assume this is a problem with an led/detector in the drive, since that's 
>what IBM drives have...
>
>Does anyone have any info on what I need to fix it?  If nothing else, I'll
>try to short out the detector, so it just can't tell a disk is write
>protected...

Most Apple drives have a physical switch that is open when a disk is write
protected and allowed to close when the notch is uncovered.  Because of this 
simple setup, most failures of the type you describe are actually due to a
chip failure.  Unfortunately, I don't have access to my troubleshooting book
since I just packed it up for shipment.  

I have another source that I'll look through when I get home this evening.


-- 
Eric S. Ford    ag471@yfn.ysu.edu