Re: Formatting disks

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Drew writes ...
> 
> Hi  all,
> 
> I cant seem to format any 5.25" disks with my IIGS.  I can format 3.5" all
> day long with no problems.  The apple has a IIGS 5.25" & 3.5" drive and I
> couldent format anything with appleworks, Dos 3.3, ProDos, or copy II+.  So
> figured it must be the drive. So I pluged in a Disk II and controller card
> from my IIe with the same results.  I have tried several disks and it either
> comes up with "disk not found" "Disk is write protected" or  "I/O Error"  It
> can read them all just fine.  What do 'ya guys think ?  (and yes the disks
> were not write protected)
 ....

     If you have a drive with the option to set Write Protect to ON, OFF, or
Normal (i.e. like one of the Buggie Drives), you may need to check the switch
setting.

     Another possibility is a bit of paper or a write protect tab stuck in the
drive's write protect sensor (which may be a micro switch or LED
light-activated sensor).

     The Write Protect signal comes from an IC on the drive's main circuit 
board. (You need to remove the drive cover.)  If the IC is making poor contact
in its socket (if it is socketed), that could cause a false Write Protect ON
signal. Try pulling and resocketing all socketed IC's on the board.

     Something else to check is a break in the drive cable Write Protect line
(pin 20 on the old ribbon cable or pin 10 on plug for the GS 5.25" drives). 
One way to check is using an Ohm meter set on the x10,000 scale. Conect one
meter lead to pin 10 on the drive cable plug and touch each of the other pins
with the other meter lead. If you get no meter indication during the check,
there is a good chance that write protect wire is broken.



Rubywand