Re: disk ii problems

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

LFessen106 writes ...
> 
> I have an Apple Disk II disk drive (metal shoe box) that doesn't want to
> cooperate and work for me.  All the thing does is spin endlessly if in drive 1
> slot, and in drive 2 slot It can't read any disks - other than that it seems
> functional.  Anyone here have any repair ideas for this?


     Drive 1 'spinning endlessly' is normal when you power ON the computer and no
disk is recognized. (Pressing Control-Reset should stop the spinning.)  It could
be that your drive's head needs cleaning.

     The easiest way to clean a drive's R/W head(s) is with a Cleaner Diskette.
This is a diskette with a paper disk such as the 5.25" and 3.5" Cleaner Diskettes
available in Radio Shack's Disk Drive Head Cleaner Kits. These kits usually
include "Cleaning Fluid" (isopropyl alcohol), too.

     The 5.25" Cleaner Diskette has panels you pop out to expose the cleaning
surface. Apple II 5.25" drives have a single head which contacts the disk from
the bottom and a pressure pad which presses against the top side. So, pop out the
panel on the bottom side of the Cleaner Diskette and leave the top panel in
place. When cleaning, insert the diskette with the bottom side facing down. This
lets the paper disk rub against the head and avoids wear on the pressure pad.

     To clean your drive head(s), you sqirt a few drops of Cleaning Fluid onto
the Cleaner Diskette disk, insert it into the drive, and get the disk spinning
for 20 seconds. Once your drive-- connected in the Drive 1 position-- is stopped
via a Control-Reset, you can get it spinning again by entering PR#6 from the
usual Applesoft prompt.

     As a rule, do not let the disk spin more than 20 seconds for any cleaning
cycle to avoid heat build-up and unnecessary wear of the Cleaner Diskette.


     When testing the drive, try booting several bootable diskettes you believe
to be in good shape.


     If cleaning works, fine. If not, another much less common problem is being
badly out of speed adjustment. If you have a way to boot Copy II Plus-- e.g. some
other drive--, you can use it's VERIFY--- SPEED option to adjust speed.
Otherwise, you can get a single drive adjusted pretty closely using the strobe
pattern on the flywheel or pulley and a fluorescent light. (Adjust for a stable
pattern.)

     The speed adjustment for Disk ][ drives is a screw adjustment near the back
on the right side of the drive. (Usually, the Disk ][ cover must be removed to
get to the adjustment.)  For Apple II Platinum drives, the adjustment is on the
bottom near the front on the right.



Rubywand