Re: disk drive controller problem?

[lurch@eskimo.com (Erik Kloeppel)]

In <CvEGK5.DLK@actrix.gen.nz> dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) writes:

<In article <CvCvs8.KqB@eskimo.com>, Erik Kloeppel <lurch@eskimo.com> wrote:
<> Ok - I've asked everybody locally (i.e. my useless Mac dealers and a very
<> small user group) and nowbody seems able to help me.  I have a IIe
<> I'm tryijng to get running for my son.  I know it USED to work, and the
<> Kernal checks ok.  My problem is the darn thing won't boot.
<>
<> [Drive spins as if no disk inserted, tried several drives and controllers]

<It could be a hardware problem in the IIe, but you said you had the
<same problem with the II+.  (e.g. if the computer was unable to read
<or write I/O data from the slots, but was addressing them OK, then the 
<disk drive would sound normal at boot time, but would get no further).

exactly...

<Have you tried moving the card to another slot?  If you have any other
<cards in the computer, try removing them all, in case one of them is
<faulty.

hmm.. should have said so - yes.. tried all slots too.

<Another possibility is interference on the data signal coming from the
<disk drive.  Try turning off the monitor, or moving it as far away
<from the disk drives as possible.  This isn't usually a problem if the
<disk drive case is closed and a properly shielded cable is used.

disk drives are at the end of their tether (cable) I didn't mention it because I didn't think of it - I don't have any place else to put them, so it was not a conscious decision.

>Also try moving the disk drive further away from the computer.

well, I got smart.. I put the drives and controllers into GS2.. they work fine.  What surprised me is that when I went BACK to the IIe, I got a message on the monitor!  IT said "Prodos 2.0.3 .. etc"  "Requires enhanced IIe or later"
Well!  I'd never noticed it wasn't an enhanced IIe (and the keyboard does say
"enhanced")..
I also noticed that I had been using ProDOS 1.9 earlier.. apparently it was
just one of those things.  I dug up an earlier ProDOS and a DOS 3.3 boot disk and .. by golly! they booted!  But that 1.9 Prodos just sat there invisible to the system.

most stragne.  But the IIe works now.. thanks for all efforts to assist!

Lurch