Re: Apple 5.25 floppy drive

[Eric Rucker <bhtooefr@gmail.com>]

On Jan 4, 4:43 pm, applebite <l...@them.appls> wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:15:12 GMT, lyricalnanoha
>
> <lyricalnan...@usotsuki.hoshinet.org> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 4 Jan 2009, applebite wrote:
>
> >> My 5.25 drive emits a rapid series of loud clicks when the computer
> >> boots.  Is this normal?
>
> >> Thanks!
>
> >Yes - it's the head banging against the wall as it's the only way to
> >ensure that it's at track 0.
>
> >-uso.
>
> I certainly hope you are serious :)

He is. IIRC, when the drive controller is initialized, it basically
sends commands to the drive to step down a track 40 times, because it
has no idea what track it's on, meaning... if you're on track 35 (the
highest track on a normally formatted floppy, although you can
sometimes get more than 35 tracks on a floppy,) it will click 4 times.
If you're already on track 0, it'll click 40 times.