Atari 1050 Disk Drive "Boot Error"

[Timothy Kline]

You can't run the diagonstics from another drive (as one and two) with the Atari Diagnostic disk, so you will need two drives (both set to drive one). Make sure the bad drive is turned off, boot from the good drive and then turn it off. Then turn on the bad drive, and put the diagnostic disk in the bad drive and then run the diagnostic tests. The SIO2PC would been the good drive, then you'd have to unplug it after you load the diags, turn on the bad drive, insert the diags disk, and then start the tests. This sounded good until I discovered that the file dump on Atarimania is blank. So on top of the SIO2PC adapter you'll need to get the Atari 1050 diagnostic disk. At this point I would really recommend you send the drive to someone to fix. It costs about $50 to $60 dollars with shipping. I can give you the name of someone that I use, he is in Alabama.

 

David Milsop

Kingwood, Texas

 

Have you checked out this one, David?

 

https://archive.org/details/a8b_1050_Disk_Diagnostics_1983_Atari

[kogden]

 

Have you checked out this one, David?

 

https://archive.org/details/a8b_1050_Disk_Diagnostics_1983_Atari

 

Here's a working ATR image for the 1050 diagnostic disk. I used it to help get my 1050 in shape when I first got it. Apologies in advance if this violates forum rules.... I can't see anyone complaining about infringement over disk diags though.

 

My method:

 

1.) Boot from ATR over SIO2PC (I use SIO2OSX on my Mac) with 1050 turned OFF.

2.) Disable SIO2PC virtual drive after disk boots. You can also simply unplug the SIO2PC adapter.

3.) Turn on 1050.

4.) Insert a floppy, preferably formatted... not something you care about.

5.) Run diagnostic test and/or troubleshooting if necessary.

 

It will test drive speed, track 0 sensor, read and write, onboard CPU/controller, etc. It will certainly help narrow down the problem and make calibration easier.

 

I could have sworn Best had 1050 mechs for sale but I don't see them listed anymore. :-/

 

1050 Disk Diagnostics.atr

Edited July 22, 2016 by kogden

[DavidMil]

The link you sent me worked fine to create an ATR file for the 1050 diagnostics disk. So if you have some type of SIO2PC adapter you should be ready to test. After you download the file (make sure your 1050 is turned off) and load it into your SIO2PC adapter you can unplug the SIO2PC adapter, turn on your drive and press one to start the tests. If pressing one doesn't work you can press two a try individual tests.

 

David

[Binarygeek]

 

Here's a working ATR image for the 1050 diagnostic disk. I used it to help get my 1050 in shape when I first got it. Apologies in advance if this violates forum rules.... I can't see anyone complaining about infringement over disk diags though.

 

My method:

 

1.) Boot from ATR over SIO2PC (I use SIO2OSX on my Mac) with 1050 turned OFF.

2.) Disable SIO2PC virtual drive after disk boots. You can also simply unplug the SIO2PC adapter.

3.) Turn on 1050.

4.) Insert a floppy, preferably formatted... not something you care about.

5.) Run diagnostic test and/or troubleshooting if necessary.

 

It will test drive speed, track 0 sensor, read and write, onboard CPU/controller, etc. It will certainly help narrow down the problem and make calibration easier.

 

I could have sworn Best had 1050 mechs for sale but I don't see them listed anymore. :-/

 

1050 Disk Diagnostics.atr

If the drive cannot read a sector, it cannot test drive speed, track zero, or read/write. Furthermore, if the CPU/controller is bad, the drive will usually not (but not every time) power up correctly; either only the bottom red light will come on or the drive will cycle on/off every 10 seconds or so.

[Paul Lambert]

I have a different kind of boot error problem.

 

I finally put together a "new" Atari 800XL system. I have the 800XL connected to a TV via a SCART cable.

Then using the serial cables, I connected the 800XL to the 1010 tape drive, then to the 1050 disk drive and then finally to an Epson printer via a printer interface.

 

Now, when I put the DOS 2.5 diskette into the drive and turn the computer on holding "OPTION", it comes up perfectly fine.

 

What is strange is that when I turn the system on, with the disk drive power on but with no disk, the computer comes up "BOOT ERROR" over and over again. It will do this as long as the disk drive is powered on. I might just want to program in BASIC or otherwise use the computer without the disk drive, but it seems that I need to turn the drive off in order to use the computer.

 

Any explanations or solutions?

 

Thanks!

[spookt]

6 minutes ago, Paul Lambert said:

I have a different kind of boot error problem.

 

I finally put together a "new" Atari 800XL system. I have the 800XL connected to a TV via a SCART cable.

Then using the serial cables, I connected the 800XL to the 1010 tape drive, then to the 1050 disk drive and then finally to an Epson printer via a printer interface.

 

Now, when I put the DOS 2.5 diskette into the drive and turn the computer on holding "OPTION", it comes up perfectly fine.

 

What is strange is that when I turn the system on, with the disk drive power on but with no disk, the computer comes up "BOOT ERROR" over and over again. It will do this as long as the disk drive is powered on. I might just want to program in BASIC or otherwise use the computer without the disk drive, but it seems that I need to turn the drive off in order to use the computer.

 

Any explanations or solutions?

 

Thanks!

Yes, this is just how the system works. If you turn on the machine, without a cartridge installed, with drive #1 powered on, the system will attempt to boot from it. If there's no disk, the boot will fail, hence boot error. To use the machine without the drive, you ned to turn the drive off (as you've discovered).

Edited September 22, 2022 by spookt

[Paul Lambert]

1 minute ago, spookt said:

Yes, this is just how the system works. If you turn on the machine, without a cartridge installed, with drive #1 powered on, the system will attempt to boot from it. If there's no disk, the boot will fail, hence boot error. To use the machine without the drive, you ned to turn the drive off (as you've discovered).

Really? So if I insert the DOS 2.5 disk, and get to the DOS menu, how do I then go into BASIC so I can program?

I know it shows that I am a refugee from the Commodore world. I appreciate your bearing with me. I am just very surprised that the disk system works that way.

[spookt]

7 minutes ago, Paul Lambert said:

Really? So if I insert the DOS 2.5 disk, and get to the DOS menu, how do I then go into BASIC so I can program?

I know it shows that I am a refugee from the Commodore world. I appreciate your bearing with me. I am just very surprised that the disk system works that way.

If you turn on the machine with the drive off and no keys held you should get to BASIC.

 

To get to BASIC with DOS loaded, boot the DOS disk without holding OPTION at power on. The machine will load DOS and then drop to a READY prompt. That's BASIC. You can enter a program and then either LIST "D:PROG.LST" or SAVE "D:PROG.BAS" to save to a formatted disk. TO get to DOS from BASIC type DOS and hit return. To get back to BASIC use the 'run cartridge' option in DOS 2.5.

 

On an XL or XE machine holding OPTION at boot disables BASIC. If you do that without the drive on you'll get the selftest menu. Holding START forces a cassette boot (press return after the beep) and holding START and OPTION forces a cassette boot without BASIC enabled.

 

Edited September 22, 2022 by spookt

[Paul Lambert]

Thanks, Spookt, for bearing with me.

I see now that everything is in order. At least everything is working properly.

This looks like it is just a matter of me, the newbie to Atari disk operation, to look up things in the manuals and to try it for myself.

 

I will not bother you fellows with such basic matters until I have learned much more about this.

Thanks again!

[spookt]

13 hours ago, Paul Lambert said:

Thanks, Spookt, for bearing with me.

I see now that everything is in order. At least everything is working properly.

This looks like it is just a matter of me, the newbie to Atari disk operation, to look up things in the manuals and to try it for myself.

 

I will not bother you fellows with such basic matters until I have learned much more about this.

Thanks again!

This is a great place to ask questions. Don’t worry if you think they’re too basic - we all started somewhere!

Edited September 23, 2022 by spookt

[+kheller2]

Coming from Commodore land, the drive select switches must have thrown you for a loop.  😁

[Paul Lambert]

1 hour ago, kheller2 said:

Coming from Commodore land, the drive select switches must have thrown you for a loop.  😁

Yes and no. Using multiple drives on a Commodore involves such switches too, but I typically had to open the drive itself to get at them. Later models had them on the outside, I think.

 

I can tell you that I find both the Atari and Commodore to be excellent machines. I remember as a young lad at school there were all these my-computer-is-better-than-your-computer wars of words. I'm not getting into all that. My first computer was an Atari so I am simply getting back to my roots and now learning everything about the computer. I am really excited about it. 😀

[macsonny]

I'm not sure if this has been added to the mix, but 3 out of the 4 Atari 1050 drives I had did exactly the same when I received them. After cleaning heads, checking belts, reseating chips, checking for cracked solder joint, etc. I found the common problem was the felt pad on the pressure arm was worn. All I had to do was make some new pads, replace the old worn ones and each drive worked perfectly. Might be worth checking?

[BillC]

5 hours ago, macsonny said:

I'm not sure if this has been added to the mix, but 3 out of the 4 Atari 1050 drives I had did exactly the same when I received them. After cleaning heads, checking belts, reseating chips, checking for cracked solder joint, etc. I found the common problem was the felt pad on the pressure arm was worn. All I had to do was make some new pads, replace the old worn ones and each drive worked perfectly. Might be worth checking?

Best Electronics sells the correct pad for the 810/1050, or the holder with pad for the 1050 only.

 

810 / 1050 Felt (Rabbits hair) round pusher pad for the upper head assembly arm.   CO17511 $3.00 

Atari 1050 Disk drive Head pad holder and Rabbit hair pad.  CB101159  $6.95

[_The Doctor__]

also consider that one can be in BASIC type DOS, and then return to BASIC ....

RUN CARTRIDGE is also an option