Bryan Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 I've got 2 Indus GT drives here that boot up but won't read anything (that is, they spin but do the Indus error chirp on all read attempts). I've swapped parts around and even pulled FDCs from 1050s. At this point I'm going to have to go through the whole troubleshooting process to see what's happening. But, before I do, has anyone found a common failure point in these drives that will save me the trouble? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariGeezer Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 I also have 2 in the same condition, only thing I haven't tried yet is a head alignment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 I also have 2 in the same condition, only thing I haven't tried yet is a head alignment. My 1050's pretty much never need an alignment and since they use the same mech, I'm pretty sure it's got to be something else. EDIT: I'm an idiot... see below! I guess I could verify the Tandon mechs in a 1050. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Disk errors G3, G4, G5, head need cleaning or disk has bad sector or alignment on the drive so, if you've tried known good disks, then you're looking at head cleaning or alignment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Try the track 0 sensor. Clean head. Look into getting the upgrade rom from best electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 Heads have been cleaned and the T0 sensors are working because the drives seek back properly. I read every thread on the subject and none of them ended with a post that the drive had been fixed. I'll work on them as I get the time and post what I find here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 That sucks. I love the Indus GT drive, and I've never even tried the one that I have. Now I'm afraid to open it and try..... I thought these were reliable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 RPM off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Hmm - RPM, yeah I think I vaguely remember getting a G5 last due to a disk that couldn't rotate properly in its sleeve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 Hmm - RPM, yeah I think I vaguely remember getting a G5 last due to a disk that couldn't rotate properly in its sleeve. That problem happens for 2 reasons: 1. The coating of the disk has deteriorated and is no longer slick enough (friction with sleeve and the head). 2. The belt is in need of replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Yes it wasn't the belt but the friction from deterioration was enough to throw the RPM off and scare me that the Indus had gone bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 ...looks like they forgot one thing at Indus..... ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 So the Indus is unreliable? Say it ain't so! I don't care. I still love it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 Okay, progress. Hooked up a 1050 and an Indus side by side. First, I connected the head of the Indus mech to the 1050 (basically, both mechs were connected to their own pcb's except the head wire which was stretched over to the other board. So, if I connect an SIO cable to the 1050 and get both drives spinning, I should be able to read the first track off the Indus mech using the 1050's board. This did not work. So, I tried the opposite. I connected the 1050's head to the Indus data separator board. And it loaded (until it needed to step, that is). Okay, the Indus mech is borked. That's actually a relief. So, I hooked the Indus head back up and started nudging the head back and forth with my finger. I got it to switch from G5 to G4 for a moment, so it does appear to be an alignment issue. I don't know how it got knocked out, but I was certainly wrong in my assumptions. I have a head alignment disk. Guess I should figure out how to use it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 So the Indus is unreliable? Say it ain't so! I don't care. I still love it! Me too....I spent hours drooling over that ad. Cost and distance made it unoptanium for a schoolboy like me in Europe.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 So the Indus is unreliable? It's reliable. And like a Hayes 300 Baud modem, you can probably park you car on it too 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 The GT was my first drive. My dad was a doctor and he had a patient who sold them. Okay, one of my data separator boards are bad. Swapping them between drives got one working. Unfortunately, one of my main boards quit and now the display just flickers 88 like it's resetting over and over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 I have a GT in shrink wrap. I'm afraid to open it, in order to find out that the plastic front cover is probably messed-up. After the thrill of my 1st drive (a 1050), I was so TOTALLY thrilled with the Indus that I'll never get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 About that front cover... Since there's a spring on only one side, it gradually twists over time leading to that protruding right side. The solution is to take it out and gently heat it with a hair dryer or heat gun as you twist it back. If you do it right it will be perfectly straight. Do it wrong and it'll get extra bends in it. Overheat it (possible with the heat gun) and you'll need to throw it in the trash. Then, leave it in the open position. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 About that front cover... ... Then, leave it in the open position. That's good advice for when it's stored away in a box, but for someone who has theirs out and in use, it's a rather odd suggestion considering it's purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 That's good advice for when it's stored away in a box, but for someone who has theirs out and in use, it's a rather odd suggestion considering it's purpose. What it really needs is a different kind of spring. The tension is very high when the door is closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) What it really needs is a different kind of spring. The tension is very high when the door is closed. Yes, most likely. Your suggestion worked for me; I think I did it back in 2013. I can't remember at this point whether I used a hair dryer or a heat gun. I don't have before pictures (it was moderately twisted) but here are the after pictures. The surface was also somewhat scratched up; I used a headlight polishing kit to get it back to like-new condition. Edited September 22, 2017 by MrFish 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Novus plastic polishes, your plastic restoration best friends That's nice and straight, mine are just a bit bent, not worth messing with yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 Yeah, I think the solution is a mono-filament leader, connected to a longer spring attached somewhere else. You'll need to make a 90 in there to pull down properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Novus plastic polishes, your plastic restoration best friends That's nice and straight, mine are just a bit bent, not worth messing with yet. I looked at Novus (heard some suggestions here on the forums before) and I think it was either more expensive than what I ended up getting or harder to get (shipping time, etc.). With the results I got, I don't think anything could be improved upon. It really looks as close to perfect as it can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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