1050 write protect jumpers J5, J6 and J7

[Level42]

My 1050 used to have a write protect switch and LED but I removed them since I got a nice 3D printed new front on which I don't want to install ugly switches.

The set-up was a bit different from the usual schematics I find.....this "worked" with the J7 jumper removed...

Now....I don't see the use of any write protect for floppies in 2017. I don't have any valuable data on them anymore, lets face it this is just a nostalgia thing now.

So I want to make it permanently write enabled, no matter what the opto sensor "sees". I checked the schematics.

The Polish schematics only indicate the default settings....

The service manual states the jumpers but not what each setting does... anyone have a table or info ?

Edited September 30, 2017 by Level42

[Level42]

Hah.....that Polish schematic is wrong. JP6 and JP7 are not connected to pin 2 and 3 of U11A.

 

The original schematics are correct:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 2017 by Level42

[Level42]

I had figured that simply shorting the side of JP7 that runs towards U11 to ground would (permanently) do the same as the photo-transistor would do when there's light falling onto it....but that doesn't seem to work....

Edited September 30, 2017 by Level42

[Guest]

if it were just a case of aesthetics, i'd have left it (the write-protect switch) connected, set permanently to "write- enable" and tuck it all away inside the case out of view.

 

or am i missing something obvious?

[Level42]

Haha, yeah that's me....don't want unnecessary clutter inside....

 

 

But I fixed it

 

Stupid me, I had soldered the wire to ground on the wrong side of JP7...... LOL.

 

So...if you want to do this, simply remove JP7 and solder a wire between the "upper" connection of JP7 and TP15 (which is ground).

Edited September 30, 2017 by Level42

[Guest]

result

[1050]

Schematic is wrong, pin 12 of U11 is grounded with

extreme prejudice. Blob O solder on pins 11 and 12

on the bottom side would do the trick then, but I

would pull jumpers 5, 6 and 7 for the next guy to

stop and wonder long enough perhaps to spot the

blob.

[+Nezgar]

Here is the easiest, reversible way to quickly mod a 1050 so that it always allows writes.

 

Just just disconnect J11 and push it aside, and put a jumper block you commonly find on SCSI or IDE hard drives (SCSI ID, IDS master, slave, CS etc) onto pins 2-3.

 

Return to stock by removing the jumper block, and replace the J11 block.

[BillC]

Last September I posted a schematic of a write protect switch/status LED, using a small switch/bi-color LED combo about the same size as the power LED, I used the 1050 schematic from Sams Computerfacts. The write protect switch completely replaces the power LED, which isn't needed any more because the write protect status LED is always on(either red or green) when the drive is on.
http://atariage.com/forums/topic/282621-1050-bi-colour-led-resistors/?do=findComment&comment=4119705

Edited March 3, 2019 by BillC

[Nickolasgaspar]

On 3/3/2019 at 1:02 AM, Nezgar said:

Here is the easiest, reversible way to quickly mod a 1050 so that it always allows writes.

 

Just just disconnect J11 and push it aside, and put a jumper block you commonly find on SCSI or IDE hard drives (SCSI ID, IDS master, slave, CS etc) onto pins 2-3.

 

Return to stock by removing the jumper block, and replace the J11 block.

thanks mate! Great tip! After wasting a day trying to understand why  one of my 1050s refuses to write or format, your fast fix was a savior. Here is a silly question...why on earth a disk drive would be set as "write protected" by default????

[+Nezgar]

4 hours ago, Nickolasgaspar said:

After wasting a day trying to understand why  one of my 1050s refuses to write or format, your fast fix was a savior. Here is a silly question...why on earth a disk drive would be set as "write protected" by default????

That would suggest you have either a failure in the infrared LED or the photodiode which point at each other through the write protect notch position. Either failure will not produce a enough voltage to trigger the circuit to allow writes.

 

As to why default to write protect - honestly, to me that sounds like a safer failure mode. You wouldn't want unsuspecting users to accidentally overwrite or format their "protected" original media...

 

Likewise above, if I am doing a disk imaging/preservation session I will temporarily disconnect J11 to ensure that ALL disks are write protected, even if they are notched. I absolutely want to ensure I don't accidentally write to or format disks I'm trying to archive/preserve!

[_The Doctor__]

Since I wrote and did not post my answer again....

it isn't , it uses an infrared diode and sensor and yours' appears to be either blocked dirty or defective.

Make sure old stickers dirt or spider web/egg sack is not in the way. You can use old camera or ir detector card to see if led's are working. you can use meter to test detector and verify led.

keeping disk safe is the correct failure mode.

[stepho]

9 hours ago, Nickolasgaspar said:

why on earth a disk drive would be set as "write protected" by default????

A few times I have copied a good, precious disk to a blank disk - but got the direction wrong

A write protected drive helps avoid stupid but easy to do errors like that.
 

Putting sticker tabs over the write protect holes also works but that involves finding a sheet of sticky tabs, unpeeling, putting it on the disk, cleaning the sticky stuff off my fingers and later peeling it off again.

Self-believing that nothing will go wrong, I just skip all that and blissfully corrupt my precious disk.
Having a simple write protect switch is simpler, quicker and safer.

[Nickolasgaspar]

Thanks all three of you for your input and your prompt response!

So from what I understand, I had the wrong impression that some 1050 drives were sold as "write protected" by default. Its just an issue with the sensor that prevented mine from writing, right?(that explains the low price tag of this drive!=) )  I  can not imagine  a company expecting  from the average user to open and modify his drive in order to enable its writing capability!

I get how practical a "write protected" switch would be back in the days compared to sticky tabs and electrical tape.

Since I  already have all my library on my pc, I don't really need the  "write protected" mode so your tip  with the jumper suits me perfectly and keeps the drive in its original state! Thanks again for all the all information and help!

 

[Nickolasgaspar]

Update. The doctor was right! Just from curiosity I unscrewed the IR LED and found a dust bunny resting on the sensor. The drive came in a filthy state so your comment about "spider web" and "egg sack" made a lot of sense to me. The drive works fine!

[StickJock]

On 3/6/2022 at 4:28 PM, Nezgar said:

As to why default to write protect - honestly, to me that sounds like a safer failure mode. You wouldn't want unsuspecting users to accidentally overwrite or format their "protected" original media...

 

Interestingly enough, 8" disks use the opposite setup.  They have a write protect notch, rather than a write enable notch!

 

And then, 3.5" disks went back to this behavior.  When the hole was open, it was write protected, and when the hole was closed, it was write enabled.

 

So really, our beloved 5.25" disks are the odd man out!  ?

 

[Nolium]

Easy to follow instructions how to implement write protect/enable switch.

WP_A1050n.pdf

 

German Article from Happy Computer 11/1985

http://blog.3b2.sk/igi/post/ATARI-1050-Write-protect-switch.aspx

Edited March 8, 2022 by Nolium

[Nickolasgaspar]

I think the SIO2PC solution has rendered this switch a nonessential feature but I really enjoyed the article!(thanks for sharing!). I wonder if the phone number and charging fees are still valid lol.

Having a backup on a pc  is the best way to protect our drive case from permanent holes and our precious files from being erased...;)

[+CharlieChaplin]

And as soon as you installed a write-protect switch into your 1050, use this nice, but redundant program. It shows the state of the write-protect switch (protected, not protected), the power-LED, the busy-LED and lever (open/closed). Why is it redundant: Well, you can see all these things on the 1050 drive itself, so you do not really need it displayed on the tv/monitor. "Did I open or close the floppy lever? Hmmm, let's load a program from disk to find out..." 

 

WRSWITCH.zip

[+Nezgar]

1 minute ago, CharlieChaplin said:

use this nice, but redundant program

Cool! I presume it's based on data returned from the $53 get status command. If so, such a method should also be able to detect whether a new disk is SD or ED without the computer reading a sector too. I'll have to try this. 

[Nolium]

23 hours ago, Nickolasgaspar said:

I think the SIO2PC solution has rendered this switch a nonessential feature but I really enjoyed the article!(thanks for sharing!). I wonder if the phone number and charging fees are still valid lol.

Having a backup on a pc  is the best way to protect our drive case from permanent holes and our precious files from being erased...;)

Well I've made this mod on my 1050 so that I can use both sides on my floppy disks. Granted, I don't use it very much, but now and then is simply great to use my stock 800XL like the "god" inteded it. Also, my local Atari "software dealer" had this mod ~35 years ago, but I could only afford tape drive back then.

I also used RGB LED for this mod, since putting RGB in your computer makes it, by default, at least 10% faster.

[Nickolasgaspar]

2 minutes ago, Nolium said:

Well I've made this mod on my 1050 so that I can use both sides on my floppy disks. Granted, I don't use it very much, but now and then is simply great to use my stock 800XL like the "god" inteded it. Also, my local Atari "software dealer" had this mod ~35 years ago, but I could only afford tape drive back then.

I also used RGB LED for this mod, since putting RGB in your computer makes it, by default, at least 10% faster.

only 10%!!! lol

Same here! I only afforded a 1010 tape drive and when I managed to save some money I couldn't find a drive to buy!(late 80s)

I understand the instrumental  value of that switch back  then but I can not justify the act of drilling holes on vintage hardware in 2022  especially when there are really easy alternative solutions and after all the effort I put in restoring both of my drives!