DavidMil

You guys are too deep for me. All I can tell you is that the drive now formats after changing out the LM3086 chip! David

"How AM I preparing for the end of Atari?" With the headstone on my VA grave in about 20 more years. That's when it will end for me! David

Good call Folks! I got out my Dremel and cut out the RCA LM3086N chip, removed the pins from the board, used solder wick with addition flux added to clean the holes, and installed a new 14 pin socket for U21. IT WORKS AGAIN! My sincere thanks to all, and I'm going to add this fix into my 1050 folder. My wife says I'm nuts for keeping several hundred various IC's, transistors, diodes, caps, and resistors in almost 300 plastic draws, but I wouldn't have had the 3086 chip if I didn't keep all that stuff. Thanks Again! David Milsop

Thank you all and especially cwc for pointing me to that good thread! I wonder why my search didn't find it? Because I'm lazy, I'll try swapping IC's first and I'll replace CR10 also. I will get back to you and let you know what happens. David PS. Something I forgot to mention in my original post was the transport swap with a good drive. I knew the problem was on the board when the problem didn't move with the transport. Sorry for forgetting to mention that, but the pizza guy arrived at the door and the ball game was getting ready to start; so with food and sports as a distraction I ended the post quickly. DM

I've discovered that one of my 1050's will read and write fine but won't format any disk. Even disks that have just been formatted by another drive. When you put the disk in with DOS (2.5) on the screen and try to format a disk the drive light comes on for a few seconds, the head moves once and it just spins for a second, stops, then says "bad media try another disk". No other error message or code. I checked the drive out with the diagnostic disk, And it passed all the tests multiple times. I was concerned about the track zero, speed, and head settle tests, so I ran them for about 2 minutes each but it passes all tests without any problems. I'm open to suggestions at this point. DavidMil

After reading the small print, I agree! If you accept their terms you give them the right to mine your computer for any and all data (including personal and financial) to sell or distribute as they see fit. With or without your consent! And it's not just the PC you are using, but any PC in on your home network. David

Alright. My question has been answered. Thank you all for the feedback! David Milsop

So from what I am understanding, PortB on the XL/XE machines actually controls the Memory test too. Is this an internal difference in the chip or an interpretation my the OS of what to do? On the old 800's PortB was the same as PortA (just controlled different joystick ports). David Milsop

Ok, I have discovered that I have two PIA chips. One has a Atari part number of: CO12298, says it's a 6520A, and a date code of 8132 The other has a Atari part number of: CO14795, says it a 6520, and a date code of 8252 Besides one being almost a year and a half newer, is there any difference in these two chips? Thanks, DavidMil

Thank you both for your feed back and thank you flashjazzcat for the file. David Milsop

Ok, I just upgraded my 130XE to 320K (using Scott Petersons MOD). Are there any programs that will do a good test of the additional RAM? Thanks for any help, DavidMil

I remember that screen... I was playing Frogger and drinking Wild Turkey (101proof)! David

Seems to me that the scamming is on the other end! Buy something from Norton and see how fast they come out with an update that you always have to pay for! David

If someone wants to send me the finished 3D files, I'll be glad to take it from there with the material search. I did find a company in upstate New York that will make the plates for half of what anyone else wanted. David Milsop

I sent of requests for scanning, and was shocked when I got the quotes back. That and the fact that I could not guarantee the print head would arrive in one piece; put a serious damped on that idea. It's VERY rare to get one that is all together. A simple bump or a gentle touch with a finger will dislodge pieces. Trying to pull the head out of the printer with damaging it is impossible. Besides all this, I'm retired and have a lot more time than money now. It keeps me busy and out of the refrigerator! David Milsop

I learned a long time ago never to use sandpaper on the rails. I use a piece of steel wool to remove any rough/rust spots and then GC Electronics PhonoLube on the rails. Sounds like a good idea to try and exercise the drive for a bit and see what happens. If it passes the Atari track zero sensor test how would you recommend trying to get a finer adjustment? David

Anyone out there doing alignments on 1050's? I have an drive that pass all the tests on the Atari diagnostic disk, but it has a hard time reading diskettes written to by my two good drives. When it formats the disks it does a better job reading the inner part of the disk but start getting errors on the outer part. Like I said, it passes speed test, track zero seek, but it does have some problems with the step/settle test. Thanks, DavidMil

I'm not sure which way I will go. I saw a 1 gallon chamber and pump on ebay for $108.00. That might be the fastest and easiest. Then I won't have to worry about hoses or connections. But then I really like working with acrylic too. That's a good idea. Thanks, David Milsop

After several more attempts I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to buy a degassing chamber to make the mold. I keep getting many small air bubbles in the mold. Some of the smaller holes have been filled with a combination of fine sawdust and super glue, then sanded down. I'm still working on this project, but slowly. Anyone else having any success? David Milsop

Thanks Doc! I appreciate it. David Milsop

I've found that the disks without rings had the highest failure rate and that means all the Atari label diskettes. Also I've discovered that a disk inside a jacket that has turned brown is usually bad. I guess the brown is rust from the 'guts' bleeding out the disk. David Milsop

I'm retired and sometimes it takes me a week to reply to someone. Seems like I do more running around now then when I was stuck at one place 9 hours a day(lunch included), five days a week! I've learned to slow down some and be patient (except with all the damned idiots on the freeways (my wife swears I'm one of them). David

How 'bout Bobterm? Would you mind posting that program for me? Failing that, I believe that we used to run Kermit on the old acoustical coupler (830). Thanks, David Milsop Kingwood, Texas .

On the other hand how long (if at all) do you think it would take if you were to call them and ask for new drives for USB or Windows updates. Steve has always sent them to me as soon as he gets them ready. Yes, sometimes he can be a little slow, but he always gets them to me. Besides, (in my opinion) if you live in the Atari era world, why do you want to worry about always get faster and better stuff and 'hybriding' your Atari into some kind of mutant computer? David

I am curious, why do you say this? David Milsop