Atari 1040 ST drive no longer responsive

[Atari 1040 ST drive no longer responsive]

1 hour ago, ParanoidLittleMan said:

It could be that head position changed little because some mechanical pressure.

Replacing drive strongly recommended. Fixing needs really experience in that area, + some tools. Drive is cheaper.

 

It is currently up on Ebay and I have mentioned the drive has failed since listing. I don't know weather it's best to carry on with the auction or pull it and replace the drive myself. It seems likely though a buyer will do this anyway and might not be worth my effort.

[Atari 1040 ST drive no longer responsive]

2 hours ago, ParanoidLittleMan said:

Ah, I think that my formulation was little bad: should say that 'it can be simply dirt' - just as possibility. Of course it can be something worse, maybe something stuck in mechanic or deformed ...  That's surely hard to fix or drive needs replacement.

It's strange as now it reads one disk, and not others.

[Atari 1040 ST drive no longer responsive]

48 minutes ago, ParanoidLittleMan said:

It can be only dirt (actually magnetic surface detached from disk) on drive heads - happens more and more often with very old disks.

Easy to clean - little alcohol is best. But must reach inside of drive somehow.

Sorry but it can't be dirt as I have tried with a cotton bud on a long, thin stick with alcohol for a while. Muck came off but still no disk reading.

[Atari 1040 ST drive no longer responsive]

Well, I have had this second hand ST since 1999 and working perfectly. Just about to sell it and the drive stops reading disks. The last disk I tried caused it to make a kind of squealing metallic sound (heard this also on my Amiga some time ago) Then every disk I tried after that didn't read. I have no monitor so have to go by sight of the ST light and sound. The light is still ticking as normal every few seconds and carries on doing this when other disks are inserted, instead of the usual whirring etc of the programme loading. I have taken the top off the machine to try and get a better look at the drive but the screws that hold it in place are set below the second thin metal covering of the components which would be a pain to remove unless I know for sure it needs replacing.

 

Does this sound like the drive needs replacing or something else ? If it could be a few things I would rather sell it on in this condition for less. If not, I would fit a new drive myself.

 

Thanks