Tupin Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I finally got a cable to hook my drive up to my 800XL, but I can't figure out how to do it correctly. I turn on the drive, wait for the busy light to go out, and then insert a disk and secure it. I then turn on the computer, it plays a series of noises, and then either cuts to a black screen or stays on the BASIC screen with the cursor. Do I just have bad disks or am I doing something wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+skr Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I finally got a cable to hook my drive up to my 800XL, but I can't figure out how to do it correctly. I turn on the drive, wait for the busy light to go out, and then insert a disk and secure it. I then turn on the computer, it plays a series of noises, and then either cuts to a black screen or stays on the BASIC screen with the cursor. Do I just have bad disks or am I doing something wrong? What happens if you press "Option" while you turn on the computer? What happens if you type "DOS" at the BASIC screen? What do you expect to be on the disk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 It goes into the self test. Same as above. Mindshadow by Activision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Is your drive set to be drive 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 Yes, it's set to drive 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 The sequence is usually power up drive, wait for busy light to go out, insert disk, hold option, switch on computer (whilst holding option), games boots. If during the beeps you see "boot error" or you end up with either the self test or "READY" then the load failed. It is possible that the disk is bad or your drive is bad (or both). Can you try another disk? If you have a copy of DOS that might be good place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 I got all these disks in one lot, and they aren't in particularity good condition. I know the drive is good, it powers up, the busy light goes out, and it doesn't spin until the lever is pulled. Compared to my other drive where the busy light and drive are on the second it powers up. I'll try to get other disks to try it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Powering up and spinning isn't verification that all is good. Best to start with basic functionality and work your way up. Does it do all of these: 1. Start computer with 1050 powered up, and no disk in the drive. Do you get a stream of "BOOT ERROR" messages? 2. Find a DOS disk. Boot up the computer. Type "DOS" when the booting is complete, do you get a menu? 3. Get a blank disk, use the Format and "Write DOS Files" options in DOS. Then verify that the disk you've just created will boot and give you DOS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) So far it sounds to me like the computer doesn't see the drive. What it will normally do with no drive connected is make a 'farting' noise for about 2 seconds and drop to BASIC. If a drive 1 is connected you will either hear loading beeps or it will show BOOT ERROR if it cannot read the disk (or a combination of both if the disk is not bootable). Does the busy LED come back on when you turn on the computer? Edited August 14, 2009 by Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Yes, I get a stream of BOOT ERROR messages without a disk in the drive. The busy LED does come on when the computer is turned on, however. Could the drive head just be dirty? Edited August 14, 2009 by Tupin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Very possibly. Open the drive with it turned off and nothing plugged into it. Avoid touching the capacitors or electronics. You'll likely see oxide deposits covering the head. A cotton or foam bud with some video head cleaner applied to it is ideal, or a lint-free cloth. Don't apply too much pressure. Don't use huge amounts of fluid. It should evaporate away in seconds. You might also want to check the little pressure pad that holds the surface close to the head, although I'd not apply fluid there, just a gentle wipe with a dry cloth is enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Is isopropyl alcohol a suitable cleaner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 That's the one. If it's packaged as VCR head cleaner then it should be fine for your tape and disk drives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) I don't see many oxide deposits, it looks clean enough. Could it be the positioning? Still won't load a disk. I'm going to run it without the case to see what's going on. Edited August 14, 2009 by Tupin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Could be any of a number of things. It's much easier to diagnose if you've got another drive handy... produce a good floppy with the other drive and try to read on the dodgy one. Boot DOS with the good drive, format a disk on the dodgy drive and see how it performs in the good drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 I'll do more tests tomorrow, I guess. I have another 800XL I can test it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 The computer won't make any difference. By getting the continuous "BOOT ERROR" message, you've verified that the logic board is at least functioning so far as communicating with a computer goes, and that your computer seems to be fine. The problem your drive has is likely in the mechanics, the head or in the logic that decodes the signal from the disk, or it could just be that all the floppies you have are bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Yeah, I need new floppies anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 If you've got an Atari cassette drive, you could create a tape-loadable "Emergency DOS". http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...t&p=1110134 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Wait... You get BOOT ERROR without a disk? That's correct. Do you get BOOT ERROR with a disk? Does the busy light come on and the disk spin? You should hear beeps, not clicks. If you just hear a series of beeps, with no BOOT ERROR, the drive is probably reading OK. You need to verify your disks - make sure they have valid data on them. If you boot up to READY, what happens exactly when you type DOS? Bob Yes, I get a stream of BOOT ERROR messages without a disk in the drive. The busy LED does come on when the computer is turned on, however. Could the drive head just be dirty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tupin Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 I do not get a BOOT ERROR with a disk. I do hear a series of beeps, but I have no option to type anything at any point during the loading process. Typing DOS with the drive off leads me to the test screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Ah, so you're saying the disk begins loading, but at some point fails and drops to BASIC or a black screen. This means something is getting corrupted. Have you run through a complete memory test in the SELF-TEST mode? Can you find any disk that will load? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sup8pdct Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 I would still clean the head even tho it looks clean. I have had instances where it looked clean but had a bit stuck on it. I would ask nicely someone who is near to you on this forum to send you a disk or 2 with dos on it to make sure your drive is ok. With your current disks, some times they get a coating that dirtys the head that once gone, will read ok. Could take several reads and cleans before they come good. James. I finally got a cable to hook my drive up to my 800XL, but I can't figure out how to do it correctly. I turn on the drive, wait for the busy light to go out, and then insert a disk and secure it. I then turn on the computer, it plays a series of noises, and then either cuts to a black screen or stays on the BASIC screen with the cursor. Do I just have bad disks or am I doing something wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redman Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 The Atari 1050 is a single sided drive and the head is located below the disk. When you close the drive door, a felt pressure pad pushes the disk against the head. A spring holds the pad down. I have a 1050 that had the felt pad fall off. I glued in a piece of felt and the drive now works perfectly. Look at the arm that moves when you turn the drive door handle and see if the pad is still there. Also, I guess that the spring could be broken. No guarantees here, just a few things to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 My suspicion is that his drive is fine, but the few disks he does have are just rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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