• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

How to fix apple 3.5" drive insert?

U

uyjulian

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2013
Messages
13
Location
Texas, USA
When I try to put a disk into the drive, it doesn't go in, it feels like something is stuck inside. There wasn't any disk inside. How do you fix this..?
Also, I got a drive without a daisy-chain port. Is this supposed to work with the Apple IIGS?
 
uyjulian said:
When I try to put a disk into the drive, it doesn't go in, it feels like something is stuck inside. There wasn't any disk inside. How do you fix this..?
Click to expand...

Check out this video on drive maintnance from Kansasfest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf_ppdAaM2A

uyjulian said:
Also, I got a drive without a daisy-chain port. Is this supposed to work with the Apple IIGS?
Click to expand...

The 3.5" drives without daisy-chain port are meant for Macintosh, and will also not have an eject button for use on IIgs, as far as using them, I THINK* they will work, but of limited use on a IIgs without the eject or daisy chain port. Best to get the proper drive.

* Assuming its an 800k drive, I dont believe the older Mac 400k drives will work on Apple II in any way.
 
Last edited:
RWallmow said:
Assuming its an 800k drive, I dont believe the older Mac 400k drives will work on Apple II in any way.
Click to expand...
You can hang a 400k drive (and beige 800k drive) off an UDC, and there are *LIMITED* support under UniDOS (DOS 3.3 for 400k/800k drives) and (probably) ProDOS. Much of this occurred when 800k drives were expensive as heck, and with abundance of platinum 800k drives today (and notorious unreliability of 400k drives,) there's little reason to pursue this course.
 
dorkbert said:
You can hang a 400k drive (and beige 800k drive) off an UDC, and there are *LIMITED* support under UniDOS (DOS 3.3 for 400k/800k drives) and (probably) ProDOS. Much of this occurred when 800k drives were expensive as heck, and with abundance of platinum 800k drives today (and notorious unreliability of 400k drives,) there's little reason to pursue this course.
Click to expand...

Good to know I just assumed it wouldn't work.
 
uyjulian said:
When I try to put a disk into the drive, it doesn't go in, it feels like something is stuck inside. There wasn't any disk inside. How do you fix this..?
Click to expand...

Hi,

I have encountered something like this on some 3.5" mechanisms. I found that the mechanism was in the position it would be if a disk had been inserted, and the mechanism was gummed up enough to hold it there. In that position, the mechanism will not allow you to insert a disk, even though it is actually empty. I disassembled the case to get the mechanism exposed and through cleaning, and many, many repetitions of manually coaxing the mechanism to move from one position to the other, sometimes applying light coats of sewing machine oil onto the moving surfaces (but well away from the head or anywhere where the disk will eventually touch) I finally got the mechanism freed up to operate properly again.

It's possible that is what you might be facing.

Good luck!

smp
 
smp said:
Hi,

I have encountered something like this on some 3.5" mechanisms. I found that the mechanism was in the position it would be if a disk had been inserted, and the mechanism was gummed up enough to hold it there. In that position, the mechanism will not allow you to insert a disk, even though it is actually empty. I disassembled the case to get the mechanism exposed and through cleaning, and many, many repetitions of manually coaxing the mechanism to move from one position to the other, sometimes applying light coats of sewing machine oil onto the moving surfaces (but well away from the head or anywhere where the disk will eventually touch) I finally got the mechanism freed up to operate properly again.

It's possible that is what you might be facing.

Good luck!

smp
Click to expand...

Aah. Thanks.
 
uyjulian said:
m0130
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a 400k drive, not of MUCH use to an Apple II, but like dorkbert said, has some limited support.

For a IIgs though do your self a favor and grab an A9M0106, A2M2053, or a G7287, pretty much in that order, the first two are decently priced on ebay, shouldn't set you back more than like $30ish if you search around, the G7287 is a rarer drive, and without an even rarer controller card, you would only be able to use half its capabilities (its a 1.44MB drive, but would only be seen as 800KB on IIgs without special card).

For any Apple II a 5.25" drive would be a wise investment too since there is SO much software on 5.25" media.

EDIT: I should have posted this link, http://www.vintagemacworld.com/drives.html, it has pretty much everything you would want to know about Apple brand floppy drives.
 
Had a similar problem but would not eject the disk. Could here eject motor spinning but nothing happening. Turned out the gears were stripped on the eject motor's transmission. Luckily had a Junker 1.44 that used the same mechanism and swapped it in. All good now.
 
I have bought 2 3.5" floppy disk drives. About $60 in total.
Can't get 5.25" drives right now, they are expensive.
Meanwhile, I will attempt to fix the floppy drive I have right now.
Thank you guys.
 
I have had the same problem smp described on a number of 3.5 drive mechanisms I purchased (about 40 or so). When they sit around unused, they can become coated with gummy substances which prevent the mechanism from moving freely. WD-40 (IF applied with great care), silicone lubricant or even electrical contact spray works. Again, be very careful of the read heads to keep them clean and free of whatever substance you use.

If you are looking for 3.5 drives or even just the drive mechanisms, I have both available in my webstore (http://drkenb.blujay.com). I am NOT as cheap as you can find on eBay, but then again, I guarantee the items have been cleaned, inside and out, and tested to work, and I stand behind that. If you buy on eBay, always remember that "untested" in eBayese means "I know this does not work but don't want to tell you that and reduce the amount of money I can get for it if it appears to work." As a general rule-of-thumb, when I sell something that either I know does not work OR I can not sufficiently test it, I label it "For Parts/Repair" and sell it as if its not working properly. If they buyer get it and it works fine, fantastic, they've gotten much more than they expected.

Ken
www.Apple2Online.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top