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Kalok Model KL 320 - Copy Data

Right, Windows Explorer will not format 720kB floppy disks. That applies to XP and later editions. XP SP2 seems to have even removed the command prompt option to do that. There are a few third party formatting tools out there but I haven't checked what is still available and not turned into a malware delivery system.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/302113
 
Hello,

The USB floppy is a brand name "Mad Dog". It is a Teac drive no. FD 05PUW.

From the information I found online, it appears that this drive is compatible with 720 KB disks.

Taking this a step backward I fired up an old Gateway G6-200 computer with an internal 3-1/2" drive.

Working with a 1.44 MB disk is no problem. With a 720 KB disk, however, I receive the following messages:

"A:\ is not accessible"

"Data Error (cyclic redundancy check)"

I have tried a couple of different 720 KB floppies with the same results.

A 1.44 MB disk works fine in both of the floppy drives.

I'm kind of running out of options for what I have lying around. I'm beginning to question the disks themselves; but, not sure how to rule them out.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Take Care,

Jeff
 
I have a MadDog labeled Teac drive. My drive will read and write successfully to 720kB disks.

I would suggest cleaning the drive in the Gateway as that is a common cause of CRC failures. You might also open the cover on the drive and making sure there is no dust bunny jamming the pins.
 
Stone said:
Why would there be CRC failures with 720K and not 1.44MB if dirt is the culprit?
Click to expand...

The dirt on the read/write attenuates the signal so one might have a weak 1.44MB that works but the even weaker 720kB would be too weak to be read. Unlikely to be sure, but easy to test and fix.
 
krebizfan said:
Right, Windows Explorer will not format 720kB floppy disks. That applies to XP and later editions. XP SP2 seems to have even removed the command prompt option to do that. There are a few third party formatting tools out there but I haven't checked what is still available and not turned into a malware delivery system.
Click to expand...
Within Windows, 720K diskettes can be formatted via a command window. See [here].

Even on my Windows 10 box, that works for my internal 1.44M drive, as well as for any external USB 1.44M drive (720K compatible) that I connect.
 
Jeff2016 said:
Taking this a step backward I fired up an old Gateway G6-200 computer with an internal 3-1/2" drive.
Working with a 1.44 MB disk is no problem. With a 720 KB disk, however, I receive the following messages: ...
Click to expand...
Jeff2016 said:
I'm kind of running out of options for what I have lying around. I'm beginning to question the disks themselves; but, not sure how to rule them out.
Click to expand...
To quote the web page that I pointed you to, " A 1.44M diskette with its density hole suitably covered may work instead - not a legitimate action, but it should work for the purpose of what we are about to do in the following steps."

Have you tried that?
 
Hey Again modem7,

Great way to reduce things to a more basic level.

I used the command window to format the drive as the link explained. There was no issue with the process. (The only hiccup was the A: drive needed to be dismounted, which I was given the option to do. After that things went flawlessly.)

I'm not sure that I really needed to format the disk... other than to make sure the drive and the disk were in good shape.

I then double-clicked on the IBM file and everything was understandable. (The opening menu was somewhat different; but, it was pretty logical to follow.)

The disk is ready. Now to strip out the drive from another computer.

I'll report back.

Take Care,

Jeff
 
Hey Guys,

The 3-1/2" floppy is out of the old Pentium system. One complication... the power connector for the drive is a smaller connector (and if I remember correctly only 3-wire).

I've looked through my spare parts and don't seen anything I can scavenge from. Any thoughts? I hate to mess up the connection on the floppy drive board. I'd like to reinstall the floppy back in the Pentium. I could experiment a little; but, I am sure with the experience some of you have, you could probably give some advice regarding the right way to do it.

Thanks,

Jeff
 
Jeff2016 said:
The 3-1/2" floppy is out of the old Pentium system. One complication... the power connector for the drive is a smaller connector (and if I remember correctly only 3-wire).

I've looked through my spare parts and don't seen anything I can scavenge from. Any thoughts? I hate to mess up the connection on the floppy drive board. I'd like to reinstall the floppy back in the Pentium. I could experiment a little; but, I am sure with the experience some of you have, you could probably give some advice regarding the right way to do it.
Click to expand...
See [here]. It represents the pinout for the vast majority for 3.5" disdkette drives.

I used "vast majority", because I have encountered (only once), a make/model that used a different pinout.
 
Hi modem7,

Thanks for the link.

I dug through my parts and found an older power supply. It has the proper connector for the floppy. I'll just power it up off to the side and power the floppy separate from the other system.

There shouldn't be a problem or difficulty doing this, should there?

Thanks,

Jeff
 
Hi 3pcedev,

3pcedev said:
Nope it will work fine.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback.

I didn't look at the power supply until right before I started to turn it on.

Different than the earlier power supplies, there is no hard on/off switch on the power supply. I suppose that means a switch is either wired into the motherboard or it is connected via a couple of the pins in one of the connectors.

I am torn between figuring out how to jumper the power supply on, and cutting the connector off one leg of a power supply harness to wire into power supply connector in the 5150. (It's a used spare, so it's probably not a big deal.)

If it's relatively straight-forward to turn the spare power supply on, it would be the better choice.

If it was you, what would you do?

Thanks,

Jeff
 
Jeff2016 said:
Different than the earlier power supplies, there is no hard on/off switch on the power supply. I suppose that means a switch is either wired into the motherboard or it is connected via a couple of the pins in one of the connectors.

I am torn between figuring out how to jumper the power supply on, and cutting the connector off one leg of a power supply harness to wire into power supply connector in the 5150. (It's a used spare, so it's probably not a big deal.)

If it's relatively straight-forward to turn the spare power supply on, it would be the better choice.
Click to expand...
That sounds like an ATX power supply. If it is, refer to [here].
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks.

Before receiving your latest messages, I decided to just power on the system that I robbed the 3-1/2 floppy drive from. I used the power harness to attach to the floppy drive (from the Pentium computer). One the Pentium was powered on, I started the 5150.

At startup of the 5150 there was no drive activity on the 3-1/2 floppy (nor did the floppy light come on or flicker).

The floppy is cabled to the floppy drive controller card in the 5150 as explained in the write-ups referenced in this thread.

I know that when the Pentium booted up there was a message stating that the floppy A: wasn't detected. The system them asked if I wanted to boot normally.

Is there something in that process that would interrupt the power to floppy? If the floppy is still powered correctly, I suppose there could be a problem with the cable connecting the floppy to the card in the 5150.

I hope I haven't worn my welcome out here.

Take Care,

Jeff
 
Jeff2016 said:
I hope I haven't worn my welcome out here.
Click to expand...
No. You are inching closer, and learning as you go.

Jeff2016 said:
At startup of the 5150 there was no drive activity on the 3-1/2 floppy (nor did the floppy light come on or flicker).
The floppy is cabled to the floppy drive controller card in the 5150 as explained in the write-ups referenced in this thread.
I know that when the Pentium booted up there was a message stating that the floppy A: wasn't detected. The system them asked if I wanted to boot normally.
Click to expand...
If you cannot get the 1.44M diskette drive going in the Pentium machine, then I see no point trying it in the 5150.

Jeff2016 said:
Is there something in that process that would interrupt the power to floppy?
Click to expand...
If the power supply is running, there will be +5V going to the diskette drive. Because of your question, I have to presume that you do not have a meter that can measure voltage.
 
Good Morning modem7,

modem7 said:
No. You are inching closer, and learning as you go.
Click to expand...
Thank you.



modem7 said:
If you cannot get the 1.44M diskette drive going in the Pentium machine, then I see no point trying it in the 5150.
Click to expand...
I didn't do a good job explaning this point last night. With the 3-1/2 floppy drive in the Pentium I was able to read and write to a 1.44 MB disk. So, I know the drive was working in that regard. With the power connector problem for the floppy to be used in the 5150 (i.e. a small type of power connector) what I did was put the two computers side-by-side, connect the original power connector from the Pentium to the floppy drive that was now sitting between the two computers, power on the Pentium, and then turn on the 5150 in hopes that it would boot from the floppy drive.

After a single beep when powered on, there was a single error that I failed to write down. I believe, though, that it was 601.

Just to make things easier, I will probably move the Pentium aside and use the jumper technique to turn on the spare power supply with it connected to the floppy.

modem7 said:
If the power supply is running, there will be +5V going to the diskette drive. Because of your question, I have to presume that you do not have a meter that can measure voltage.
Click to expand...
I will measure the voltage this morning. Based on what was said in this thread, and what I found when searching, I believe that it is correct that this 3-1/2 floppy uses 5 volt power, which will be measured across the black (pin 2 or 3) and red (pin 1) wires. Is this correct? (I found one diagram that said the yellow wire is the 5 volt power; but, that isn't consistent with a few other diagrams.)

Thanks,

Jeff
 
Last edited:
Hey Guys,

I have confirmed that the floppy drive has power (5.1 V).

At start up of the 5150 I am still showing an error 601 and then the system goes to BASIC.

I suspect it has to do with the cabling to the floppy.

This pic, provided as a link in an earlier post, shows that one end of the ribbon cable has some conductors swapped on one end of the cable just before the connector.

http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/5150_5160/720k/floppy_cable_reverse.jpg

The only spare cable that I have that will interface with the slide-type contactors on the floppy controller card and the newer pin-type interface on the 3-1/2 floppy don't have that change in conductor orientation.

The only cable that I have that I thought might work was the cable from the hard disk drive controller card to the hard drive. I removed the card and used the ribbon cable to connect from the floppy drive board to the 3-1/2 floppy. (This was only a test. I will need that cable to test the hard drive with SpeedStor. I thought this would at least let me confirm operation of the floppy drive.

Even with the hard drive controller cable attached the system still displays an error 601 at start up, and then the 5150 goes straight into BASIC.

I'm a little discouraged at this point. I'm over my head with the cabling. I don't want to do more damage than good.

Jeff
 
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