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Teac FD55-GFR drive question

M

mrclassicman

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2023
Messages
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First I would like to point out that I have the same issue with my original Radio Shack Floppy and this Teac drive. I can get the drives to go through the format steps (34) but it comes out with an I/O error when verifying. I can run a DIR command and I get a blank disc no I/O error. I wrote a simple basic program (5 lines and a print statement) which I can save eight times before getting an I/O error. The DIR shows the 7 previously saved examples and they load and run. Thinking it might be an IBM disc with higher density and more tracks I tried to completely erase it with a permanent magnet. This then shows an unformatted disc and I repeat the process to format the disc with the same outcome as before. So can anyone direct me to what the solution might be? So to clarify I cannot get a complete disc format or save a program more than a couple tracks in, on either the TEAC or Radio Shack drive without getting an I/O error.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Terry Cummins
SE Michigan
 
Which system and OS are you using? Just helps keep suggestions relevant. Are you using the same disk or have the problems occurred with all the disks tried? What about disks formatted on other machines?
 
And, how is the drive jumpered (internally)? Is your Tandy system aware that this is a 1.2MB drive? How are you formatting a disk--and with what kind of floppy (there are differences between 360K and 1.2M floppies).
The 55GFR is a good drive, but there are several configuration issues.
 
Which computer model are you using, and which DOS? Since you mention 34 steps, I'm assuming a Model I and TRSDOS.
 
Hopefully I can answer both Chuck and you at the same time since there seems to be a commonality in the questions. I am using Disk Extended Color Basic 1.0 in a Model 1 Color computer w/32k ram.
One of the 51/4 disc's I tried was originally formatted in a Kaypro II single sided 34 track single density. The other disc is a double sided hi-density (2S/HD). Both exhibit the exact same outcome when formatting. The drive steps 34 times returns to track 0 then send I/O message. If I do a DIR command it returns a blank space no I/O error. If I write several programs to the disc it will store a couple of the saves if they are small programs. If they save without an I/O error I can read them back into the computer. To me this means the basic functions of the drive are working read/write. Since there are so many potential variables I know this can be tricky. But way back when, my first CoCo I was using (2)1/2 high, high density drives with no problems. Then I up graded my controller and was able to have 2 half-high double sided and able to access both sides of the drives. So I am more than a little lost here! Lastly my disk controller is a FD502 with the WD1773 chip. Again any assistance with my problem would be greatly appreciated!
 
Chuck(G) said:
And, how is the drive jumpered (internally)? Is your Tandy system aware that this is a 1.2MB drive? How are you formatting a disk--and with what kind of floppy (there are differences between 360K and 1.2M floppies).
The 55GFR is a good drive, but there are several configuration issues.
Click to expand...
Thanks Chuck, I looked up the spec data on the drive. I set the jumpers to the factory positions as well as trying other jumper settings. I format the drive by switching to drive1 as the primary drive. This allows it to conform to the jumper setting of the drive. I then type DSKINI1 <enter>. The drive then spins, the green light appears on the face of the drive and it steps 34 times, and then returns to "0" track where it stays until the I/O prompt come up. As stated this occurs with both the HD and single density floppies. It also happens with my very much older full height 34 track drive from my KayproII.
 
It's been a long time since I fooled with the Coco. But I believe that it uses conventional (5.25" or 3.5") double-density drives, which spin at 300 RPM. By default (you can change this with the FD55 on-board jumpers), the FD55GFR spins at 8" speeds--360 RPM. If you try formatting it with 300 RPM pattern, the format will end up "eating its tail" and the result will be an unusable disk. See here for a discussion of the I and IS jumpers.
You can read disks written on other 300 RPM systems because there's enough "slop" in the data separator circuitry to accommodate this.
 
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