6 Mar
2014
6 Mar
'14
11:25 a.m.
So I put in the RL8A disk controller (M8433) and connected the cable
to one of the drives at a time. Also connected the terminator on the
drive.
The first drive that I tested turned on the "READY" light, then
nothing more happened. I was able to open the drive immediately.
That does not sound right. You do mean 'ready' -- the one with the drive
number on it? A Drive should only be 'Ready' when it's spun up to speed,
the heads have loaded, and the head servo has locked.
The other drive that I tested turned on the "READY" and the "FAULT"
light, then nothing more happened. I was able to open the drive
immediately. I opened this drive up (unscrewed the lid) and noticed
that the spindle motor rotated slowly for 10 seconds when i powered up
the drive with a cartridge in it. I also measured the voltage on the
power lines and got this:
5V: 5,1V
8V: 7,7V
-8V: -7,9V
Ureg: 15,5V
-Unreg: -15,2V
Which should be fine according to the "Rl01/Rl02 Technical Manual,
Volume 11-Service Procedures"
What I have read in the manuals is that the drives should behave like this:
1. Power on, no lights should come on.
2. After a while the load light should illuminate. Now it should be
possible to open the lid and load a cartridge (and place the
protection on the top).
3. Close the lid and press "LOAD". Load should now go out.
4. The drive should spin up and read the servo data. When done the
"READY" should illuminate.
That sounds right.
How much of this depends on a working controller (RL8A)?
Just about all of it. The drive needs a clock signl from the controller
even to do things like check the motor is n't truning (which is necessary
before the cover unlocks). If the clock is missing, the 'Fault' light
comes on, but of course there are many other causes for this.
It's been some yers since I've been isnde an RL, but I would start by
checkign all the indicator bubls (you do not want to be getting false
information becuase of a burned-out bulb!). Then, IIRC, the 'Fault' lamp
is drven by the logic OR of a lot of signals (I seem to revcall active
low signals and a '30 NADN gate here). If the Fault light is on, then see
whic signal(s) is asserted, and trace back from there.
-tony