8 Nov
2001
8 Nov
'01
7:45 a.m.
Most of the problems that come along with the Apple][ disk subsystem can be
avoided with a little care. For example, the problem I mentinoed about leaving
the CRT turned off when I leave the computer sitting for a while can be avoided
by opening the floppy drives when I do that. I imagine that if one's VERY
careful and fastidious about keeping everything clean and orderly, which I'm not
likely to do, some of the other problems can be avoided. Combine that with
weekly cleaning and adjustment of the drives, and most of the problems will be
gone. I'm not likely to do those things either, though, since the other systems
I routinely use don't require it.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris" <mythtech(a)Mac.com>
To: "Classic Computer" <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2001 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: Apple Floppy Drives (was: More Apple Pimpers)
I never had
problems as you describe, nor have I ever heard of anyone
needing to adjust the alignment of an Apple disk drive.
As far as I know, there is no procedure in the Disk ][ manual for aligning
a drive, and as far as I know, there is no reason for needing one.
I don't know if it was alignment (I think it was speed), but I had a
program that you would run, and you would adjust the drive via a small
pot IIRC until the program said it was correct (again, I think it was
speed).
I DO know that as my Drive ][ drives got older, I found I had to do this
operation more and more to keep them functioning (when it needed
adjustment, it would just fail to read a disk).
I also used the Drive ][ primairly stacked next to my Apple ][+, with the
monitor on top, or on a shelf just above (when I moved to a color TV with
line in as a monitor, as it was just too heavy to safely place on top of
the Apple). I never had problems (other than speed issues, or once a game
wrote high scores to the disk despite being write protected).
My company had a number of Apple II+'s with drive II's stacked on the
Apple with the monitor on top of the drives, and non ever had a problem.
I used an Apple IIe with a dual drive box that sat on top of the Apple,
and the monitor (IIRC, greenscreen Apple branded) sat on top of the
drives. Never had a problem with that setup. (and the previous owner only
ever used it that way for years, and had no problems).
And I am probably a good test of real world abuse to the Apple Drive ][
drives, as I was just a wee child, and I didn't follow any rules that I
probably should have. (I always put the disk in the drive, closed it, and
turned on the computer... I would pull disks out, and replace them while
the drive was reading or writing, I would power off the computer or reset
it during read/write, I didn't use dust sleaves, I touched the disk media
directly, wrote with ball point pens on the disk labels AFTER putting
them on the disk, I used cheap no name brand bulk disks of any kind, and
used a hole punch to make them double sided... and at one point, even
stapled a peice of paper to a disk... and that staple is the ONLY time I
can think of that I screwed up a disk... two holes and a long dent will
do that. So I would have to say, the Apple II disk system was pretty
freakin' stable and reliable to put up with all my abuse)
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>