18 Aug
1997
18 Aug
'97
8:57 p.m.
4. Classic Computer HOWTO's. I've been
sitting at home for a week
inventing things to do and started writing a how to document detailing
drive alignment for various disk drives (not even close to ready yet).
Anyway, seems like a cool idea for those of you who know how to do things
to detail them in a howto and help improve everyone's know-how. People
keep asking, for example, how to convert TV to composite output. If
you've got nothing better to do ;).
Count me in on this - if I can figure out _why_ I do things.
The latter is actually a big problem. Most of the time I do things
'because that's obviously the thing to do' - i.e. I've done it many times
before, and there are good reasons why (for example) the line output
transistor is the big one on the heatsink next to the flyback - but it's
difficult to remember this when you're writing a how-to.
Disk drive alignment : I've read many documents (and even a few books) on
how to do this without an alignment disk (typically by using a commercial
software master disk , finding where the signal falls off in each
direction , and setting the head midway between the two point). Without
exception, every method has failed. IMHO the only way to align a drive is
with the proper (expensive) alignment CE disk.
5.25" and 3.5" alignment disks are still available (but expect to pay $100
a time...). I can't find 3" (Amstrad, etc) or 8" alignment disks anywhere,
alas...
One day I'm going to rip apart an old 8" drive and put a micrometer on the
head assembly. I can then (hopefuly) record my own alignment disks using a
bit of simple electronics.
Bill
-tony