TEC FD-50x drives - known issues? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

8 Oct 2005

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Subject: TEC FD-50x drives - known issues?
   From: Dave Dunfield <dave04a at dunfield.com>
   Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 23:38:55 -0400
     To: cctalk at classiccmp.org

Hi Guys,

I've been trying to get the drives from a Nabu Cable PC working
for the museum in Toronto who wants to put a working system on
display...

The drives are TEC FD-501, single-sided DD drives.

Some time ago I posted a request for technical information on the
TEC FD-503 drives in one of my Morrows, because one of them had
failed - the 501 is the same drive, same board, just without the
top head and connector/components on the board. 
--------------snip----------

- A pair of working FD-501 (or FD-503) drives which I could swap
...
   the faceplates with to closely aproximate the
"original" drives.

- Any DD 5.25" drives which will fit. Only need single sided, but
  double-sided will work. With the drive sitting on the table facing
  you (connectors at rear), the data connector must be in the left
  rear corner with pin2 on top, closest to the centerline of the
  drive. 
Well some comments.  I used to have a lot of them, most all ahve died.
I regard that particular drive as junk. Never tried to troubleshoot any 
and it appears to be in the read or write logic (they select, spin,
light the light but no data). For most systems better working drives 
were easy to fit so no concern was given.

The size problem.. I've encountered it with NS* Horizon and Advantage.
However I put FD55BVs in the NS* after moving the rectifier as I 
prefer them for reliability.

I found a few PC 360k drives (48tpi) marked Newtronics D503 which are
Mitsumi drives that seem ok and are the shorter length (7-3/8"). 
They look like the TEC drives but not quite.  

I have toshiba, FD55xx(B, E, F and Gs) and they are the same length.
Older 286/386 PCs are the source of many of the TEC and mitsumi drives.

Allison