-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Monday, November 29, 1999 9:48 PM
Subject: Re: Needed: 1 IBM 8" alignment disk.
> I was hoping to use an alignment disk as this
drive is filled with TTLs
and
Hmmm... As I mentioned in another message, _most_ alignment disks won't
really help you here. What you want is a 'diagnostic' disk -- one filled
with valid (and known/simple) data patters -- tracks of sectors of all
0's or all 1's, things like that.
Fortunately, such a disk is fairly easy to make if you have any other
machine with 8" drives. I normally use one of my CP/M boxes for this.
Then you can conitunally read sectors from the disk. Using a 'scope you
can see if the read PLL is locking -- is the read clock synchronised to
the off-disk data. Once you've got that, you use a logic analyser
(preferably) to look at the data stream and see if (for example) it
detects address marks correctly (these are quite easy to recognise with a
little practice.
> pots... The manual has many test points with pictures using the alignment
> disk. I have no idea if the IBM system diskettes I have actually have a
good
format on them
(betting it)
My guess is that _any_ disk will do for setting up the PLL. For other
tests it helps if the data pattern is known and simple.
That's why I wanted one.. The manual actually calls it an alignment disk but
your right.. it's really just a diagnostic disk. I am identifying major
points on the schematics right now so I can quickly go through it with a
scope... (I *really* dislike 8" floppies)
-tony