[Coco] Drive controller problem

[Arthur Flexser]

The drive light coming on as soon as you plug in the cable is typically due
to the cable being upside down.  When you were switching ROMs, did you
disconnect the cable?

Art


On Thu, Apr 3, 2014 at 6:33 PM, Bill <cwgordon at carolina.rr.com> wrote:

> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com [mailto:coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com]
> On Behalf Of Arthur Flexser
> >>Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2014 5:59 PM
> >>To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts
> >>Subject: Re: [Coco] Drive controller problem
>
> >>That is indeed very confusing:  If I understand you correctly, everything
> works
> >>okay with the HDBDOS ROM, which means the controller is okay.  And the
> Disk Basic
> >>startup message (followed by an OK prompt and a blinking cursor, right?)
> comes up
> >>okay, which almost certainly rules out a problem with the Disk Basic ROM.
>
> Yes, the cursor is correct.
>
> >>Can you describe exactly what happens when you attempt a disk operation?
> >>Does the drive light come on?  Is an ?IO ERROR message what you're seeing
> >>on attempted reads and writes?
>
> The drive light comes on as soon as I plug in the drive cable (before any
> command is typed)
>
> >>Are you using the correct Disk Basic syntax, and not some command that is
> only
> >>legal under HDBDOS?  (In which case, you'd be getting a ?SN ERROR, not
> the
> ?IO ERROR.)
>
> Yea, when I do type in a command (DIR) the drive searches, but ends up
> giving me an IO? ERROR
>
> >>What happens when you try to DSKINI a disk?  Do you hear the head
> returning to
> >>Track 0 after the initial pass to begin the verify pass, and then see an
> >>immediate ?IO ERROR when it fails to verify Track 0?
>
> It spins the drive, but ends up with an IO? ERROR
>
> >>Again, I recommend cleaning the edge connector contacts, since
> >>oxidation there can cause many head-scratching intermittent problems.
>
> I have worn out 3 wooden pencil erasers cleaning the contacts. The problem
> is DEFINITELY NOT that.
>
>
>
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