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My floppy disk drive does not work?
On older desks, a modification to the disk drive may be necessary. This involves linking two pins on the disk drive as shown below.

If this link is NOT made some functions on the DISK MENU will not work :-

  • The "Format & Save" option will not function.
    However, the "Format" and the "Save" options will still function if they are executed separately.

Q. Will any computer floppy disk drive work on my desk?

A. The answer is yes, as long as you are using the latest software and AVOS.
Q. Why does the light on the floppy drive stay on when it's not being used?

A. On the latest version of the software the modification on the floppy drive is not required. If you want the light to turn off remove the modification in the drive.

Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) Repair & Maintenance
A regularly maintained FDD's will rarely cause any problems. The majority of problems that do occur on a FDD can be fixed easily.

 

What can go wrong with a FDD?

Problem
The most common problem occurs when the 34 way ribbon cable is removed from the FDD.
If this cable (connects the FDD to the Borris motherboard) is then plugged in backwards on the floppy drive, the drive will NOT work and the floppy drive LED light may stay on permanently.

Solution
Remove the cable from the back of the FDD and re-insert it correctly.

Problem
Spindle Motor or Electrical Circuit Burn Out - With age, the spindle motor and electrical circuits can burn out, but this doesn't happen very often. The most common cause for this is a dirty/dusty FDD.

Solution
Vacuuming in and around the FDD (when cleaning the console) will help to extend the life of your FDD.

Problem
FDD Read/Write Errors  - The read/write heads in the FDD can and do become dirty with time. Environmental conditions will add to this problem (dusty or smoky areas!).

Solution
Regular cleaning of the read/write heads with a commercially available FDD HEAD CLEANER.
These look just like a floppy disk on the outside, but inside the case is a special pad on which you put a couple of drops of a special cleaner fluid that comes with the kit. Always use the drops, as a dry pad can scratch the heads.
Additionally, replace the cleaner-disk as recommended on the package, or when the disk pad appears dirty.
Note that a dirty cleaner-disk can also scratch the heads.

Problem
FDD Read/Write Errors - Head Alignment
With age, the read/write heads can become moved out of alignment.
At first, you will notice that you can read/write to your floppy disk, but the disk can not be read on another consoles' FDD.
Eventually, the FDD will not read/write at all.

Solution
Replace the FDD.
Although the heads can be re-aligned with special equipment, the cost would outweigh the price of a inexpensive new FDD.

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