Log in

View Full Version : FDS electrical problem


FoxNtd
03-04-2017, 10:25 PM
This is a bizarre issue that I doubt I can find answers for anywhere online. Normally everything is all about fixing the floppy drive with a belt replacement and calibrating the head afterwards. My FDS' floppy drive still runs perfectly. This issue has happened just suddenly during use. The console is not operating the floppy drive correctly. The activity LED stays illuminated even if the disk card is ejected. That lamp shouldn't ever be on when the disk card is ejected because there can't possibly be I/O without a card inserted; it doesn't make any sense. Inserting a card has no effect. Here's the weirdest part: if I push against the lower part of the diskette slot and hold it there, which internally pushes the entire floppy drive assembly back like 2mm perhaps, the FDS runs properly. Obviously this is not practical. I can't play it and keep it right in front of me to put pressure there to make sure the disk reads. I've looked around inside, no obvious loose wires or excessively tight wires either. I can't visually identify why pushing the drive back ever-so-slightly makes it work.

It seems like something stupid or trivial is at fault and it would be easy to fix if I had a clue what the hell it was. Anyone have any ideas?
RP2A03
03-05-2017, 12:05 AM
Perhaps it is a cold solder joint or a flaky switch.
Niku-Sama
03-05-2017, 05:51 AM
That was my guess it maybe just a written out switch too. I mean it's getting old
FoxNtd
03-05-2017, 10:39 AM
I fixed it this morning. As soon as I got up it hit me, why not check the power connector? It's something set firmly, it SHOULDN'T move, but it must have because after having unmounted the power board to reach it better, I just pushed on it and didn't even feel or notice any movement, but after reconnecting the drive it's working just fine. It makes sense now, that nudge from the front would have pushed the whole drive assembly against the power connector to close a tiny gap that there must have been between at least 1 pin connection in there.

Booted 3 different games in a row to make sure the system status is correct, working like new again. :)