DDI - Floppy fails to recognize discs - Drive:A disc missing

[Trotzdem]

I got my CPC 464 running, but now the DDI Floppy drive won't recognize any disc I put into it.

When powered on, the DDI's LED are shining.The controler seems to work fine, as I can switch to disc by typing the command "|disc".

When I type in "cat" to see the inserted discs content, I only get a

"Drive:A disc missing Retry, Ignore or Cancel"

error report.

The drives motor starts working (one can hear that), but then immediately the error report comes.

I read in several sites that a faulty drive belt can be the reason. I dismanteled the drive and examined the belt visually. It is not broken and still in it's place.

Is there a possibility that the belt looks ok while being the reason for the drives malfunction ?
Has anyone had a similar error - message, and then replaced the drive belt and that solved the problem ? If so, was the belt in one piece or was it broken ?

[Octoate]

This is definitively the usual drive belt problem. It need not to be broken, but it gets stretched over the time so it doesn't fit close enough to drive the disc. Replace the belt and it will work again .

[Cholo]

Well im guessing that 99% its a problem with the drive belt. I read in your other post that this belt hasnt been used in 19 years, so its a wonder that its even there (ive gotten old drives where the belt was rotten away completely). The belt also tend to get really hard if it hasnt been used in a while. So one way or the other you may wanna replace the belt after all that time.

As you didnt get any error using the |disc command the drive is working ok (its not a loose cable) with the 464 also the drive is correctly powered or you would have gotten a "Bad command" error. If the floppy wasnt formatted you would have gotten a "Read error on drive" message instead.

Best guess this is a belt error.

You can get a brand new belt at:
http://www.dataserve-retro.co.uk

also ebay usually have belts.

More usefull links:
http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Changing_the_drive_belt
http://www.pcwking1.netfirms.com/helpage18.html

[Trotzdem]

Thanks for the fast replies !

So I will replace the belt ... and probably enjoy the full spectrum of my CPC once again

I wonder how many of the discs I found will still work.

When I found out, I'll report

I hope somewhere on those discs is Cholo. I'd really like to play that again on my CPC, it's just not the same when emulated.

If not, I will figure out how to connect my drive to the PC and ...

But first things first.

[Trotzdem]

So, update:

Today the new drivebelt arrived, I bought it at the Sintech - shop.

After the change of the belt, the drive was like new. Even most of the old discs are still working.

[Gryzor]

Aren't you a happy fellow?

[Cholo]

Awesome! Great to hear you got it working