PCW9512 3inch drive problems

Iwo · 13:55, 31 December 22

Hello everyone this is my first post on here and i need a little help. The problem is with the 3inch floppy drive I replaced the belt because it was completely perished. When i try to boot something I hear the drive move and then there is 2 noises (something like a err err) this happens twice and stops for around 1second and does it again. Eventually after around 8-10 times the Amstrad beeps 3 times I dont know what too do now since I replaced the belt and no diffrence. Please help

robcfg · 15:05, 31 December 22

Hi, welcome to the CPCWiki!

What disk are you trying to boot? It may be as simple as your disk not being bootable.

In case that isn't the problem, it would be nice to know the model of the drive and how it is connected inside the PCW.

For example, if you are using a 720KB drive as primary drive, it won't work. Same if you connected the ribbon cable backwards.

Iwo · 16:09, 31 December 22

Hello thanks for reply the disk I'm using is an eme-232 and the disk I'm trying to boot with is cp-m also tried locoscript

GeoffB17 · 16:32, 31 December 22

The err-err sound will be the stepper motor. This may be having a problem aligning with the track. Check that no bits from the old belt are interfering with the action of the stepper motor. But this can get out of alignment if it's messed with. Also, this motor can fail internally, mine did and Bryce fixed it better than new, but if it's making the noise you describe it is at least trying.

Geoff

Iwo · 16:35, 31 December 22

hello when i took apart the disk to see what its doing and i see the head constantly moving up and down whilst the stepper motor is making the sound and eventually it just beeps 3 times

GeoffB17 · 16:51, 31 December 22

Well, the stepper motor seems to be working, the head is moving, but it's not finding the data it's looking for.

The disk may be faulty, i.e. it's not a valid boot disk, or either the boot sector is damaged (start of the first track) or the system file (*.EMS or *.EMT) is not present.

Some residue from the old belt is interfering with the movement of the head, or is stopping the smooth rotation of the disk.

I assume it wasn't working before you changed the belt?

Where did you get the disk from. Was the disk working last time it was used, is it supposed to be a boot disk?

Geoff

Iwo · 17:05, 31 December 22

Sorry for the wait I have a video
https://youtu.be/Aj6wuKLSehI

GeoffB17 · 17:44, 31 December 22

Well, I can't tell very much from the video, except that there is nothing showing on the screen to suggest that the boot process is even starting, also the disk you're using is not a proper boot disk, although it MIGHT be a valid disk if someone has copied the correct file(s) onto it.

The boot process reads the first track of the disk, and tries to process the code in the first sector. This tells the system to load a specific file from the main part of the disk (the System file, which is a larger file either something.EMS or something.EMT). The something will be like JxxCPM3.EMS, where the xx will be a version number and there are a number of variants about. The 8xxx series will usually be a *.EMS file, but your 9512 could likely be an *.EMT file, and this will be set in the boot sector. So it is possible that your boot sector might be looking for an .EMT file, but someone might have put an .EMS file on the disk so then it will not work.

This is easy enough to fix if you've got a working PCW as you just rename the file to the correct name, but this may be a 'chicken/egg' problem??

Given that you've just changed the belt, a mechanical problem is more likely.

Another problem re the disk - this is a 9512, so it needs a CF2DD (80 track) boot disk. I'm pretty sure that a CF2 disk (40t format) will not work, although the machine CAN read a 40t disk once the full system is up and running. The full system is clever enough to double step the 40t disk, the boot code is NOT.

Did the person who supplied you the (supposed) boot disk know the full story?

Geoff

Iwo · 17:51, 31 December 22

Hello thanks i dont know i dont have another psw9512 and i got this from someone he supplied me with 6 floppy disks and the psw9512 the disk for cp-m is a official amstrad disk is there any other disk i can try?

GeoffB17 · 18:04, 31 December 22

The disk you show in the video is NOT an official Amstrad boot disk. It may well be a copy of one. But is it a copy of the right one?

If another disk says anything like 'System' or 'Boot' or 'Start of Day' then it might have the boot stuff on and would be worth trying. If you've got a LocoScript disk, you could boot the system with that, if that works, then there's enough 'system' in LS to allow you to check the other disks, see the file, and if need be fix certain things.

Geoff

Iwo · 18:13, 31 December 22

I have these two disks
https://youtu.be/pumCtu3dn8o

GeoffB17 · 18:26, 31 December 22

The two disks you show there look like the official boot disks for 9512. They are double sided so should be 80t. Have you tried either of them?

The CP/M one should take you into the CP/M system. The Loco one is for LocoScript ONLY, but you go into a 'Disk Manager' and this part of the system would allow you to see the files on the other disks, and do some useful things to them, i.e. change a filename.

If these disks do the same as the disk you've already tried, then the problem is with the disk drive, not the disk.

Geoff

Iwo · 18:36, 31 December 22

Hello I just tried both they still don't work do you know anything I can do to fix it?

GeoffB17 · 18:49, 31 December 22

The fact that you describe the drive trying 2 or 3 times suggests to me that it's ALMOST reading OK, but just not quite.

This could be caused by some rubber residue somewhere round the rubber band path so that's not running smooth, the speed is not steady. May just be missing bits (not even bytes) now and again.

I'd check the path, esp all around the larger wheel (as opposed to the small pully attached to the motor).

Geoff

GeoffB17 · 21:36, 31 December 22

The other thing that can cause the same problems is that the drive has gone slightly out of alignment. This can be fixed, I understand, using a known good disk (like the Amstrad System disks), but it's fairly difficult, and really needs a 'scope. Maybe some info somewhere explaining how this is done.

Geoff

GeoffB17 · 17:19, 01 January 23

See the other new post re stepper motor.   Bryce is suggesting that al alignment problem could be caused by the same problem I had years ago,   You said your belt had gone totally.   There is a rubber component inside the stepper motor that seems to have the same potential problem.

You don't say where you are!

Bryce is in Germany.   If you are elsewhere in the EU, then it's still feasible for you to send your drive to Bryce, he can repair it (mine is still working, 7+ years later).   If you're NOT in the EU, there may be too many complications re customs/paperwork.

Otherwise, you can replace the 'real' drive with a Gotek. There are others that have done this.   Also could swap to a 3.5" drive. The 9256 was like this.

Geoff

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PCW9512 3inch drive problems