PCW9512 Disk Image For Flash Floppy

Started by handyandy69, 18:25, 06 October 19

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handyandy69

Hi,

Has anyone got a Gotek Drive (with FlashFloppy) to run on a PCW912.  If so, would you mind sending me a copy of the FF.cfg file and a copy of the CPM or Locoscript disk so that I can try and boot my machine.  I've tried it with a real 3" drive & 2 disks but it doesn't seem to want to boot - I just get a blank screen.  Tried it with a different motherboard & disks but get the same results.

Hoping using the Gotek will work.

Cheers,


Andy.

GeoffB17

Sorry if you've already explained all this, but could you give a little more detail about what happens when you try to boot from the floppy, also have you been able to check the disks that you have.

The 9512 would be booting from a CF2DD disk, i.e. DS 730k.   You refer to a blank screen, so I assume you don't get the blue lines down the screen.   Do you get any flashing lights to indicate that the fd is trying.   Any noises ditto.

I've got the files from a 9512 CP/M disk, but I don't have a CF2DD type drive, so even some images are not a lot of use to me, although I think I do have some images for a 9512 if you CAN get a Gotek working.

Geoff

handyandy69

#2
Hi Geoff,

I've basically been trying to cobble together a working motherboard using a rack-mounted server case as case & PSU.  I've attached the composite mod board supplied by JonB and get a stable white screen (similar to what you get when you switch on a normal PCW9512.  However, when I put the disk in the drive (it may be a Drive B from a 8512) the disk spins but doesn't seem to search.

I thought I could try using a Gotek as that would hopefully eliminate it being a faulty drive.  That's a distinct possibility as i'm using odd bits I have lying around from other machines.

I've tried 2 CPM disks (the burgundy coloured ones for the 9512) but get the same result, so i'm assuming it's the drive rather than the disks.  I've also tried 2 different motherboards and get the same rwsults, so hopefully it's not that.

Any help and advice would be appreciated.

Cheers,


Andy.

GeoffB17

OK.  If the disk is spinning, that's something.   The white screen suggests nothing is happening.  You don't mention any beeps, the number of beeps tells something.   It has been mentioned here that the stepper motor can fail, I know about this as mine went a couple of years ago.   This CAN be fixed, thanks to Bryce, who has now fixed a number of them, may be a good idea to PM him.   If the stepper motor is trying, you should hear some dull ticks (mechanical) as opposed to the warning beeps (electronic) for actual error codes.

Geoff

handyandy69

Hi, sorry for the delay in responding.

There aren't any beeps.  Not sure how long I have to leave it running but must have been up to around a minute.  I have tried both connectors in the floppy cable and both with the connector tab sticking up and down (not sure which way the connector should fit.  Each time the drive just spins but does not attempt to seek.  The drive LED is either on if the connector tab is sticking up (iirc) and not if the tab is down.

I don't hear the stepper motor at all, just the sound of the disk spinning.  I've currently only got 5v & 12v connected through a disk drive power supply.  Am I missing another connection to allow it to boot?  I thought the 24v was only used for the printer.

Maybe I need to see if I can source another drive.

Cheers,

Andy.

JonB

You don't need the 24v line to boot. As you rightly say, it powers the printer.

What's worrying is the lack of any beeps. If the drive has really failed the machine would beep (eerrrmm.. three times, I think).

JohnElliott

It takes a couple of minutes before the three beeps (I've got an 8512 in the same condition). If the motherboard is good the drive A: LED should flicker very slightly as the PCW probes the drive. Once the three beeps have sounded the drive motors stop and you have to press SPACE to kick off the boot process again.

JohnElliott

(Aside: the PCW accessory I'd like is a clone of the Cirtech Flash Drive - a tiny, self-contained gizmo that can boot a PCW even if its floppy drives have failed, and doesn't need the case opened to be fitted. The nearest I can get at the moment is a Gem hard drive, which works but is big, clunky, needs its own power supply and relies on 25-year-old spinning platters).

handyandy69

OK, managed to source another 9512 disk drive.  I now get the process detailed above.  Switch on, insert disk, drive seeks and flashes screen and after a few seconds there's 3 beeps (I think) to indicate it's failed.

I'm assuming now a Gotek drive should work, If I can get the right set up.  Can anyone help?

Cheers,


Andy.

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