On Mon, 11 Jun 01 11:57:55, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Howard Schwartz) wrote:
> I have software tools laying around that claim to adjust various
> floppy drive parameters. But I wonder if anyone knows how one goes
> about aligning what I assume is the magnetic read head of a floppy
> drive?
> By analogy this is one of the larger problems of keeping good but
> old autoreverse audio cassette tapes going (I suppose VCRs too).
> My local electronics store tells me they can order an alignment tape
> with a pure high frequency tone on it. Then I turn the screw until
> I max the tone on my equalizer.
> What would the analogy for a floppy disk driver be, when you can get
> a new one for about $15. ?
> Howard Schwartz
> -------------------------------
> theo "at" ncal.verio.com
I know a proprietor of a computer repair shop who is a friend of a
a technician who used to earn a living at re-aligning floppy drives.
He said that the job required extensive training and very expensive
equipment. A very high level of mechanical skill is required to perform
the critical adjustments and measurements. He says that it is not a
cost-effective proposition to re-align a floppy drive if you can buy a
new replacement for less than $100. Back in the early 1980s a
replacement floppy drive used to cost around $200 or more. I don't think
they make them as good as they used to. I have some very old and big
high profile 5.25" 360K floppy drives that work much more reliably than
some that are from a much more recent vintage.
Sam Heywood
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