______________________________________›1050 DISK DRIVE FIX›______________________________________›by Willie Pelzer››This text file will (hopefully) tell›to how to fix your 1050 drive ONLY if›the following conditions are true.››#1 The drive reads disc files okay.››#2 The speed of the drive is correct.›Their are Utilities in DL3 that you›may use to check the speed. Just›BRO/KEY SPEED.››#3 The drive refuses to format when›given the command and either formats›the first two tracks or none at all›and then just spins. Sometimes it will›return an error #139.››#4 It refuses to write and when given›the command,just gives an error# 139.››These are the problems that I had with›my US doubler 1050. If you have the›same EXACT problem, this fix MAY work›for you also. CAUTION! If you are not›handy with drive internals, or do not›want to take responsibility for trying›this,then send the thing to ICD for›repair (or any drive repair service).›Why am I being so cautious? Because›while this fix DID cure my drive, I›wanted to let you know that I can't›say what it may do to yours. Still›game? Okay,here we go.››You will need a pair of needle nosed›pliers, a phillips screwdriver, and a›switch (I used a cheap Radio Shack›pushbutton, less than $3.00). Also,›about 10 inches of wire. I used a›piece of small gauge speaker wire. And›a low wattage soldering iron (25 watts›will do).››First, unplug your drive and turn your›drive over and unscrew the four›recessed screws that hold the top›down. You should'nt have to remove the›front two that hold on the face›plate. Now turn the drive right side›up. Lifting from the rear, remove the›top. Be VERY careful not to disturb›anything! On the left rear of the›printed circuit there are four brown›plugs that are marked (on the board)›from front to rear as J11, J12, J1,›J10 and J14. The one we want is J11,›the closest one to the drive motor.›Take a magic marker and mark the front›of the plug, this will make it easy to›know which side is the front. The two›wires we want are the north pair of›the four (when you're in front of the›drive). In other words, of the four›wires in plug J11, we want the first›two, closest to the drive motor. Once›it's marked, CAREFULLY remove the plug›with a pair of needle nosed pliers.››Carefully remove the some of the›insulation from our two target wires.›Take a small piece of wire and connect›the two wires together. Tape them to›prevent a them from shorting out›against antthing. This is only›temporary, as first we will test the›fix to see if it works.››Replace J11 (using the magic marker›mark as thefront) and without›replaceing the top, plug up your drive›as usual. Load your dos. Using a blank›disc, attempt to format. IF when the›first two wires of J11 are connected›together, the drive formats and writes›then we are on the way! If the drive›still refuses to format or write, then›undo the jumper that you made on J11,›tape the two bare spots on the two›wires and replace J11.››Replace the cover and send the drive›out to be fixed. If the drive now›formats and writes, then on we go!››Unplug the drive and go back to J11.›If everything is working now, we have›to wire up a switch because connecting›the two wires of J11 together over›rides the write protect of the drive.›You can now write to ANY disc, whether›it has a notch, write protect tab, or›no notch at all. So, we have to put in›a switch so that we can go from the›old NO format, no write condition to›ALL format, all write condition.››Remember those extra write protect›tabs that you had? Put them on ALL›your discs! Just in case the sensor›starts working again and formats or›writes when you least expect it. All›you people that use both sides of a›disc (a bad practice I'M told), will›now be able to format or write to side›two without making a notch. On to the›finish...››Remove J11 again and remove the jumper›wire that connected the first two›wires. What we want to do is solder a›length of wire to each of the two›wires (the bared portions). Once›you've done this, tape each wire well›and replace J11 on the board. (use›your mark for front!). Each wire›should now be separate with a length›of wire coming from it.››Now solder a wire to each of the two›terminals of your switch. (first›decide where you're going to mount›it, I mounted my pushbutton on the›lower sloping portion of the face›plate). Without replacing the cover,›plug your drive in and test it once›again for format and write. If it›does'nt write or format the first time›then push the switch to the other›position. It should now work. If it›worked the first time, it should work›now. If not, go over your work. Maybe›you did'nt make one of the connections›properly.››If using a pushbutton switch, in›should allow the drive to function as›it should and out should restore it to›it's former no write condition.››Now mount your switch, (keep the wires›away from the drive mech.) and replace›your cover. As to WHY this works or›what happened to break your drive in›the first place, well sorry I don't›know. I do know that it worked for me›and I'm hopeful that this $3.00 fix›works for you.››Wpiii›Willie Pelzer 3rd ppn# 73247,206›