1541 will not read disks

[TH2002]

Yeah yeah, call me a noob or whatever and it's probably been asked a million times but a search of the forum did not turn up anything to solve my problem.

I have a 1541 disk drive that will not read any of the disks I have. When typing in the LOAD command from the BASIC prompt (according to the instructions on the disk label) the drive seems to spin up and try to read the disk but always returns a "File not found error". Sometimes the drive will make concerning "knocking" noises and other times won't but the end result is always an error message.

Tried re-lubricating the drive rails and cleaning the heads with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol but neither solved the problem. I can't rule out the disks themselves as the problem as I have no other drives to test them with, but they don't appear to be scratched in any way.

Am I overlooking something obvious or is there a much bigger problem with the drive?

 

[Timo W.]

Get disks that are known-good or format one of the ones you have and see if that works.

 

[rittwage]

It can be lots of things, but if it is the Newtronics/Mitsumi mechanism (twist door) then it is more than likely that the head coils have failed.

 

[giobbi]

I would take a look at that...

https://cbm8bit.com/articles/ray-charlsen/article21

 

[Timo W.]

It makes no sense to give him repair tips if he has not even disks that are known to be good. His 1541 is probably perfectly fine.

So again, get a disk that is known to be good. Don't mess with the drive until that disk does not work either!

 

[giobbi]

It makes no sense to give him repair tips if he has not even disks that are known to be good. His 1541 is probably perfectly fine.

So again, get a disk that is known to be good. Don't mess with the drive until that disk does not work either!

maybe the first test to do it to format a disk from the Commodore BASIC, save some files and see if it works.
I supposed he already did this simple test, at least.

Note: in my experience a single, bad / dirty floppy disk can leave enough dirt / debris on the drive heads to prevent any further read. It happened lots of time to me. This can be solved opening the drive and cleaning the head with a cotton tip and some alcohol.

 

[TH2002]

Been busy this week and just now getting the chance to hook up my C64. However in that time I got some known good disks but still no luck.

Yes I have already tried formatting a disk with no luck.

I have noticed that even after I get a "File not found error", the disk drive access light continues to flash and does not stop. I have to shut off the drive and turn it back on for the light to stop blinking.

When powering on the drive the green power indicator comes on and the drive spins for about two seconds. So at least, that part seems normal. Also tried listing the entire directory of a disk by doing the LOAD "$" ,8,1 command but still get the same error.

My drive does appear to be the Mitsumi type with the small latch to twist as opposed to the mechanism that pulls straight down. If it is indeed the head coils that have failed, are they easily replaceable?

 

[rittwage]

Been busy this week and just now getting the chance to hook up my C64. However in that time I got some known good disks but still no luck.

Yes I have already tried formatting a disk with no luck.

I have noticed that even after I get a "File not found error", the disk drive access light continues to flash and does not stop. I have to shut off the drive and turn it back on for the light to stop blinking.

When powering on the drive the green power indicator comes on and the drive spins for about two seconds. So at least, that part seems normal. Also tried listing the entire directory of a disk by doing the LOAD "$" ,8,1 command but still get the same error.

My drive does appear to be the Mitsumi type with the small latch to twist as opposed to the mechanism that pulls straight down. If it is indeed the head coils that have failed, are they easily replaceable?

Nope... Swap the heads or the whole mech with another 1541 is the only way. Which makes little sense unless you happen to have another drive with a bad board or power supply and you are just making one good one.