Bitwriter Replica

[+videofx]

Just installed  Bitwriter Replica in my 1050.

 

Passed all the tests!

 

I tried backing up one of my disks and the copy wont even boot. Any suggestions for using the Super Archiver?

 

Thanks!

[Zarxx]

Hi,

 

My guide has some info on the SA & Bitwriter.

 

 

[E474]

Have you tried something simple like formatting a disk with DOS 2.5, writing DOS files to it, and seeing if that boots?

[+videofx]

On 11/7/2021 at 6:03 PM, Zarxx said:

Hi,

 

My guide has some info on the SA & Bitwriter.

 

 

Thanks!

[+videofx]

On 11/8/2021 at 11:49 AM, E474 said:

Have you tried something simple like formatting a disk with DOS 2.5, writing DOS files to it, and seeing if that boots?

Yes Formating, DOS copy, everything worked. Now I have removed the Bitwriter and now the drive no longer works. Tested all the chips in another 1050 all good.

 

You insert disk in the 1050, drive LED lights and the heads seek like they are supposed to. Turn on the computer and the drive never goes on. The drive doesn't spin and the LED doesn't light,

 

Any ideas

[Kyle22]

Check Loose Connection or hardware failure. Loose / bad connection most likely.

 

[+kheller2]

5 hours ago, videofx said:

Yes Formating, DOS copy, everything worked. Now I have removed the Bitwriter and now the drive no longer works. Tested all the chips in another 1050 all good.

 

You insert disk in the 1050, drive LED lights and the heads seek like they are supposed to. Turn on the computer and the drive never goes on. The drive doesn't spin and the LED doesn't light,

 

Any ideas

Check your drive number settings. 

[E474]

Hi,

 

   That's a bit if a puzzle - the head seeking track zero usually shows the drive is good (passes the internal Power On Self Test). Is there any chance you can upload some close up photos of the chips in sockets, I remember some of the chip legs had to be lifted up and soldered to (for the BitWriter upgrade), so there might be a poor connection now (I would be most suspicious of the RIOT chip). Also there's a chance a trace has been lifted, I had this when I put the machine socket in when doing my upgrade.

 

   If it's the drive you were trying to revert to stock (in another thread), you might have to move a couple of resistors to select between EPROM and stock mask ROM, unfortunately they're hidden by the BitWriter board in your photo above, and I'm on my phone so can't do much to point them out, but they are the white resistors in the first photo in this thread: 

 

 

   Also, it's best to leave the FDC (2793) in the drive it's installed in, as each drive is calibrated to work with the FDC it contains. @Nezgar might also have some ideas on this, but some pictures showing the current state of the PCB would be a big help!

 

   Hope this helps!

[+videofx]

23 hours ago, kheller2 said:

Check your drive number settings. 

I did thanks still no go

[+videofx]

22 hours ago, E474 said:

Hi,

 

   That's a bit if a puzzle - the head seeking track zero usually shows the drive is good (passes the internal Power On Self Test). Is there any chance you can upload some close up photos of the chips in sockets, I remember some of the chip legs had to be lifted up and soldered to (for the BitWriter upgrade), so there might be a poor connection now (I would be most suspicious of the RIOT chip). Also there's a chance a trace has been lifted, I had this when I put the machine socket in when doing my upgrade.

 

   If it's the drive you were trying to revert to stock (in another thread), you might have to move a couple of resistors to select between EPROM and stock mask ROM, unfortunately they're hidden by the BitWriter board in your photo above, and I'm on my phone so can't do much to point them out, but they are the white resistors in the first photo in this thread: 

 

 

   Also, it's best to leave the FDC (2793) in the drive it's installed in, as each drive is calibrated to work with the FDC it contains. @Nezgar might also have some ideas on this, but some pictures showing the current state of the PCB would be a big help!

 

   Hope this helps!

This is a US Doubler drive so it has a masked ROM and put it back in like it was when I got the drive. I will put the original FDC back. I put in in my other 1050 to test the chips and they work perfectly in my of there drive, so I know all the major chips work. 

[Houdini]

I'm a little late to the party, but here I am rockin' the 1050 Bitwriter Replica! Thanks tf_hh! 😁 Did a full re-cap too to be future-proof...