SF354 with another drive

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zChris
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SF354 with another drive

Post by zChris »

Hello,

I've gotten a SF354 were it is possible to switch the internal floppydrive. I've been able to get the gotek to work inside it but when i try two other drives (SMD-480L and MP-F11W-5DU) i can hear the motor tick for awhile and then i get into the TOS desktop with floppy icons. But when i try to open A: it says that the unit is not responding. And this is with the same setup were the GOTEK works just fine, is there something i need to do on the drives to get it to work? The computer in testing it on is Atari 520ST (without internal drive).

/zChris
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stephen_usher
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by stephen_usher »

The Atari external floppy drives had many different floppy drive mechanisms over the years but it does sound like yours has a Shugart compatible controller card.

The controller cards expect to have the drive as DS0, which is the default jumper setting for the Gotek. On the "Out" connector the board routes the "drive select 1" to the "drive select 0" pin. So, make sure that both drives are a) set to DS0, and b) support /READY on pin 34 and not DSKCHG.

It almost sounds as if your drives aren't getting the "Motor On" signal. Maybe they're using the newer standard which allows for multiple motor control lines and the controller board is giving them to old combined one.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
zChris
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by zChris »

The two floppies i have listed here are from one 520STfm and 1040STfm so they are already atari floppies.

/zChris
zChris
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by zChris »

Alright one floppy drive reads images. Seemed to be that PIN8(Motor on) was broken on the mother board, had to put a small wire between these points.

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But i cant format it seems, not sure if its the floppy disc itself or the drive. Will look into the fixes that's on the forum and do some service on it.

/zChris
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PhilC
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by PhilC »

@zChris what happens when you try and format?
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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stephen_usher
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by stephen_usher »

Will it format single sided?

Remember that the SF354 is a single sided drive and the interface board may not be passing the side select line through.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
zChris
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Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:13 pm

Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by zChris »

@PhilC It says "An error occured during formatting or copying. Your disk may be writeprotected or damaged. Try AGAIN or CANCEL."

And there is nothing in the progressbar either.

@stephen_usher Get the same symptoms on Single or Double drive. But i think i have the version of 354 where the disk is connected directly to the Din14 port and no chip inbetween.
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stephen_usher
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by stephen_usher »

All the boards I've seen have been purely passive, just with different wiring.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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PhilC
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by PhilC »

@zChris try it on your H4, that has buffers in the floppy interface and I believe the bus pullups but can't remember for sure.

The gotek has internal pullups but maybe this drive doesn't but if it works in the H4 you know the problem is specific to your 520ST.
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
czietz
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Re: SF354 with another drive

Post by czietz »

stephen_usher wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:13 pm All the boards I've seen have been purely passive, just with different wiring.
Although not all of them are. Have a look at this lengthy Atari Forum thread where I reverse-engineered both the circuit and the software on the built-in microcontroller(!) of the board found in some SF354: https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=39239. ijor and I also figured out what the board does.
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