Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!uwvax!uwslh!lishka From: lishka@uwslh.UUCP (Christopher Lishka) Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm Subject: Re: CBM 1541 alignment info requested Message-ID: <229@uwslh.UUCP> Date: Tue, 23-Dec-86 11:38:03 EST Article-I.D.: uwslh.229 Posted: Tue Dec 23 11:38:03 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 23-Dec-86 21:50:04 EST References: <1750@homxc.UUCP> <60006@ui3.UUCP> Reply-To: lishka@uwslh.UUCP (Christopher Lishka) Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison, State Hygiene Lab Lines: 40 In article <60006@ui3.UUCP> dickow@ui3.UUCP writes: >/ ui3:comp.sys.cbm / nms@homxc.UUCP (N.SCRIBNER) / 10:31 am Dec 17, 1986 / > >What is the latest scoop on alignment of old 1541 dis drives? >Is is cost effective to take it to the local fixit shop? Send it to >Commodore? Buy a kit? Is there public domain SW which would allow >an "educated", (but not expert) user to align a unit himself. >Thanks for the advice. > >Neal Scribner >ATT-BL 201-949-2242 >homxc!nms >---------- Ahhh, yes...I used to have a lot alignment problems too. However, the second time my drive went out of alignment, the repairman I took it to performed what he called a 'permanent' modification, and swore that the heads would never go out of alignment again. Alas, he was correct...I haven't had ANY head alignment problems with my drive for about three and a half years now. From what I understand, the older drives had two metal components 'pressed' together, held in place only by friction. I guess that these two components controlled some aspect of head movement. I've looked inside my drive at what the repairman did, and it seemed he drilled a hole where these two metal pieces meet and then drove a good-sized screw into the whole. This keeps the two metal pieces from slipping. The repairman told me that this modification was fairly common...the best part about it, though, was that it cost the same price as a head alignment ($22.50 for half-an-hour's work). Now, the store I had it done at has gone out of business since the repair nearly four years ago...however, I think that it would probably be worth your while to get this done (by someone who knows what they are doing), because it can save a HELL of a lot in alignment fees. Also, you don't have to worry about writing to disks when the heads are 'slightly' out of alignment, insuring that you cannot read from those disks when your heads are back into alignment (this has happened to me more than once, BEFORE I had the permanent modification). -- Chris Lishka /lishka@uwslh.uucp Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene <-lishka%uwslh.uucp@rsch.wisc.edu \{seismo, harvard,topaz,...}!uwvax!uwslh!lishka