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Kaypro4 disk drive

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by tjm57

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
it just clicks and says can't read the disk. changed out the controller chip and get the same result. Head isn't moving drive and cables replaced. anyone have any help?

6 replies

by Former member

Your drive is gone (dead).

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

by tjm57

tried 3 different drives 2 known to be good.

by tjm57

I have had 3 different drives on this 2 known to be good. I think you are right it cannot find track zero but why can't it? I put in a new drive controller chip and got the clicks. Still get the message "cannot read your disk." thank you

by robo_dev

A nostalgic trip through computer history:

Kaypro used standard +12V for drive motors and +5V for drive electronics.

Maybe the drive motor is not spinning up fast enough to get the heads flying properly?

The old Tandons used +12V at 4.5AMPS (!) for startup current. (My dishwasher probably uses less!!)

It also needs +5V with no more than 50mV PARD (ripple) for the interface. That's a lot of stability to expect for a PSU that was made in 1984 or so.

What make/model are those hard drives?

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/

http://bitsavers.org/pdf/kaypro/1484-D_KayproTechnicalManual_Dec84.pdf

I don't know how the drive senses that it's at the correct RPM. Many drives will stop/re-init repeatedly if they don't spin up correctly.

http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/Index.txt

Tandon TM 501 users manual has the power and interface specs
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/tandon/TM501_userMan_1984.pdf

Reading the above guide: Tandons used an OPTICAL track zero sensor and an index Hole and sensor to get the servo info..... this makes me think the drive just is not spinning up to speed.

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