Date   : Wed, 13 Apr 2005 21:41:28 +0100
From   : "Jason Watton (Lycos)" <jason.watton@...>
Subject: Re: Possible faulty disk drive

Hi John,

If you have no other copies of these disks I'd be overly cautious until
you've got all the data off the disks - either using a BBC (i.e. make a
copy) or a PC (i.e. make a disk image). Recovery of _some_ data off a
damaged disk is possible but you're almost certain to end up with incomplete
data (and always the most important/difficult bit...).

My disks of 20 years old show no errors... using the original [BBC] drive.
Worn tracks...? Until you know it's not the drive I'd assume the drive
trashes whatever you put in it.

I have BBC and PC drives which do not brillo the disks if you get stuck.
There's also lots of nice people on these lists who'll extract the data for
you if you ask... _then_ you can try "home drive repair" without the spectre
of data loss...

Jason.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John" <blip@...>
To: <bbc-micro@...>
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 7:34 PM
Subject: [BBC-Micro] Possible faulty disk drive




Hi All

Just got my hands on a 5.25 Opus 40/80 track drive to revive my stored disks
with the 'new' BBC and I'm having some problems.

Even on previously unused disks I am unable to format some, with the BBC
reporting sectors not found etc, even when the format appears to run through
successfully.

As the drive is used more (within the same session), performance seems to
improve, although disks seen as unreadable stay that way. The readability of
commercial disks seems much better. Heat related issue, perhaps.

My first question is this : If these disks have been stored in a fairly dust
free environment for 16 years, should they have deteriorated and if so, is
it likely the commercial disks would survive better OR is this disk drive
damaging my disks - I'm sure on the new disks that a worn track is appearing
around a third of the way in when these are being formatted and general wear
On the old disks... the drive is pretty noisy most of the time.

Second question : Would the drive motor benefit from any sort of
lubrication?

Third question : Can I recover data from the disks if damaged? The BBC
appears to know there is data on the disk, can even see the catalogue
sometimes, but is clearly struggling.

Finally, should I cease and desist till I get my hands on another drive
rather than risk continuing with those few disks that DO work?

Sorry about the War and Peace, but some of those disks contain personal
stuff from 16 - 18 years ago and I don't want to lose any more than I have
to!

Thanks


John