> I've got two 1541's. Neither seem to work. I know one worked last time I booted up several months ago. I'm not sure about the second since I never tried it until the first one quit. Everything seems to be functioning mechanically (disk spins, typical head movement noise), but they can't read, write or format disks. They reside in my basement rec room which does get a bit humid in the summer months. Any suggestions for quick fixes I could try? The FAQ says it's most likely head alignment, but does not elaborate on how to diagnose or adjust. I'm not so sure this is the problem since the drive went immediately from working fine to not at all. I have good mechanical capabilities and a basic understanding of electronics if that makes a difference.
Anytime a drive sits for a time, and then fails to work properly, I go first to the mechanics... specifically the head slider. When it gets sticky, the drive may produce errors on the outer tracks, or if bad enough, fail to even access the directory. It looks like an alignment problem until it's cleaned. Then, magically, the alignment is back to normal.
Clean the rails with solvent on a q-tip. I use paint thinner or something called "Chloro-clean", which is just tri-chlor. Alcohol will not dissolve the gunk that builds up on the rail mechanism. Run the head assy gently back and forth (with the drive OFF) until ALL the residue is found and washed away. You will probably feel the difference if the rails were sticky... the head will slide smoothly when clean.
When you're done, make sure the head is pushed all the way back so it can find the directory again. That's what the transit card does when inserted. Clean the head(s) while you're at it with a fresh Q-tip and solvent. If the fiber pad (1541 only) has any residue buildup on it, gently rub it with a fingernail emory board... the fine side works best. Be gentle, so you don't tear it loose. Don't get any solvent on the pad!
I think there is a special lube for the rails, but I have used light machine oil with good results. There was something called "Tri-flo", a silicone-base spray, but I don't think it's made any longer. It is nearly impossible to control any spray product anyway, so it's better to lube it by hand. A -tiny- amount of lube on each rail is plenty! I run my own drives dry... they seem to work quite well that way. Any lube will tend to pick up dirt and become sticky again eventually.
