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  • Trying to revive an Apple ][e

    From letsgosteelers68@ivanmonso@gmail.com to comp.sys.apple2 on Monday, April 12, 2021 10:25:25
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.apple2

    Hello,

    I dusted off my old Apple ][e computer and tried to get it going again but it just displays the Apple ][ screen and that's it. It's been a long time so dont remember much about operating it.

    I have a Duo Disk drive and a beast of a Apple RGB color monitor. It's been years since it's been used. My son used to play my old games on it.

    I tried using the DOS 3.3 System Master disk but nothing happens. Tried several other disks but nothing seems to get the drives to read. Insert a disk and the light glows red but it doesnt make that drive churning sound.

    Any suggestions on where to start?

    I looked at a few other posts and one suggested the built in diags.
    Hold both apple keys and turn on or closed apple+ctrl+Reset
    I get KERNEL OK

    Also after Ctrl-Reset and typing PR#6, the drive reboots but nothing else.

    Thank you!

    Ivan
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  • From can...@gmail.com@can7700@gmail.com to comp.sys.apple2 on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 09:35:02
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.apple2

    On Monday, April 12, 2021 at 2:25:26 PM UTC-3, ivan...@gmail.com wrote:

    I tried using the DOS 3.3 System Master disk but nothing happens. Tried several other disks but nothing seems to get the drives to read. Insert a disk and the light glows red but it doesnt make that drive churning sound.

    Any suggestions on where to start?


    The obvious first place to start for me is to make sure that the disk drives heads are clean.
    You should open them up and use some cotton swabs to clean the heads. My favourite cleaning solution for this sort of task is "Ronsonol" AKA "Zippo" lighter fluid.
    Follow up with a dry swab.

    Next check the diskette itself for blotchy appearances on the media. Or a telltale concentric scratch on track zero (the outermost area of the diskette)
    If you have dirt on your read-write head and scratched diskettes then your disks are likely mouldy.

    I'd clean the heads first, checking the swab to for dirt.
    If you can get a good read of a diagnostics diskette the next thing I'd check is drive speed.
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