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  • Help with Performa floppy

    From Shawn Trimble@fate7@removespam.swbell.net to comp.sys.mac.system on Friday, July 25, 2003 23:59:54
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Hello,

    Newbie to the Mac world here... I recently inherited an old Performa 550 I'd like to get up and running but have found the floppy drive is not working. Specifically, it doesn't seem to read any of the (verified OK on another
    Mac) Mac-formatted discs I have (either 800k or 1.4MB), and doesn't seem
    able to format discs either. Moreover, it doesn't seem to be able to auto-eject. Basically, I'm thinking it's a dead drive.

    So, is there anything I can do to replace (or fix?) the drive? More importantly, how on earth do I GET the old drive out? The Performa seems to have a rather impregnable metal casing once you (no easy task!) take off the plastic casing (as much as I can, anyway...). I have replaced drives on PCs, but (newbie, remember) the Mac seems a bit daunting.

    On the subject, any suggestions on what drive model I need to get to
    replace? I have seen two models advertised: #661-0474 & #661-0121, but am
    not sure what model exactly I need. Good (and inexpensive) vintage Mac/Mac

    Replacement part vendor recommendations are welcome!

    Any help or general suggestions on ideas for restoring/upgrading/generally finding my way around the Performa 550 would be greatly appreciated!



    Thanks!

    Shawn




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  • From Shawn Trimble@fate7@removespam.swbell.net to comp.sys.mac.system on Saturday, July 26, 2003 04:21:23
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Thanks Mark!

    I'll take a look and see what I can do!

    Sincerely,
    Shawn
    "Mark S." <mark1smi@softhome.net> wrote in message news:mark1smi-FA869D.19350825072003@corp-radius.supernews.com...

    From the page at...

    http://www.kahlon.com/subcat.asp?subcatid=100 Recommended 661-0121

    your Mac Performa 550 uses the # 661-0121 (AKA Manual Inject Floppy
    Drive)
    The floppy #661-0474 is an Auto Inject Floppy Drive. I can't tell you
    any more than that 'cause I don't know either.

    The following link should be helpful in getting the old floppy out...

    http://www.ircandy.com/maccases/ByCase/compact.html

    Monday I found an external Mac floppy at the city dump. It wouldn't
    read or format floppys but it would eject them just fine. I wanted the external floppy so I put an old drive into the external case and it
    works fine now. I would think that you probably have a bad floppy but
    the controller could be the problem also. Maybe if you attend a Mac
    user group or call one of the officers you might just find a cheap one
    or borrow an external one to see if it works on your Performa 550. You
    could also check around town at thrift stores. My most recently aquired
    Mac is a SE that was advertised for free on a local newsgroup.

    Welcome aboard Shawn!

    Mark in
    Davis, Ca. USA
    mark1smi@softhome.net


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