[Coco] Unreliable Coco3

[Brian Blake]

David,

Check out this post on my blog from a few years ago: 
http://tandycoco.com/blog/archives/42

While mine didn't weird display issues like yours, the floppy drive 
access problems certainly sound familiar...



On 10/22/2012 6:36 AM, David Roper wrote:
> So, I got myself a new controller and drive combo (thanks, Nick!)
>
> .. turns out that the main problem is actually my 512k Coco3 - the new
> drive is showing precisely the same behaviour as the old one.
>
> I've tried the same setup with my Coco2, and everything runs smooth and perfect
>
> I suspect something is wrong with my Coco3's cartridge port, and would
> appreciate any ideas
>
> Symptoms:
> When loading a cartridge (either through modified multipak or 'naked
> in the port'), at least some of the time (1 or two times out of four)
> the screen will be filled with garbage (green background, yellow
> blocks) or, the entire display will be shifted a half-character to the
> left
>
> If it does load properly -
> 'DIR' with an unformated disk in the drive causes 5 'grinds' and an
> ?IO error (drive motor stops)
> 'DIR' with a formatted disk in the drive causes at most 1 'grind', and
> then the drive motor spins endlessly
> 'DSKINI0' causes at most 1 'grind', and then the drive motor spins endlessly
>
> The above is precisely the same symptoms as my old controller/drive,
> and is 100% reproducible. Once again, the drive and controller work
> flawlessly on my Coco2
>
> Any ideas, suggestions, diagnostics? (or replacement Coco3s in Australia?)
>
> Kind regards,
> David
>
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