Macintosh SE Disk Drive Replacement

[Tempest]

I have a Macintosh SE that has a semi-working disk drive.  It seems to read a disk ok at first, but eventually will throw an error when it tries to read certain files (like ID=10 or 16).  I'm guessing this disk drive is on its way out, so I want to try and find a new one.  What is the part number for a 800K internal disk drive that will work with the SE?

 

[tanaquil]

Dumb question, but have you tried pulling the drive and cleaning/lubing it? So many problems fixed that way.

If that doesn't work, I will dig through my pile of 800K drives to find some part numbers. They are definitely not as hard to source as the 400K ones (admittedly, less common than the 1.44 variety).

 

[Tempest]

No I haven’t as I’m not sure how to take the drive apart to even attempt to clean it.  

I think I have a lead on a replacement 800k drive but if that falls through I may take you up on your offer.  I think a 1.44mb drive will work in the se as a 800k drive if I’m not mistaken.

 

[bibilit]

Probably a dirty head, easy fix.

 

[Tempest]

Probably a dirty head, easy fix.

How?  How do you take the drive apart and clean it without breaking it?

 

[tanaquil]

A dirty head is the easiest fix of all: get one of those head cleaning kits (a small bottle of solution and a special floppy). I don’t have a specific link handy but search amazon or eBay - as recently as two years ago I picked up several spares. Widely available and very cheap. 

If if that doesn’t work, taking the drive apart is not that hard - search YouTube for “clean 800k mac floppy”. For me the hardest part is dealing with the tiny springs that have to be detached and reattached, but even that is just fiddly, not technically difficult. You just have to get the dust out and re-oil; it’s purely mechanical. 

I bet a floppy drive cleaning kit will kit will do it for you though. 

 

[Scott Baret]

I got a floppy cleaner last year on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028B7138/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It fixed the issue with my LC's drive, caused by reading a dirty floppy and gunking up the head.

Even if your drive has an issue deeper than what this can solve, it's still a useful tool to have around if you have other Macs. Keep in mind most people didn't regularly clean their floppy drives when these computers were being used on a daily basis and 20-30 years of dust have accumulated inside them.

 

[Tempest]

Yeah I need to check if I still have one of those.  The liquid probably dried up decades ago, but that was basically just rubbing alcohol anyway.

 

[tanaquil]

I got a floppy cleaner last year on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028B7138/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It fixed the issue with my LC's drive, caused by reading a dirty floppy and gunking up the head.

Even if your drive has an issue deeper than what this can solve, it's still a useful tool to have around if you have other Macs. Keep in mind most people didn't regularly clean their floppy drives when these computers were being used on a daily basis and 20-30 years of dust have accumulated inside them.

Yep, that’s the one I have. Several of them. The solution lasts forever but you’re not supppsed to use the floppy past a certain number of times because it allegedly gets dirty. (Mine looks as clean as ever after 15+ uses, the supppsed limit, but I am glad to have spares.)

It’s especially useful if you are imaging a lot of old floppy disks, which shed gunk like crazy. I have literally had drives go screwy after imaging only a few bad ones. I clean my floppy drives often and it really helps.