The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi,

PC Floppy drives are all configured as Drive 1, with DS1 hard wired or the jumper in DS1 position and will be seen as FLP2_ on a QL.

To use this type of floppy drive as FLP1_ move the Jumper to DS0 or if a hardwired solder link is fitted to DS1, get a PC floppy drive cable and straighten out ...

If I remember correctly. If you put a PC floppy drive in a QL, it becomes FLP2_. You have to change the drive select on the drive, to make it work as FLP1_


Thanks Martin, that worked! When I put the pc drive in before , I replaced flp1 and left flp2 connected. This time, I removed the old ...

I have an old PC with a floppy drive. I swapped out flp1 for that but it didn’t even light up. Quite a few reasons why that might not work though. But if there was a way to try one of the QL drives in the PC that might get me a bit further forward.


Does the PC floppy drive work OK in the PC ...

I think we can narrow down the problem to one (or more?) of the following:
1) Power supply problem
2) cable problem
3) Disk drives both faulty
4) Gold Card faulty

So I've ordered a USB to floppy drive connector to try the QL drives out and see if they spin up.

I'll update when I get it (in a week ...

It’s a wonder those drives ever worked at all! So maybe all I need is a new power supply giving 12v to persuade the motors to get going?

I have an old PC with a floppy drive. I swapped out flp1 for that but it didn’t even light up. Quite a few reasons why that might not work though. But if there was a way to try one of the QL drives in the PC that might get me a bit further forward.

Thanks for the suggestions. Here's some more info...

The power supply runs to the case for flp2_, and there is no 12V line that I can see.

I bodged a spur off this to power flp1_ and sellotaped the two drives together to make a dual unit.

I have taken it apart and taken photos to show the ...

My QL renovation hasn't progressed very far, although it boots up at least.

It's a JM with Gold Card and dual 3.5" drives. It was working when I put it in the basement about 25 years ago.

When I try to dir flp1_ (or dir flp2_) I get "not found" whether I have a disk in or not. The appropriate ...

If the colours are correct on UHF, the video chip is most likely working as it should.



That's great news! Looks like a go'er then.


It is always worth resurrecting a QL ;-) Just finished my third and last QL with missing keys, pulverised membrane and crusty sockets.
Always fun to finally ...

Hi,

I was trying to get my old QL working again, for the challenge, and also on the off-chance I could save some programs off my really old microdrives.

I needed a new membrane, but the keyboard is now functional again. The QL boots up and shows Gold Card V2.31 at the top and the old F1/F2 stuff ...