Ya know, I really dislike TK50 drives...

From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis_at_mcmanis.com>
Date: Fri Apr 13 17:50:14 2001

Well in classic style I was restoring a MicroVAX II (and this one is a true
classic as its in the BA23 pedestal case and everything). It is still
missing a couple of bits (like the brackets that keep the BA23 in side the
plastic area of which it has only one, apparently its previous owner liked
being able to pull out and re-insert the BA23.) So it also has a TK50 and I
took it apart, blew out the dust checked it over, and even loaded a test
tape (had standalone backup on it) and booted it and removed it. Great, a
working TK50. So I put what alleges to be a Ultrix 2.2 install tape, and
boot that. It boots! Yippee, and then rewinds the tape (I've got no idea
how to install Ultrix and typing 'install.1' got me a screen that said "no
devices to install on" :-(. So I figure it should at least see the tape and
I look back at the TK50 and it thinks its unloaded (green light on, red
light off) I pull the handle up and the red light comes back on, cartridge
comes half way out. I know that the solenoid has re-engaged for some reason
so I push the cart back in and do the unload fan-dang-go (you know push the
putton in and out, per the manual, six times) whiz, whirr, whiz, whirr,
ka-chunk. Green light comes on. I pull the handle and the red light comes
on again. So shut everything off, pull the tape unit, remove the cover and
1/2 of the tape is still on the take-up reel!

So this is a new failure condition I've not yet met, and I'd really, really
like to keep this tape. So does _anyone_ know of a way to "force" the motor
under the cartridge to rewind? A test point would be great but even just
"put 12v across it here and here and off it goes" would be doable. I'm
willing to sacrifice the drive to save the tape but don't want to if I
don't need to.

Perhaps a signal pin on the conecctor? (I've yet to find a pinout for this
connector in my docs or a schematic of the M7546 (TQK50)).

Sigh,
--Chuck
Received on Fri Apr 13 2001 - 17:50:14 BST

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