Help with NeoWidEx

[paule]

I'm trying to use NewWidEx to deal with a problematic Widget. It spins up and I get the steady green light, but returns an 82 error when trying to use it. I'm running NWE and when I try to do various options such as SOFT RESET or RESET SERVO, I get the "You need a Widget to do that. Pretend there is a working Widget?" I try to answer 'Y' but the prompt at the top just blinks and doesn't respond to Return. What might be going on?

[paule]

When I use DRIVE INFO, it responds with
DEVICE NAME - /??? NUMBER 0000000 NOT A WIDGET
REV-FFFF BLOCKS-FFFFFF BLOCKSIZE FFFF SPARES-FF
BAD BLOCKS-FF

[ried]

Based on my limited experience, that happens when the Widget is not yet ready to talk to NeoWideEx. Also, I don't think a steady green light is what it should do. The green LED is the read/write indicator, and it should flash with disk activity.

Is the brake releasing after the drive gets up to speed? Is the arm moving the head across the disk while the green LED flashes its activity for any amount of time?

[mactjaap]

It helps if you can film what is happening. It the arm moving, etc. Is that possible?

[stepleton]

Yes, it sounds like the Widget isn't ready to talk to the Lisa yet. The DRIVE INFO data you see is probably the data in the Lisa's memory that was never replaced by information from the Widget.

ried has asked good questions --- knowing more about what the Widget is doing will help confirm whether our theory here is true.

[paule]

Is it safe to operate the Widget upside down or sideways? It would be much easier to see and record what is going on. Also - what is the best way to share video here?

[sigma7]

Is it safe to operate the Widget upside down or sideways? It would be much easier to see and record what is going on.

I believe it is safe to operate on its side as most drives of that era. I'd avoid running it on end or upside down, although I don't actually know if there would be any negative consequences.

Also - what is the best way to share video here?

There isn't much space in the files section here, so unless it is something that needs to be preserved forever, it is best to upload the video to flickr or imgur or the like and share a link.

[patrick]

Is it safe to operate the Widget upside down or sideways? It would be much easier to see and record what is going on.

Don't do that. You can run the motor with the drive sitting sideways or upside down, but never move the heads in this position.

Running the drive upside down with the controller Z8 removed (to avoid any head movement) for a few hours can improve its acoustic behaviour. The grease in the bearings is redistributed and the squeaking and screeching noises disappear or become quieter.

[paule]

Here are two movies, one showing from above, and one focused on the stepper. You can here the sharp click of the brake releasing before the head moves. Well, except that I'm not sure if the sound comes through the uploaded movies 

https://i.imgur.com/NKAPDKx.mp4

https://i.imgur.com/qHnsOIq.mp4

[ried]

Might help to plug that ribbon cable back into the motherboard  Here's how it should look (my Widget's on its side):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVbiyJ_jvOs

That's controller board LED isn't the one you're interested in, btw. You want to watch the one lower down, on the read/write board:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djsShb6qFhk

Those ribbon cable pins are extremely fragile, so be careful when aligning and them pressing them back into the socket on the Widget's motherboard. After you do that, start it up and watch the read/write LED. Let us know how it goes.

[paule]

Which ribbon cable? Here's a picture of the bottom of my Widget and two closeups of the ribbon cable I think you're talking about

https://imgur.com/UPqEAEU

https://i.imgur.com/eFpElyo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8k5aJ7R.jpg

[ried]

Which ribbon cable?

This one:
https://i.imgur.com/8k5aJ7R.jpg

The pins are pointing up, instead of being installed down in the socket.

EDIT: Maybe not. Sorry. Perhaps they just stick up that high on yours, yet the other end of the pins remain engaged in the socket beneath. 

[paule]

I don't know why there are pins sticking back up from the connector, but here I've lifted the cable part way from the socket and you can see that it is plugged in.

https://i.imgur.com/zOlFFi7.jpg

[ried]

Yep, edited my comment. Yours just happens to have pins that are positioned to stick out both sides of the connector. My two widgets aren't like that, but it doesn't mean anything in any case.

[paule]

Well, shoot I was hoping you were right as that seemed like an easy fix.