DONE: Internal Floppy Drive for Tektronix TDS5054B - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: pac1085
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 01:47:46 am
content: Something is wrong with the floppy drive in my TDS5054B. For some reason it only lets you format disks as 720KB and when you try to use them in another PC, it can't read them. Also, if you insert a 1.44MB Floppy from another PC, the Tek can't read it. I'm assuming the drive is bad.It looks to be a USB drive, but is connected directly to the USB pin header on the motherboard. Unfortunately I didn't take a pic when I had it out. It has as 4 pin connector on it, not a wide ribbon cable.Maybe someone has a TDS5054B carcass around with a good drive in it. Located in NY, USA.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 03:43:05 am
content: strange ?? normally the motherboard has an 34 pin floppy connector if i recall, and slim floppy normally have an flex cable fpc connector ... and some have an fpc to 34 pins adapter board ??but never heard of an usb floppy in themshould be like the attached picture

author: pac1085
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 04:15:59 am
content: it identifies as TEAC USB floppy in Windows. It goes to the USB header on the mobo. There is one for sale on eBay right now but it's from Israel and more than I want to spendHere is what it looks likehttps://www.ebay.com/itm/283797562909?hash=item4213a7261d:g:TCAAAOSwD7VjBHhX&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwGZQphgtqjOIYTxbaT39x7HYEf2lRbdL4MJ8E1XWPzZeEy3nzyMADksF30TaDeTAhCUA5lJRIpX3op17k2HW3u2dMd68EpIKsk5peJdM8NFdCTfEY6%2FCKjH0xvRmVmrwA5IAnwlCKrHpo2BONApsU3Y2pLffz0L1QKpDSBJh5Lz6KXNgOIZOYQjC8oWSMQlMS2lSVpxj5ycLkdIf0al3OJcfOk1Yi84CDrlwd%2FRUqmOLvb9mo%2BiPAzVffpG6jZBe7g%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_z9jdqiYw

author: pac1085
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 04:28:54 am
content: I searched one of the TEAC part #'s on the auction from Israel and found this for sale cheap:https://www.ebay.com/itm/165830664585?hash=item269c472189:g:sHAAAOSwH11jl~tC&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwCsGXbZLHolBvpOW8hv3DbroH3nlseo1jjsIxxBtPajBHemUl0L99Z%2B0fKf6DwnrOe6Hd22p3PfID4KBL%2FaaeYRkBgn8bsKURKZFzbkThUYVndioXYmTrBpyvDiWwhfZdADGuCrdppIXh7vcjI0zAtKgLtKiiAPSdbCFDQNm%2FWoWrPaPapR%2FqNJYzqXTmP2dY7%2FR6%2Fj%2F3iJ9FjQzKMiFhjREXpnPWngK3K6bFmmFWCUP%2FO4PaII54urSgjIBbpZhww%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9aKwdqiYwI ordered one, looks correct, grey instead of black but that's fine if it works, I think it will. Looks like I'll just need to remove part of the faceplate.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 11:24:06 am
content: wow never saw this onea new learning, while i checked on some tds 5054B manual they stated a flex cablemaybe some usb floppy at low price would have doneessentially the same physical size, but screwsgood luckbookmarked your last ebay link .... thks

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 06:20:01 pm
content: Quote from: pac1085 on January 17, 2024, 01:47:46 amIf your drive can format and then read the disk on the same machine but but they can't be read on another computer then I suspect that your drive is fine but it doesn't like your disks. I've found that some of the old 1.44 Mb drives will only work with 1.44 disks and they will not work with 720 disks even if you tell the system to format it as 720k. Try using disks that aremanufacturedas the same capacityas your drive.I have some HP Integrals and other disk drives that willonlywork with 720K manufactured disks. PCs will use 1.44 or 720 disk but some machines are more picky about matching the disks and the drives.Many of the LeCroy scopes used a 3 1/2", 1/3 height, floppy disk made by Citizen and the rubber drive belts used in those have ALL gone bad by this time. That drive also uses the same fine pitch ribbon cable (26 conductor IIRC) and I have replaced them with NEC and other FDs that use the same connector. That is was widely discussed in this forum in the past and on the LeCroy forums and websites.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 17, 2024, 06:25:54 pm
content: yeah had this problem recently, my usb floppy would not read 720k floppies, some had the 1.44 meg "patched hole trick" to mimic 720k some worked and some noteven forcing some formatting parameters ....loll even finding 1.44meg nowadays is kinda hard ...unless your 1.44, 720k detection switch is bad or damaged ?

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2024, 03:52:02 am
content: I still find NIB 1.44Mb disks occasionally but finding NIB 720K disks is almost impossible, especially if you need themnow. A few years ago I started picking up every box ofnew3 1/2 disks that I could find. They do turn up occasionally in thrift stores, garage sales and at those junky looking surplus stores. FWIW I've run into a few computers that won't use USED disks and they won't even reformat them, but new unused disks will work.For those that aren't native English speakers, NIB = New In Box.

author: pac1085
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2024, 05:29:58 pm
content: So, the replacement drive I linked above arrived today (the gray "Macally" Teac). I swapped it in, all I had to do was pop the bezel off - otherwise it's identical. Installed it into the scope and it resolved the issue. It appears my original drive was indeed bad.So, if anyone needs a drive or wants a spare for your TDS5054B, 5104B, etc, nows your chance to grab one cheap lol.

author: Bravo
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2024, 04:43:09 am
content: I ordered the one from Israel a month ago & I am still waiting for it to arrive.In the meantime, I fixed mine. It only needed the head cleaning with IPA & the moving parts lubed. Mine is also a USB type.