Model: Sony F900 MSX2 computer (applies to F700 and F500 too!)
Symptom: Disk Drive broken
Disk drives from Sony are a PITA.
You can use normal 1.44 drives from PCs (in 720K mode) if you follow these rules:
- Cut the wire of pin 34 of the cable, and join it to pin 33 (gnd)
- Measure the state of the HD sensor (left switch in the front of drive) without a disk. If it is open, desolder it and close it. If it is closed, just desolder it. It will left the drive in DD mode permanently.
- The cable has connectors for a pair of drives. In the connector for drive A: cut wires 10 and 12, and cross it (10 connected to 12 and vice-versa). PC drives are factory set to B: (in fact, DF1). This mod changes the drive to A: (DF0).
- You'll see the drives doesn't fit well on the drive cage. Use seven to eight screw washers in each screw that fixes the drive, so it will be higher on the cage and fit well on the front of the computer. I use to envolve the washers in sealing tape so it makes a "pack" and I can insert it at once on the screw
Don't forget to change the battery of the computer!