Amstrad 3in disc drive troubleshooting

[Chuck Guzis]

On 6 Nov 2010 at 1:03, Philip Pemberton wrote:

> Yep. I think I might have the same schematics. Amstrad PCW 8256/8512
> Service Manual?

Got an 8256 here (those things should be as common as fleas in the 
UK, I'd think.  Getting a 120V 60Hz one here was a little less easy).

I've installed two 720K (Teac FD235F) 3.5" drives, both to get 
something that will work with available media and also to get more 
storage.  The Joyce uses single-sided 3" disks.  With a simple one-
byte change in the boot sector, I can use larger 720K DSDD floppies.

But anyway, back to your problem.  About all I can verify right now 
without hauling out the scope and screwdriver is that the activity 
LED is normally about 1/3 brightness when not selected and that it 
blinks briefly when power is first applied.

--Chuck