The Sinclair QL Forum

Hi all
I am new to the world of the QL and trying to work things out my problem is the only microdrive cartridges I had which were new old stock from sell my retro have decided to lose there pads all at once.
So now I have no cartridges (I am waiting for 20 used cartridges coming but they will probably want replacing as well)I know there was a source of replacement pads but they are no longer available so is there a substitute I can use or has anyone got any of the replacement pads that I could buy off them.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
Mark

Hi Mark

Been there, done that, too!

Whilst my 2nd-hand MDV cartridges still only last a week or so after 'pad-repair', its buying me time whilst I build my own RAM and NV RAM (in place of EPROM) expansion so that I can run some simple programs straight from the NV RAM without ever having to rely on another MDV again!

I have been using (to get the aforementioned few weeks of life out of my cartridges) some double-sided sticky-pads, spliced in half (they are too thick and you need a non-sticky side...) and then cut to the appropriate size using a craft knife. Getting quite a dab-hand at it now...

You will see reference on this forum to a gentleman called 'Dave' who used to fabricate such pads, but is currently taken-up with real-life again.

We are all waiting for Dave's next QL project

You might be waiting a while.

The only thing I am doing right now is the assembly of these 20-odd Auroras and matching backplanes. I won't be working on anything else until at least September. The economic ruin of going out of business hit me pretty hard and I decided to only do things or say I'll do things if I have already done them

Waiting until September allows me time to clean up all the mess I left behind and get everything where it needs to be.

Dave

Hi Dave - no pressure! We just love the work you do!

*sigh* thank the postal service and the bills...

It'll come right in the end.

What is the problem with the Microdrive pads? I think yours are meaning the "felt" which presses the tape to the write head?

I have now had a look to my old cartridges (from the middle of the eighties - then I had 2x720 KB floppies), they (the pads) are still there and seem to be in good condition. Albeit I have not yet tested the cartridges, as all my three QLs are in cardboards :-(

Perhaps I shall pull out my German QL (nearly as new) and will test the cartridges at the weekend.

p.s.: At native English speakers: Is my last sentence correct. In school I have had learned you must use "shall" when using "I", but I'm not sure if now you also may/should use "will"?

Hi there our German speaking friend!

Most (younger) English people wouldn't have a clue which form to use ('shall' or 'will'), but you are quite right - 'shall' for first-person (singular or plural), 'will' for second, or third-person.

To be honest, I had to refresh my own memory - see the following link:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/shall-or-will

Thank you!

Before testing the cartridges, hold the cartridge up to the light - if there is daylight showing through the felt pad - don't use it - it will disintegrate and may jam up the tape...

RWAP wrote:Before testing the cartridges, hold the cartridge up to the light - if there is daylight showing through the felt pad - don't use it - it will disintegrate and may jam up the tape...

That's a new spin on "I see the light"