Bruce Lane wrote:
> 
> >Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 11:55:52 -0400
> >X-Sender: bobart@genesis.dmatech.com
> >To: "J. Buck Caldwell" <buck_c@polygon.com>
> >From: David Bobart <bobart@dmatech.com>
> >Subject: Re: blinking tk50 -> dead??
> >Cc: port-vax@netbsd.org
> >Sender: port-vax-owner@NetBSD.ORG
> >Delivered-To: port-vax@NetBSD.ORG
> >
> >>Are you brave? TK50's have a common failing - the metal fish tape leader
> >>used to grab and feed the tape in the cartridge. If you are comfortable
> >>with it, take the metal cage off the top of the drive, then check to
> >>make sure the fish tape is hooked onto both the reel and a standoff
> >>where the head of the tape would be. That's the only thing I've ever
> >>seen that caused the quickflash.
> 
>         Believe it or not, there's something else; dirty heads. I had the
> quickflash problem with two TK50's in my own MicroVAXen. I carefully
> removed the shell and the head guard, swabbed the head with 93% isopropyl
> alcohol (available at any drug store), dried it, swabbed the head guard as
> well, and put the whole mess back together.
> 
>         No problems since! It started working right away, and my read errors
> vanished into the mist.
> 
> >actually the case. Anyone know when booting from CDRom was first supported
> >in VAX firmware? I have a 3100/30 and it can't boot from CDRom it seems.
> 
>         I use an original DEC RRD40 on my unit. It works fine. Of course, that's a
> VAXStation II (MicroVAX II), not the same as a 3100.
> 
>         I do have a pair of 3100/M38's, and have successfully booted from a
> Toshiba XM3101B and a 3401B attached to the internal SCSI bus.
> 
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> Bruce Lane, Sysop,  The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272)
> (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin2@wizards.net)
> http://www.wizards.net/technoid
> "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
> human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
 
  Yes dirty heads can cause that problem but be careful to much alcohol
 will cause the heads to fall apart! The heads are just glued together
 very cheaply This has happened to me. Another thing to watch for is
 bad tapes.

					Regards,
					Dave