Floppy drives: clean, lubricate or replace
The floppy drives in the Amiga and the Spectrum +3 are 30-year-old mechanical parts. Dirty heads and dried-out lubricant explain most read errors.
Difficulty: Take careTime: 45 min
⚠ Before you start
- Don't use WD-40 or thin oils on the rails: they evaporate, leave residue and attract dust.
- Don't touch the heads with your fingers or rub them hard.
The Amiga's clicking is normal
An empty Amiga floppy drive clicks every second or two. It is the system checking whether a disk has been inserted, and it is not a sign of a fault. There are utilities that turn it off.
Cleaning the heads
- 10With the machine switched off, remove the drive or open the case until you can see it clearly.
- 20Lightly moisten a cotton bud with isopropyl alcohol (don't soak it).
- 30Wipe it very carefully over the read heads, top and bottom, without pressing.
- 40Let it dry for a few minutes before testing.
- 50If the rails the head runs on are dry, a tiny amount of light grease on the rails will restore smooth movement.
Floppy disks and alternatives
Floppy disks age too: the media can grow mould or lose its magnetisation. A mouldy disk can dirty the heads on the very first read. If in doubt, don't use it.
For gaming and everyday use, many people now prefer a floppy emulator such as the Gotek, which reads disk images from a USB stick and takes the place of the original drive. On the A600 and A1200 a CompactFlash card is also used in place of the hard disk.
When to bring it to us
If the drive doesn't spin, doesn't move the head or makes scraping noises, it could be the motor, the belt (on the +3) or a worn head. We can sort that out or fit a Gotek, whichever you prefer.
Request a repairThese guides are for information. Working on old electronics carries risks: do it at your own risk, with the machine unplugged, and never open power supplies or CRT monitors. If in doubt, bring the machine to us.