Yamaha VL1 Jumper Positions

[j1mpst3r]

Hi Jeff/ VL Users,

I tried installing a Gotek HxC in a Yamaha VL1 today which didn't work out well I've had success in the past with both a VL7 and VL1m.

Can you confirm the Jumper Settings for the VL1? I think the hardest part when I did the VL7 and was building the 34 to 26 cable (thanks to Jeff's schematic) and I paid no attention to the Jumper Settings. If it had been something irregular I'm sure I would have made a note of it for future reference. (If I recall correctly the VL1m might have already had a 34 pin drive, at least I don't remember needing to make a cable )

Perhaps the VL1 itself is faulty. I've tried 2 different Goteks and I also desoldered the 34 to 26 adapter from the original floppy drive to use with a Gotek in the case that my cable build was faulty.

[Jeff]

Can you be more specific about the gotek behaviour (led, display...) ?

[j1mpst3r]

Hi Jeff,

Standard 7 segment display.

Green light comes on when VL1 tries to access the drive but won't complete a task. VL1 screen will read either "Bad Disk" or "Disk Not Ready".



If you remove the USB Stick and insert it when the VL1 screen requests to insert a disk it will get further but still fail. For example when I select to "Format Disk" the light will go green on the Gotek and after a few moments the "Formatting Process" bar appears on the VL1 screen briefly, but then immediately say "Bad disk".

The above happens with 2 jumpers set to M0 and S1

[Jeff]

Hi Jeff,

Standard 7 segment display.

Green light comes on when VL1 tries to access the drive but won't complete a task. VL1 screen will read either "Bad Disk" or "Disk Not Ready".



If you remove the USB Stick and insert it when the VL1 screen requests to insert a disk it will get further but still fail. For example when I select to "Format Disk" the light will go green on the Gotek and after a few moments the "Formatting Process" bar appears on the VL1 screen briefly, but then immediately say "Bad disk".

The above happens with 2 jumpers set to M0 and S1

And what about the gotek display ?
Are you trying a DD or a HD image ? Is the VL1 supporting HD / 1.44MB disk ?

[j1mpst3r]

Gotek has the standard 3 digit 7 segment display *and I can step through the HFE disks ok.

Tried both HD and DD disks

*Supports both 2HD 2DD

This is exactly what happens at the moment:

1. Choose a function from the VL1 Disk Menu. (Disk Status/Load/Save/Format).
2. Initiate selected function, for example "Format"
3. VL1 display reads "ERROR : Disk Not Ready!"
4. On the Gotek press "inc" or "dec" button to navigate to another HFE file number.
5. VL1 will attempt selected function, Gotek light goes green, VL1 progress says "Formatting....." but will fail immediately saying "Error : Disk Not Ready"
6. Gotek green light stays on.

As you can see it appears step 4 is critical to get the VL1 to access the Gotek

If I choose a different function on the VL1 other than "Format" it will do the same and immediately say "Error Bad Disk", which I would expect seeing as the file it's locating is not compatible with the VL1 to show it's Status or be able to Load or Save.

[Jeff]

Then this definitively means that you need to change the interface mode.
Please check the internal menu and try S950 , Shugart, PC DD , PC HD modes.

https://hxc2001.com/docs/gotek-floppy-e ... gotek_menu

[j1mpst3r]

Thanks Jeff,

Made some progress with the following modes:

Completed a Format in mode 0C = EMU SHUGART but only successful once. Also Disk was bad after Formatting.

Tried also to Format in mode 08 = GENERIC SHUGART DD looked good but VL1 notified of Formatting incomplete.

I will try another Gotek with a different cable in the case it's a possible cable issue.

[Jeff]

If the VL1 use the DOS format, use a PC DOS preformated HFE file.

[j1mpst3r]

Hi Jeff,

Glad to report that I have been successful today Formatting, Saving and Loading with the following:

1. New USB Stick, might be coincidence but used a different stick.

2. Though VL1 is compatible with HD and DD it only liked the 720KB PC DD QuickInstall_FloppyDiskImages

3. Mode 0F = S900/S950 (Density Auto)