Epson PF-10 Success & Ram Disk Failure

Retrocosm

Well it seems Epson PF-10 floppy disk drives are somewhat like buses, you don’t see any for ages and then two come along at once.  Much to my surprise given what I’d read and been told about the rarity of the PF-10, another one appeared on Ebay.

This one was listed along with a PX-8 which I didn’t really need however I decided it was worth bidding just to acquire the drive.  I duly won the auction, the PF-10 arrived and… it works!

It’s a bit temperamental but I like a challenge.  It’s in very good condition, especially compared to the rather beaten up drive I previously bought and it is sitting right next to me now, looking all Silent Running like, and somewhat dwarfed by the TF-20.

Thus far I’ve managed to read, write and format some disks with it, the battery is a bit flaky and the drive unfortunately won’t run of off the power adapter, although it will take 4 C type standard batteries if required.  I’m going to swap out the battery for the one in my other drive which seems more successful at holding a charge.  I’m also going to set the required dip switch so I can daisy chain it with the TF-20.

As a bonus (I hadn’t noticed it in the picture) the accompanying PX-8 was fitted with an external RAM disk which I had been on the look out for anyway.  Unfortunately it’s currently giving me BDOS errors whenever I try to access it.  I’m hopeful however that this is an issue with its batteries as opposed to any other damage.  I took it apart to confirm that battery type which turned out to be an Epson RB 101, 4.8V 500 mAh.

I’ve taken some pictures, unfortunately they are with my phone so I apologise for the quality, I’ll hopefully be able to take some proper photos soon, note the cheesy 70’s wood panelling, very apt.

Epson PX-8 & PF-10Epson PX8 PF10 TF20Epson px8 ram disk

6 thoughts on “Epson PF-10 Success & Ram Disk Failure”

  1. Hello,
    very good site and very interesting 🙂
    I also was able to buy an EPSON PX-8 with a PF-10 Flopyy.

    Now i am trying to format disks, but with no success so far.
    In looked through the internet, but didnt find the correct command.

    You write “Thus far I’ve managed to read, write and format some disks…” so
    would you be so kind, and give me some information?

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    Reply

    1. Hi, it’s been some time since I played with the PF-10. If I remember correctly the TF-20 double disk drive came with some disks and one of those had a disk formating program on it and that was what I used to format the PF-10 disks.

      If you’re able to transfer files from an old PC using Filink you could download all the programs I uploaded here and try those to see if one of them contains a format option:- ftp://nostromo.synchro.net/main/EPSONPX8/00index.html?$kr0oxt91

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      1. Thank you very much… i will have to look for my old DOS Laptop and try flink…
        I have read somewhre that copydisk may include a format option so i will try that first 🙂
        will keep you informed

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  2. Hi, i am interested to contact you, me and other friends are working to simulate this kind of floppy storage device, with another model of epson computer, the qx11, it is msdos based, but manuals say that are compatible with TF-10, TF-15, TF-20 and PF-10, supports also a EPSP protocol via serial port. Is possible to doing some kind of remote test with you, o if you have an spare drive that lend or sell for test ?

    I wrote a thread on Vintage Computer Forum, about this work.

    Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.

    Regards!

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    Reply

      1. Thanks for you quick response, yes, I tried all software that found on internet, all them reverse ingeniering to simulate those drives but only for PX /HX series, that use CP/M geometry/filesystem, instead QX-11 was an early PC / MSDOS 2.11 in rom computer, using EPSP protocol too and Epson sell those drives as accessories too for it. Monitoring the handshaking with those software/hardware emulators, found that Qx11 calls differents functions from drives roms (i believe for msdos format/filesystem differences). Is a bit difficult because all documentation and information about those computer are missing in the time, until now, only found 3 more people with it. Victor in USA and Artur in Poland, and me in Venezuela are doing a great effort to research and publish the information at https://github.com/pradavic-1972/epson-qx11-research and https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/epson-qx-owners-please-join.1209041/

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