PDP11/23+ frustration

[Philipp Hachtmann]

Hi folks,

today I have powered up my Ampex DFR 996 removable/fixed combined disk 
drive. After tweaking a bit around the address plug (btw does anybody 
have an original one?) I got it to start. It said to be ready only once. 
And made a horrible sound with the head of the removable disk. After 
that I tried it again but the drive just inserts the head for a short 
moment (with the same noise) and retracts immediately, shutting down.

Are there any opinions, spares, help, TOOLS for my situation? I have no 
clue if I could be able to find a new pair of heads and install them? 
Who has experience? What about the head alignment procedure?

Now I have no software for my machine. No boot floppy disk. No way to 
conveniently boot the PDP11. Nothing.

What to do next? I could start to program the machine via the monitor, 
like my Honeywell or a PDP8. But I wanted to run an operation system, 
use harddisk and floppy etc.

The harddisk is VERY heavy (80kg?). Was much work to get it here...
Has anybody a replacement?

Is anyone interested in taking my whole system?


Regards,
Philipp