Weirdity with my 8" drive

[Vintage Computer Festival]

I've noticed something odd with my 8" disk drive.  It seems to produce a
lot of errors on the last tracks on side 1 when using Anadisk.  Anadisk
will report "Gap in sector" and "Data error" errors, usually on tracks
higher than 70, and always on side 1.  The errors are also inconsistent.
I use Anadisk to do a disk dump and note down the errors on one pass, then
do it again and compare the errors on the second pass to the first and
they are invariably different.  I used the sector editor to read one track
over and over several times.  On most tries it gets errors.  The errors
are inconsistent from read to read.  Sometimes some sectors will have
"Gaps", other times data errors, and occasionally the entire track reads
just fine.

I have dumped some disks that are otherwise error free and the dumps have
been consistent.

What does "Gap in sectors" under Anadisk mean anyway?

Is this just a case of disks that are just old and wearing out or
something weird with my drive?

Yes, I've cleaned the drive head, thoroughly.  But that wouldn't explain
why this is only happening on the higher tracks now, would it?

Thanks!

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
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International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org

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