Fixing Microdrive Cartridges: Refelting and Repairing Sinclair QL Storage Media

In this journal entry I get to do the mundane task of refelting some of my old microdrive cartridges. It's extremely fidgety since the parts are small and cumbersome to work with. The felt pads are critical in ensuring the tape keeps in constant contact with the read/write head. The original felt pads were made of a weak foam with a top slide layer but replacements tend to be those found on modern cassettes.

[@ElectronGordo]

it is great that lately I find in your videos examples about how to solve the problems that are appearing in my QL :) Thanks again! :)

[@8BitRetroJournal]

Oh cool...thank you.

[@peddersoldchap]

Did you get the other cartridge to format meanwhile?
Also, thank you for the video.

[@8BitRetroJournal]

My memory fades on this one...I'd have to re-watch to see what I did in the end. I do know that one issue was that I had the write protect notch on so that caused things not to format (and QDOS doesn't simply say the write notch is on).

[@peddersoldchap]

@@8BitRetroJournal You formatted one of the cartridges and the other gave an error.
Once the cartridge is refelted, do you usually get them to format and work properly?

[@8BitRetroJournal]

@@peddersoldchap I usually get a high percentage to work. Did I say anything about "oops, the cartridge was locked" if not then that was the issue for the second one..