Akai S900 Sampler Floppy Disk Drive Cleaning [No Soldering]

Floppy Drive on your S900 not working?
Does it take a while to warm up before the floppy starts working right?

You may be able to bring your disk drive back to life and/or improve its performance with a little cleaning and maintenance. In this video I show how the S900 floppy drive can be removed and cleaned with some simple tips.

Why would anyone want to mess w/ archaic floppy disk drives? While USB drive emulators are available which greatly increase the convenience and storage capacity of sample banks...
For me it's nostalgia. I just like floppies, you can still find boxes of blank floppies at thrift stores and garage sales. I also still use cassette tapes, some vinyl, and still buy CDs as well.

These tips may not guarantee results in every situation. The S950 and other samplers may differ in design/construction. However, these tips may possibly help you with other devices like E-mu, Ensoniq, Kawai, etc.

Beware! If you're not confident or experienced in electronic disassembly or repair, there's no shame in taking your sampler to a qualified technician. Floppy drives are delicate and have easily broken parts and bezels. You MUST unplug your sampler before attempting any service inside. Take all necessary precautions regarding static electricity discharge so as to not damage any sensitive electronics inside.