A drive unit is provided including a synchronous machine, a pulse counter unit for detecting a rotor position during the running operation of the synchronous machine, and a control unit. The control unit is constructed such that, with the start of the operation of the synchronous machine, the stator winding of the synchronous machine is energized such that the rotor aligns itself corresponding to a magnetic preference direction parallel to the direction of the magnetic stator field generated by the energizing. In addition, the pulse counter unit is set to a defined starting value.