Need hard drive for Tandy 1000TX
Melissa Marquis
I am looking for a hard drive for a Tandy 1000TX. Radio Shack no longer
make a hard drive for this machine.
Is there something compatible I could use? Is anyone out there selling
one or know where I could purchase one?
Thank you for your time.
Melissa Marquis
(617)570-3553
mmar...@fmrco.com
Kenneth Udut
Any Hard Card that is 8-bit in nature will work. There's something you
have to do... change it to IRQ 9 I think, but that's just a matter of
moving a jumper.
--Ken
ku...@mordor.com
IO9...@maine.maine.edu
(Melissa Marquis) says:
>
>I am looking for a hard drive for a Tandy 1000TX. Radio Shack no longer
>make a hard drive for this machine.
>
>Is there something compatible I could use? Is anyone out there selling
>one or know where I could purchase one?
All right, all right. I'll follow the hacker ethic and share my informa-
tion, although I don't want to; I enjoy playing expert (!).
_Everybody_ that owns a Tandy 1000-series computer must get _1000's Tech
Notes and Jumper Manual_. It has scads of useful information about all the
1000-series computers: how to install hard drives, how to upgrade your
processor, how to install a 101-key keyboard if you don't have one, how and
when to upgrade your BIOS, and much, much more. I don't work for this com-
pany, I have no financial stake; I speak from the heart. Here's the company:
Micro Systems
1524 County Line Road
York Springs, Pa. 17372
orders only: (800) 548-5182
questions/tech support: (717) 528-8493
The manual, volume 1, is $19.95 + $4.00 S/H. The order number is TM1. There
is a second volume coming, and it may be out by now. There is also a video
(which I haven't seen; I have no VCR), order number VID1; it costs $39.95 +
$5.00 S/H.
This company took two months to fill my order for the manual. They have had
a hard time keeping up with the demand. They gave lots of excuses. I don't
know whether this is typical with them, so be forewarned. It may help to
pester them with phone calls if you don't get your stuff promptly (call the
tech support number).
This company specializes in Tandy's and advertises regularly in the _Computer
Shopper_ (which is where I found them). If you order the manual, they will
send you their catalog, which seems to have most anything you could want for
your 1000-series. They may send the catalog if you ask; I don't know. For
some stuff - you can get it cheaper.
Regarding hard drives on the 1000TX, the aforementioned manual states: "This
system can use a standard Seagate ST11M (for MFM) or ST11R (for RLL) control-
ler, when you set DIP switch 2 off. You can also run an IDE drive in this
system with the proper IDE controller."
Elsewhere:
"... you can run any size hard drive in your system.... your power supply
will handle the larger hard drives ....
"Hard Disk Cards must be under 9.5" in length in order to fit .... Don't try
to use just any hard card, it won't fit....
[The Seagate ST11M and ST11R controllers can be used in most 1000's; so can
the Western Digital WD1004 and WD1002. If you have an SX, TX, A, HD or an
original 1000, you may have to set switches, move jumpers, or do some sol-
dering. The original 1000 may require a BIOS upgrade. - summary]
"IDE drives can be installed in all of the 1000's. You will need a Silicon
Valley controller card, with a Tandy BIOS ROM. [The card is the ADP50T (note
the "T" for Tandy); Micro Systems sells it for $59, but if you can find it
cheaper, go for it. This card will enable you to run most AT IDE drives. It
is an 8-bit card. Note the RSX has a built-in AT IDE interface; you don't
need a separate controller. The RLX has 16-bit slots, and a standard AT IDE
card may work; I don't know. The ADP50T supports coresidency, which means
you can use this card to install a second hard drive; you can also have two
hard drives on one controller if they are the same make - check with the hard
drive manufacturer. I use an ADP50T to run a 170Mb Maxtor in my 1000TL. You
do not need a free power connector to install a hard drive with the ADP50T,
as there is a power feed on the card. The card should come with power and
data cables - make sure that it does. Continuing:] This controller card will
work with most AT style IDE hard drives.... [If you have an IDE port on the
motherboard, you need to set a jumper on the card - for the original poster:
the TX does not have such a connector. - summary]
[The same jumper on E2 must be set to install a second drive. - summary.
Silicon Valley will send you a paper on the jumper settings free if you call
415-967-1100.]
"The IDE controller DOES NOT require you to update the BIOS ROM on the original
1000's ....
"The Seagate ST01 SCSI controller could be used in all the 1000's, except the
TL3, RL, RLX, RSX, original 1000, A and 1000HD. Most smaller SCSI drives have
been discontinued for awhile [sic].
"NOTE: Some hard drive controllers will not work in the 1000's. We recommend
you stick with one of the above cards we have listed. In volume 2, we will
have complete jumper setting on hard drive controllers...."
The following drives are advertised to work with the ADP50T. Silicon Valley
says: "Any IDE drive not listed may work with the card if the IDE drive
supports the 'IDENTIFY DRIVE' command. If the drive does not support the
'IDENTIFY DRIVE' command, it can be added to the BIOS. Please contact cus-
tomer service for details."
Aerial MD2060
Brand Technology BT9170, BT9220
Conner Peripheral CP342, CP344, CP2024, CP3022, CP3024, CP3044, CP3102,
CP3102, CP3104, CP3184, CP30104, CP3204, CP3000
CDC 94204-71
Fujitsu M2611T, M2612T, M2613T, M2614T
Klock KL 343
Kyocera KC-40GA, KC-80GA
Maxtor LXT 200A, LXT 213A [note: mine isn't here! 7170A]
Microscience 7070-20, 7100-00, 7100-20
Mini-Micro MM-HD2040A
Miniscribe 7040AT, 7080AT, 8051A
Quantum 40AT, 52AT, 80AT, 105AT, 120AT, 170AT, 210AT [note:
some of the newer Quantum drives are almost certainly
supported also]
Rigidyne 94354-90, 94354-111, 94354-126, 94354-155, 94354-160,
94354-200, 94354-230
Rodime RO3059A, RO3089A, RO3129A. RP3139A, RO3199A, RO3259A
Seagate ST125A, ST138A, ST157A, ST1090A, ST1102A, ST1126A,
ST1133A, ST1144A, ST1157A, ST1162A, ST1186A, ST1201A,
ST1239A [surely not an exhaustive list, Seagate makes
*so* many drives]
Western Digital WD93044-A, WDAC280-00, WDAT4200-00
You may try the following tech support BBS number (I'm not sure of it; it may
be out of date):
Silicon Valley 415-967-8081
I had Seagate's BBS number, but apparently I don't have it any more. A long
list of vendor BBS numbers exists, it is out there and is archived somewhere,
but the place I got it from no longer has it, and since I found it before I
got my hard drive (hence didn't make a copy), I don't have it anymore. If you
know where it is, it would be a good idea to post a pointer.
Two more tidbits. I have the specs for the AT IDE interface, if anyone is
interested. This is a draft copy I got by ftp; I may or may not have the ftp
address - I'm too lazy to check now. Some good files about hard drives to get
by ftp are the Seagate tech support disk reference hypertext system and a pro-
gram called "HelpPC." Ftp to oak.oakland.edu and, for the Seagate, get /pub/-
msdos/info/1sgathtx.zip and /pub/msdos/info/hhv20.zip. The Seagate reference
is good to get even if you don't have a Seagate, since it contains a lot of
troubleshooting information of general applicability. For HelpPC, get /pub/-
msdos/info/helppc21.zip. HelpPC is not specifically about hard drives, but it
contains *scads* of useful info about your computer - highly recommended. Also
check out /pub/msdos/info/theref42.zip, which is a list of hard drives, cables,
etc., with their capabilities. The hypertext systems will take some doing to
run on a system without a hard drive, but it can be done.
All right. That's all *I* know. There's more to know, and I'd be interested
if someone wants to tell me. At this point, it has become usual for one to
append a legal disclaimer. I say: Go ahead and sue me. I don't have any
money anyway. The University of Maine doesn't have any control over what I
say here, and I will testify to that in court. And the state of Maine is broke
too. Don't disregard the first rule of an attorney: Never sue anybody with no
money.
I by God hope this group is archived somewhere (tell me if it is), because I
don't intend to type this stuff in again. Then again, if all this is wrong,
I will be relieved if it isn't archived. I will keep a copy on disk for a
while, but then it's gone.
This is the kind of posting people should make if they can, in my opinion.
Let's support the hacker ethic.
Jeffrey L. Hayes IO9...@MAINE.MAINE.EDU
Elite opinion holds that a balanced budget amendment would place Congress
in a straitjacket. Popular opinion holds that that's the point.