1.44 MB Floppy in an XT

[Gregory Brighton]

Yes there are still a few XT computers out there. Dose anyone out
there know how to get a 1.44 MB floppy drive to work on an IBM XT
compter. I know that you have to add a line into your config.sys
file with DEVICE=DRIVER.SYS. I am using DOS 3.3. I have tried the
/F:7 with no avail. Can anyone tell me if I am on the right track
or am I just waisting my time.

[Shafiq Santora]

I think you need a hardware upgrade. I recall that the standard XT floppy
controllers wouldn't be able to use a 1.44 M FDD. There was, at one time,
a floppy controller designed for the XT that took care of this problem
but I wouldn't know where to find it now (anyone got any ideas?).
_____________________________________________
| Allen Santora |
| System Administration (System V.3/4) |
| CRS, inc. |
| (703) 273-1402 x6407 |
| asan...@osf1.gmu.edu |
---------------------------------------------

[Russell Moerland]

> Yes there are still a few XT computers out there. Dose anyone out
> there know how to get a 1.44 MB floppy drive to work on an IBM XT
> compter. I know that you have to add a line into your config.sys
> file with DEVICE=DRIVER.SYS. I am using DOS 3.3. I have tried the
> /F:7 with no avail. Can anyone tell me if I am on the right track
> or am I just waisting my time.

All I can say is good luck. I tried upgrading a Compaq Deskpro 286 with
a 1.44 mb floppy a few years back and I failed miserably. It turned out
that the only way, acording to compaq tech support, that I would be able
to get it to work was with a new bios. At that time the Compaq bios
we needed was in the neighborhood of $80+ and we decided not to get
one because a newer 386/40 motherboard was not much more. So,
you may run into some problems with getting the XT to accept the
floppy drive, one of which is going to be the bios. Sorry I can't help
any more than that.

Russ

--------------------------------------------------
Russell Moerland
University of Michigan College of Engineering
E-Mail: rmoe...@engin.umich.edu
Home Page: http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~rmoerlan
GO BLUE!!!

[Robert Scheirer]

brig...@jcave.com (Gregory Brighton) wrote:

>Yes there are still a few XT computers out there. Dose anyone out
>there know how to get a 1.44 MB floppy drive to work on an IBM XT
>compter. I know that you have to add a line into your config.sys
>file with DEVICE=DRIVER.SYS. I am using DOS 3.3. I have tried the
>/F:7 with no avail. Can anyone tell me if I am on the right track
>or am I just waisting my time.

You're on the right track. I experienced the same situation 4-5 yrs.
ago. I also had DOS 3.3, but I've tossed the manual and can't
remember exactly what I put in the config. sys. I did get my Packard
Bell XT to recognize a Mitsumi 1.44 MB, so it can be done.

Bob Scheirer

[Karl-Henrik Ryden]

In article <DL77s...@granite.mv.net>,

bo...@scheirer.mv.com (Robert Scheirer) wrote:
>You're on the right track. I experienced the same situation 4-5 yrs.
>ago. I also had DOS 3.3, but I've tossed the manual and can't
>remember exactly what I put in the config. sys. I did get my Packard
>Bell XT to recognize a Mitsumi 1.44 MB, so it can be done.
>
>Bob Scheirer
>

There is a program called 2M that will format 1.44disks in extended formats
ut to 1.97M per disk. If I remember right it also has a utility that will
allow older systems to work with newer drives (AMI BIOS 1993). I never tried
that option, but 2M is an excellent program so I recommend you to try that.
You can find 2M at SIMTEL or in:
ftp://ftp.gui.uva.es/pub/pc/2m/

Good luck

[Psychos 'R Us]

> > Yes there are still a few XT computers out there. Dose anyone out
> > there know how to get a 1.44 MB floppy drive to work on an IBM XT
>

> All I can say is good luck. I tried upgrading a Compaq Deskpro 286 with
> a 1.44 mb floppy a few years back and I failed miserably. It turned out
> that the only way, acording to compaq tech support, that I would be able
> to get it to work was with a new bios. At that time the Compaq bios
> we needed was in the neighborhood of $80+ and we decided not to get
> one because a newer 386/40 motherboard was not much more. So,
> you may run into some problems with getting the XT to accept the
> floppy drive, one of which is going to be the bios. Sorry I can't help

For XT's, you definitely need the FD controller upgrade to get high
density drives like 1.44 to work. As for AT's, it's possible to get 1.44
to work by plugging in the right value into CMOS even though the BIOS may
not support it. I got a NEC PowerMate 386 which officially does not work
with 1.44 no matter what, but using nefty utilities and putting the value
for 1.44 drive into the CMOS I'm using 1.44 without any problem.

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[Patrick Quick]

In article <4d4m5e$a...@vodka.intele.net>, brig...@jcave.com (Gregory
Brighton) wrote:

> Yes there are still a few XT computers out there. Dose anyone out
> there know how to get a 1.44 MB floppy drive to work on an IBM XT

> compter. I know that you have to add a line into your config.sys
> file with DEVICE=DRIVER.SYS. I am using DOS 3.3. I have tried the
> /F:7 with no avail. Can anyone tell me if I am on the right track
> or am I just waisting my time.

I've done just this a couple of times. You will need a hardware upgrade as
well as BIOS support, so you buy an XT-1.44-floppy-interface card with
BIOS. There will be some way to configure the card for the type of drive
(either hardware jumpering or software setup as you boot). There are still
a few advertised here and there.

Boggle
(P.Q...@herts.ac.uk)

[Ray Smith]

if you use " MODE " in DOS you can get an IBM XT to read ~& write 1.44 floppy's . . i wrote a post on it years ago .

by using mode you can set the drive paramiteters for heads cylinders & sectors on the drive letter to those of the 1.44 floppy & it wil read write & format both 720k & / or 1.44m 3.5 inch floppy discs . i cant remember exactly where i posted it but thing it may have been sourceforge back in the late 90's ..