3.5" FDD -> PC ??? HELP!
Jadranko Gladic
for ZX-Spectrum (probably Disciple interface).
I took it out from its box and installed it in an AT compatible as the second
floppy drive (the first one is 5.25" 1.2 M).
I took care of the ending resistor (left only the one on the second
floppy drive), and the cable from the controlller has twisted four lines
(10, 12, 14, 16 - that is Motor enable A, Drive select B, Drive select A,
Motor enable B, respectively - from the controller coming to the A drive
to pins 16, 14, 12, 10 and to the drive B to pins 10, 12, 14, 16).
I ran the AT IBM Advanced Diagnostics and Setup v. 2.03, telling it about
the new drive. It offered me three possibilities: 1.2M 5.25", 360K 5.25"
and 720K 3.5" drive. As I have no idea (and of course no papers) about
the 3.5" drive capacity I agreed it is a 720K drive, but was told that
my hardware does not correspond to what I just declared and that I
should run diagnostics. Diagnostics gives error 608. When I access
this (B:) drive from DOS I get Drive not ready error, no matter whether
there is a floppy in the drive or not, or whether it is 720K floppy or 1.44M
one. The drive light comes on, it starts spinning and then gives the error
message.
The floppy drive is 3.5" Mitsubishi Electric. Corp.,
Model MF353A-12M S/N 00023619186, with Mitsubishi motor U228Y025H02
MSB3024LOI 15deg step 5 V DC.
There are several jumpers on it:
MM connected
MS not
DS2 not
DS1 connected
DS0 not
MX not
DS3 not
1X connected
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The questions are:
- what is this drive's capacity and could it be used
in a PC compatible AT 286
- if it is 1.44M, is there some newer version of IBM Advanced Diagnostic and
Setup that would allow it to be declared as such
- could some of the jumpers be the reason for Drive not ready error
(I must admitt that, as I worked on this few months ago and then gave it up,
I am not quite sure about which DSn /n=0,1/ jumper is really connected
on A: and B: drives - I know it should be DS0 for A: and DS1 for B: - the
notes I wrote while working on it are somewhat confusing, but since
DOS commands correctly access A: and B: drives as told, I suppose it
is set as it should be, and it takes some time to open it and take a look).
Thanks for any suggestion, and for your time,
it would really be a pity not to put this drive
to use.
*********************************************************************
* Jadranko Gladic, Institute of Physics of the University of Zagreb *
* Bijenicka cesta 46, P.O.B. 304, 41 000 Zagreb, CROATIA *
* Tel. (385 41) 271 211 Fax: (385 41) 421 156 *
*********************************************************************
Henk de Groot
>I am not quite sure about which DSn /n=0,1/ jumper is really connected
>on A: and B: drives - I know it should be DS0 for A: and DS1 for B: - the
>notes I wrote while working on it are somewhat confusing, but since
>DOS commands correctly access A: and B: drives as told, I suppose it
>is set as it should be, and it takes some time to open it and take a look).
I can't help you out but I'm pritty sure the drives should be straped as
DS1. The infamous cable twist makes the difference between A and B. If
you 3.5" drive has a terminatior than your other drives doesn't need one.
I hope you can get it to work.
Kind Regards,
Henk.
--
/ / de Groot Dep: WGA | E-Mail: gr...@idca.tds.philips.nl
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