> --- Sipke de Wal <sipke_at_wxs.nl> wrote:
> > IRCC the 34-pin controller cable had no twist
> > and each drive had its own datacable (20-pin)
On Tue, 23 Jul 2002, Ethan Dicks wrote:
> In PeeCees with Western Digital controllers, a twist
> on the 34-pin daisy-chain cable was common, but as
> has been mentioned, it is not the same twist that was
> used for floppies.
> If you strap the drives for 0 and 1, you don't
> need/want the twist. Most PeeCees had both drives
> strapped to 1 and the twist turned the farthest
> drive to "0".
> One or the other, but not both.
A generic PC can be done with a twisted cable (as mentioned: different
twist than the floppy cable), or could be done with jumpers.
_IBM_ XT (NOT generic) used a twisted cable. ALWAYS.
The reason why IBM used twisted cables instead of jumpers?
Because they could NOT count on their filed technicians or sales
representatives being able to get the jumpers right. So they jumpered all
of the drives the same, and relied on the cable for drive selection.
In their early days of the PC, IBM had worse field staff than Radio Shack
did!
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin_at_xenosoft.com
Received on Tue Jul 23 2002 - 21:03:01 BST