Need SA400 help

From: Dwight K. Elvey <dwightk.elvey_at_amd.com>
Date: Mon Oct 28 11:24:01 2002

>From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
>
>On Fri, 25 Oct 2002, Glen Goodwin wrote:
>> Can anyone help me with settings on this drive?
>> Specifically, drive select, termination, and pinouts on the power connector
>> (J2) would help.
>
>Same as the other 5.25" drives. That's why they are called "SA400
>interface". Such as drive selects on pins 10, 12, 14, . . .
>
>But some newer drives have added SIDE SELECT (for double sided drives),
>and "density" for multi-media drives, such as 1.2M.
>
>Termination is required on the last drive on the cable. Lack of proper
>termination can make for flaky operation, but will not generally
>prevent it from working.

Hi
 One should note that double termination can also cause flaky
operation as well. I've seen it twice now that I have a machine
that has a flaky disk and I open it up and see a terminator
on both drives. Removing one brings back normal operation.
One of the machines was a KayPro and the other was my Olivetti
M20. I suspect that these were that way from the beginning since
both normally ship as dual drive machines.
Dwight

>
>Power connection isthe same as all other (well, ALMOST all) 5.25" drives.
>
>The SA400 is a 48TPI, 35 track drive. Most drives that replaced it added
>another 5 tracks.
>
>> Also, the specimen I have has a power switch on the front which appears to
>> be factory-installed. Is this common for this drive? The photos I found
>> on the 'net don't have a switch . . .
>
>I've never seen a factory switch on the front of one. Are you sure that
>that wasn't a user added switch, such as one to override the write-protect
>for flippies?
>
>--
>Fred Cisin cisin_at_xenosoft.com
>XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com
>
>
Received on Mon Oct 28 2002 - 11:24:01 GMT

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