Xerox 820 lives!

From: Merle K. Peirce <at258_at_osfn.org>
Date: Wed Sep 25 10:05:00 2002

There were two hard drive systems used. The later one used the
DEM(DEM-II?)which held 5-1/4 floppies and could hold a hard disk and a
controller card, I think. The earlier system used a combination single
floppy with Shugart 8 inch hard drive.

On Tue, 24 Sep 2002, Don Maslin wrote:

>
>
> On Tue, 24 Sep 2002, Glen Goodwin wrote:
>
> > > From: Don Maslin <donm_at_cts.com>
> >
> > > First off, Glen, is it an 820 or an 820-II? Since you have been in to
> > > it, you should recall whether there is a daughter card that plugs in
> > > vertically in the right rear quadrant of the motherboard. If it is
> > > there, you have an 820-II.
> >
> > Cool! It's an 820-II.
> >
> > > Make sure that the heads are clean and that the guide rails for the head
> > > assembly are clean and VERY LIGHTLY lubricated.
> >
> > The drive is scheduled for a good cleaning this weekend ;>)
> >
> > > There is a program named MFT45.COM (also MFT48.COM) that is capable of
> > > single drive copy. It is a little tedious because of disk jockeying,
> > > but it does do the job. MFT stands for Multiple File Transfer.
> >
> > More cool -- I'll check the diskettes that came with it to see if this
> > program is present.
> >
> > > > --> Some of the utilities on the boot diskettes (FMT, for example)
> > refer to
> > > > hard disk drives. What's involved in attaching a hard drive to this
> > > > system?
> > >
> > > If an 820, it is not a particularly reasonable thing to try. If an
> > > 820-II, easy if you can find the Xerox add ons. Rather more difficult
> > > otherwise.
> >
> > Would you happen to know the model number of the Xerox external HDD unit?
>
> IIRC, it is an external cabinet called the Disk Expansion Module. Also
> contains a 5.25" drive.
> - don
>
> > > > --> The flimsy "User Manual" which I have states that the RS232 port
> > may be
> > > > configured to attach to a terminal or to a modem. How?
> > >
> > > Probably switching the port from DTE to DCE pinout.
> >
> > Sure, but I'm reluctant to make any internal changes w/o docs.
> >
> > As always, thanks, Don!
> >
> > Glen
> > 0/0
> >
> >
>
>

M. K. Peirce

Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc.
Shady Lea, Rhode Island

"Casta est quam nemo rogavit."
              
              - Ovid
Received on Wed Sep 25 2002 - 10:05:00 BST