Rumor has it that Herb Johnson - null account may have mentioned these words:
>Roger Merchberger posted some days ago (I get the digest which is always
>late) in the thread "Wowzers... The things I found... Long!"
>
> > In other news, I found an 8-bit IBM PC compatible hard drive
> interface > not sure if it's MFM or RLL (they used the same cable set) Model
> > number is WD1002A-WX1 up for grabs. It'll run 2 drives, but I only
> > have a cableset for 1.
>
>That reminds me of recent posts about other 8-bit ISA (IBM PC bus) hard
>drive controllers. Some of the EARLIEST IDE (not MFM) hard drives used an
>8-bit data bus, not the 16-bit which became standard subsequently. So some
>of the earliest 8-bit ISA IDE controllers and drives are not compatible
>with subsequent drives and controllers. I don't know or remember an easy
>way to determine this, beyond checking the specs of drive or controller.
>There is no difference in the connector.
Well, I know this card isn't IDE -- It's got 2 (max 3) cables -- 34-pin for
the data cable for both drives (tho the cable I have is only single-headed)
and 2 each 20-pin control cables (of which I currently have 1).
Both MFM and RLL drives used this cable setup, tho.
>The conflict might cause damage, so "try and see" is not the best idea.
>Fortunately there were not a lot of those drives produced, but it's
>something to consider when restoring systems of the era around the first
>IDE hard drives.
Tandy was a 'big one' with these drives -- IIRC they was marketed as their
"SmartDrive" series. Found in a lot of their 1000SX/SL/TX/TL series
machines. (I *think* the RLX, too, but I'm not sure.)
As always, IIRC, IMHO, IANAL, etc... ;-)
[[ BTW. An amazingly little amount of the stuff I posted earlier (read: a
few chips and *nothing* else) was claimed yet... BTW, trades *aren't*
necessary by any means... Hopefully no-one thought I was getting greedy or
somesuch nonsense. ]]
Laterz,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger "Merch" Merchberger | "Bugs of a feather flock together."
sysadmin, Iceberg Computers | Russell Nelson
zmerch_at_30below.com |
Received on Sun Feb 20 2005 - 12:20:16 GMT