[comp.sys.ibm.pc] IBM-XT & XEBEC Hard Drive Controller

shapiro@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Brian Shapiro) (07/03/89)

I have recently acquired 2 original IBM XT 10 megabyte hard disk drives and
the Xebec controllers. Is there anyone out in net land that has any 
documentation on these controllers? I am particularly interested in whether
or not they can be used with disk drives larger than the ones which they 
came with.
 
Many Thanks in advance!
 
Brian
 

macy@fmsystm.UUCP (Macy Hallock) (07/09/89)

In article <687@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> shapiro@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Brian Shapiro) writes:
>
>I have recently acquired 2 original IBM XT 10 megabyte hard disk drives and
>the Xebec controllers. Is there anyone out in net land that has any 
>documentation on these controllers? I am particularly interested in whether
>or not they can be used with disk drives larger than the ones which they 
>came with.
> 

Xebec is no longer in business.  About eighteen months ago I took the trouble
to track down the information you are looking for.  After many phone calls
I ended up talking to the fellow who wrote the bios code for these cards.

To summarize:  The Xebec controllers used in real IBM machines were
produced with four different PROM sets (number usually is on a paper label
affixed to the PROM).  Each PROM set would specify operating parameters
for four different drive track/head/etc configurations.  Most common
was the 10mb/33mb type, which you most likely have.

I no longer have the documents, I gave them to a friend.  If you need
the info badly, email me and I will try to oblige.  I am told Ontrack
and other disk setup/control programs which load a driver in your
config.sys file will allow paramenter changes with this controller.

~r .sig