[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Hard drive/Controller help needed

mdharding@dahlia.waterloo.edu (Matthew D. Harding) (06/07/89)

Someone please help before I go insane!!!

I recently acquired a ST-225 hard drive with controller at a good price. HoweverI am trying to install it in an original PC (with upgraded BIOS), but I can't
find ANYTHING to help me do this, i.e. no manuals, no books, nothing. I know
this is possible, but exactly how? 

If anyone has any advice/information _please_ e-mail me or post, I am desperate
to know how to install it. I have tried local computer retailers but they laugh
and say "If you didn't buy it from me, I'm not interested!" I have installed the
card and hooked up the drive, and it power checks when I boot up and the red
light even flashes. But it gives me "invalid drive specification" when I try to
read it.

Please help, someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers, Matt.

rlb@cs.odu.edu (Robert Lee Bailey) (06/07/89)

In article <14323@watdragon.waterloo.edu> mdharding@dahlia.waterloo.edu (Matthew D. Harding) writes:
>Someone please help before I go insane!!!
>
>I recently acquired a ST-225 hard drive with controller at a good price. HoweverI am trying to install it in an original PC (with upgraded BIOS), but I can't
>find ANYTHING to help me do this, i.e. no manuals, no books, nothing. I know
>this is possible, but exactly how? 
>
>If anyone has any advice/information _please_ e-mail me or post, I am desperate
>to know how to install it. I have tried local computer retailers but they laugh
>and say "If you didn't buy it from me, I'm not interested!" I have installed the
>card and hooked up the drive, and it power checks when I boot up and the red
>light even flashes. But it gives me "invalid drive specification" when I try to
>read it.

Have you checked your config.sys file?  If you have a "LASTDRIVE = B" (or A),
then DOS will not recognize drive C:.  If you remove that line, it will 
default to "LASTDRIVE = E".

Has the drive been formatted? (Both low-level & DOS-level?)

Since the drive light flashes during the boot-up, it would seem to indicat
the card & drive are being recognized as being present.  You might also want
to check the card's interrupt setting. (You'll need a manual for the card so
that you can set the appropriate jumpers).  I doubt that that is the problem
though since the LED turns on.

Bob Bailey

Ralf.Brown@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU (06/07/89)

In article <9063@xanth.cs.odu.edu>, rlb@cs.odu.edu (Robert Lee Bailey) writes:
}Have you checked your config.sys file?  If you have a "LASTDRIVE = B" (or A),
}then DOS will not recognize drive C:.  If you remove that line, it will 
}default to "LASTDRIVE = E".

This is not correct.  DOS sets the last drive to the maximum of:
     5
     LASTDRIVE
     actual number of drives installed

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