yuichi@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu (Yuichi Shoda) (06/04/89)
I have an older AT&T 6300 and am wondering if I can use a high capacity floppy drive for it. Given the relatively low cost of blank diskettes, I prefer to get a 5.25" 1.2M drive. But if that can't be done, can I use a 3.5" 1.44M drive? The floppy controller is on the motherboard itself, so I can't replace it with a newer controller easily. Can I disable it somehow and put in a new controller? I don't think it's possible but could it possibly be that all I need is a device driver? Or, perhaps I can put in a contoller and consider a new drive a third drive, in addition to the existing two that are contolled by the controller-on-the-motherboard. I'd appreciate hearing from those of you who have done it, or those who learned that it couldn't be done. Thanks!
trgauchat@rose.waterloo.edu (Terry Gauchat) (06/04/89)
In article <1565@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu> yuichi@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu (Yuichi Shoda) writes: } }I have an older AT&T 6300 and am wondering if I can use a high capacity }floppy drive for it. Given the relatively low cost of blank diskettes, I }prefer to get a 5.25" 1.2M drive. But if that can't be done, can I use a }3.5" 1.44M drive? Buy reasonable quality regular density 3-1/2" diskettes (< $30 for 10), and drill a hole in each of them where conveniently marked... Instant high density 3-1/2" diskettes for less than half the going rate. ...Terry MicroCosmic Computer Services and President of the International Coalition Against Deceit by Disk Manufacturers. (PICADDM) ? :) (80% bad sectors my foot!)
psfales@cbnewsc.ATT.COM (Peter Fales) (06/05/89)
In article <1565@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu>, yuichi@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu (Yuichi Shoda) writes: > > I have an older AT&T 6300 and am wondering if I can use a high capacity > floppy drive for it. Given the relatively low cost of blank diskettes, I > prefer to get a 5.25" 1.2M drive. But if that can't be done, can I use a > 3.5" 1.44M drive? > > The floppy controller is on the motherboard itself, so I can't replace it > with a newer controller easily. Can I disable it somehow and put in a new > controller? I don't think it's possible but could it possibly be that all > I need is a device driver? Or, perhaps I can put in a contoller and consider > a new drive a third drive, in addition to the existing two that are contolled > by the controller-on-the-motherboard. The easy answer is that the built-in floppy controller is not capable of supporting the 1.2MB drives. One possibility that I have used successfully is to use a 720K drive, either 5.25 or 3.5 inch. This can be done with nothing more than a software change using either DRIVPARM or DRIVER.SYS. Another possibility is to use an external controller. I have less experience with this, but I know it is possible to disable the on-board controller by lifting pin 17 of the IO decoder PAL, a 24 pin socketed device next to the BIOS ROMs on the motherboard. After doing that, it should be possible to use any of a number of third party disk controllers, including the kind that support both 360K and 1.2MB or 1.44MB drives. Disclaimer: THIS MODIFICATION IS NOT OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED BY AT&T AND WILL UNDOUBTABLY VOID YOUR WARRANTY. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY. -- Peter Fales AT&T, Room 5B-420 2000 N. Naperville Rd. UUCP: ...att!ihlpb!psfales Naperville, IL 60566 Domain: psfales@ihlpb.att.com work: (312) 979-8031