aadm@ecsvax.UUCP (Atkins D. Michael) (03/15/89)
I have a question that I don't think has been addressed on the
net about installing a 1.44 on a pc.
First- my equipment:
True blue IBM-PC w/a pair of 38's (NO - ST-238's)
1 360k hh
Seagate RLL controller
Std. issue FDD controller
DOS 4.01
Want to do:
Add a half height 3.5 1.44k floppy drive.
This drive is only to enable me to transfer disks to/from work
not as a primary drive, so I would like to keep expense to a
minimum. If I can do that, I have tow other PC's that I want
to do this to.
[DQuestions:
I have found two companies in the current Computer Shopper that
have reasonably priced equipment for sale, but I need to know
for sure what I really need to accomplish this.
1. Since I am using DOS 4.01, do I need a special driver to
recognize the 1.44?
2. The controller is an unspecified (360,720,1.2,1.44) make
for $44.00. (The supplier says that they don't think that
software is needed, but they have it for an additional $20.
3. The floppy is a Toshiba ($92)
Has anyone out there tried any of the cheap controllers and
if so, with what results.
Does anyone have any experience with the Toshiba - good or bad?
Thanks in advance for your help!mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook) (03/18/89)
In Article 29259 aadm@ecsvax.UUCP (Atkins D. Michael) says:
< I have a question that I don't think has been addressed on the
< net about installing a 1.44 on a pc....
<
< 1. Since I am using DOS 4.01, do I need a special driver to
< recognize the 1.44?
< 2. The controller is an unspecified (360,720,1.2,1.44) make
< for $44.00. (The supplier says that they don't think that
< software is needed, but they have it for an additional $20.
< 3. The floppy is a Toshiba ($92)
<
< Has anyone out there tried any of the cheap controllers and
< if so, with what results.
< Does anyone have any experience with the Toshiba - good or bad?
I have successfully added a 1.44 floppy to a true blue IBM PC. I am
using a Western Digital FOX controller ($75). Maybe others can respond
to the question about the cheap generic cards, but given the non-standard
nature of what you're doing, the support from WD is probably worth a few
dollars. I am using a Toshiba and it's been doing just fine. I have no
problems going back and forth between my IBM PS/2 model 60 at work.
However, I have *not* been able to get the whole thing working without using
a third party software driver (using Bastech). My understanding was that
DOS 3.3 or above with the DRIVER.SYS loaded should do it. It does *not* do
it for me! Anyone out there know how? Try your DRIVER.SYS from DOS 4
before deciding to buy the software. It may work.
Another thing to consider is that the original IBM PC floppy drive
controller with DOS 3.2 or above will have no problems driving a 720K
3 1/2" drive and those disks can be read by the 1.44 drive.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Cook Oak Park IL
Discovery Place BBS 312-383-6335
Home of Children's Public Domain Software Library
------------------------------------------------------------------------allbery@ncoast.ORG (Brandon S. Allbery) (03/25/89)
As quoted from <7957@chinet.chi.il.us> by mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook): +--------------- | However, I have *not* been able to get the whole thing working without using | a third party software driver (using Bastech). My understanding was that | DOS 3.3 or above with the DRIVER.SYS loaded should do it. It does *not* do | it for me! Anyone out there know how? Try your DRIVER.SYS from DOS 4 | before deciding to buy the software. It may work. +--------------- It won't. DRIVER.SYS and/or DRIVPARM merely tell DOS about the drive's form factor. You still need a driver; DOS normally uses the driver in the BIOS, which on a PC or XT won't know about 1.44MB disks. (Since a 720K disk is logically just an 80-track version of a 360K disk, the BIOS has a greater chance of getting them correct. It is, however, possible that some "clone" BIOSes might not work with them.) You need to add a driver to DOS to use the disk, or possibly find a replacement BIOS which groks 1.44MB disks. ++Brandon -- Brandon S. Allbery, moderator of comp.sources.misc allbery@ncoast.org uunet!hal.cwru.edu!ncoast!allbery ncoast!allbery@hal.cwru.edu Send comp.sources.misc submissions to comp-sources-misc@<backbone> NCoast Public Access UN*X - (216) 781-6201, 300/1200/2400 baud, login: makeuser
mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us (Michael P. Cook) (03/25/89)
<As quoted from <7957@chinet.chi.il.us> by mpcook@chinet.chi.il.us:
<< However, I have *not* been able to get the whole thing working without using
<< a third party software driver (using Bastech). My understanding was that
<< DOS 3.3 or above with the DRIVER.SYS loaded should do it. It does *not* do
<< it for me! Anyone out there know how? Try your DRIVER.SYS from DOS 4
<
<It won't. DRIVER.SYS and/or DRIVPARM merely tell DOS about the drive's form
<factor. You still need a driver; DOS normally uses the driver in the BIOS,
<which on a PC or XT won't know about 1.44MB disks. (Since a 720K disk is
<logically just an 80-track version of a 360K disk, the BIOS has a greater
<chance of getting them correct. It is, however, possible that some "clone"
<BIOSes might not work with them.) You need to add a driver to DOS to use the
<disk, or possibly find a replacement BIOS which groks 1.44MB disks.
<
<++Brandon
Some of my relevant recent experiences...
1. I am using an IBM PC. The original IBM floppy controller with PC DOS 3.3
has no problems whatsoever driving a 3 1/2" disk drive at 720K. Just
drop it in...no drivers required.
2. I purchased the Western Digital FOX 3 card as it was positioned as the
solution to adding a high density (1.44MEG) in a pc. It does not work
without a third party software driver because the BIOS on the card is
*not* fully compatible with a PC/XT type computer (AT's may be just fine).
The vendor of my controller (Western Digital) says that they
*may* be working on an upgrade to the BIOS on the controller card
so that it will work with an "xt" without any third party software
installed.
Others have apparently had better luck with other controllers
(the DTK has been mentioned) but I can't vouch for them, I'm stuck
with my WD card if/until they can fix the BIOS.
____________________________________________________________
Mike Cook Oak Park, IL
usenet: ...!(who knows anymore?)!...!chinet!mpcook or...