slin@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Steven Philip Lin) (01/03/89)
Is it possible to connect three floppies at the same time? I'm
interested in hooking up two 5 1/4" 1.2M and a 3 1/2" 1.44M drive to my
computer. I have a WA2 controller card, but I am uncertain how to
physically set it up to accept three drives, if that is possible.
If hooking up three drives is possible, how does one go about accessing
the third drive? I have a Pheonix BIOS Plus 1.10B2 and it only recognizes
two floppies. Someone told me that there is a driver called "driver.sys"
that allows access to additional floppies. Is this true? If not, will I
have to write my own driver? I plan on using only DOS if I can get this
setup to work.cww@ndmath.UUCP (Clarence W. Wilkerson) (01/03/89)
I think there are two problems with > 2 floppies 1) Lack of bios support 2) physical connections for the drive select and motor on lines on the floppy 34 pin cable. Because of the IBM convention of jumpering all floppies as drive 2 and flipping a piece of the cable to accomplish this plus separate motor on lines, you have to have an extra connector on the floppy controller if you want more than 2 floppies. Thus your best bet would be to get another floppy controller, eg, wd fox 1002.
gordon@eecea.eece.ksu.edu (Dwight Gordon) (01/03/89)
In article <8544@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> you write: > > Is it possible to connect three floppies at the same time? I'm >interested in hooking up two 5 1/4" 1.2M and a 3 1/2" 1.44M drive to my >computer. I have a WA2 controller card, but I am uncertain how to >physically set it up to accept three drives, if that is possible. The original IBM PC/XT had the capability of supporting 4 floppies off of the single floppy controller card (2 internal + 2 external). IBM (in its almighty wisdumb, sic. :-) decided that nobody (?!?) would ever want to do this, so the AT-class machines can only support 2 floppies with OEM hardware. This is your case. In order to (easily :-) add additional floppies to your system you would have to purchase an "add-on" floppy controller that could be accessed as a secondary floppy controller on your system. The hardware on your current controller will support only two floppies (without EXTENSIVE hardware modification). > If hooking up three drives is possible, how does one go about accessing >the third drive? I have a Pheonix BIOS Plus 1.10B2 and it only recognizes >two floppies. Someone told me that there is a driver called "driver.sys" >that allows access to additional floppies. Is this true? If not, will I >have to write my own driver? I plan on using only DOS if I can get this >setup to work. These secondary controllers (look to Computer Shopper for types and prices) usually come with device drivers to support the additional hardware. Whereas DOS still allows for four floppy drives (my XT-class system has four floppies: A & B are 720K, and C & D are 360K), the AT-class hardware no longer does. - Dwight W. Gordon - Dwight W. Gordon | 913-532-5600 | gordon@eecea.eece.ksu.edu Electrical & Computer Engineering Department | dwgordon@ksuvm.bitnet Kansas State University - Durland Hall | rutgers!ksuvax1!eecea!gordon Manhattan, KS 66506 | {pyramid,ucsd}!ncr-sd!ncrwic!ksuvax1!eecea!gordon
wew@naucse.UUCP (Bill Wilson) (01/03/89)
From article <8544@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>, by slin@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Steven Philip Lin): > > Is it possible to connect three floppies at the same time? I'm > interested in hooking up two 5 1/4" 1.2M and a 3 1/2" 1.44M drive to my > computer. I have a WA2 controller card, but I am uncertain how to > physically set it up to accept three drives, if that is possible. > The WA2 controller will only accept two drives. I have seen three hooked up, but you had to throw a switch to switch between two of the drives. The only efficient way that I know of to hook up additional drives is to buy a Compaticard from Microsolutions. This card will allow you to hook up four additional devices to a PC, XT or AT type machine. The card costs $175 and is worth every penny. You can hook up any type of 3 1/2, 5 1/4 and 8 inch drive. Call 815-756-3411. -- Bill Wilson (Bitnet: ucc2wew@nauvm) Northern AZ Univ Flagstaff, AZ 86011 {These views are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer}
kent@sun.ufnet.ufl.edu (Kent Phelps) (01/04/89)
I have a question in this area. The 765 controller I.C. that most controllers
use is fully capable of supporting up to four devices. Does anybody know of
a disk controller card that will allow you to connect up to fuor devices on
a straight 34-pin ribbon cable and use the drive select jumpers on the device
to say which device is which. Old Zenith controllers in the old Z-151 model
allowed this.
In this age of 360k/720k/1.2M/1.44M/tape back-up devices, I have had requests
to install up to four devices regularly. The only option I have had is to use
the 37-pin external connector provided on some controllers and run the cable
back inside. However this connector is becoming extinct (especially on AT
compatable machines).
I am interested in both 8 and 16 bit controller types.
Thanx in advance
--
Kent Phelps | Internet: kent@sun.ufnet.ufl.edu
University of Florida | UUCP: ... ????
Digital Design Facility| Phone: 904-335-8322thomas@infmx.UUCP (Thomas Rush) (01/06/89)
In article <8544@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>, slin@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Steven Philip Lin) writes: > > Is it possible to connect three floppies at the same time? Of course. I use a stapler. g thomas rush | Of course my opinions are important! After all, I informix software inc | don't _just_ work here.... Sometimes I play games!