wolfordj@ihlpa.ATT.COM (452is-Wolford) (11/08/88)
> > All, > > I am trying to get the definative answer to a very simple question: > > Will a 1.44M 3.5" drive work if installed at the second drive in an AT, using > the correct device= statement in the config.sys, and the original > floppy/harddrive controller found in the AT? Using DOS 3.3. Several things need to be true: To use a 1.44M 3.5" fd your floppy disk controller needs to be capable of the "high" density mode. If you are already using a 1.2MB as the first drive then the controller is "high" density capable. Second: You need Dos 3.3 or a special device driver, you said you have DOS 3.3 so you have this one covered. Third: Your BIOS needs to know about how to use 1.44MB drives or you can configure your 1.44MB as a external drive using the dos driveparam device line option in your config.sys. I have AWARD BIOS 3.03 and it recognizes 1.44MB drives. I have DOS 3.3 3.5" 1.44MB drive worked just fine, I had to change it out when I wanted the second full hieght hard disk. Those are the facts as I know them. I am not totally sure about the BIOS since I have not had lots experiance with AT CLONE BIOS's. Just to show you people will sell you any thing. Including a program to read 360K floppies in a 1.2MB drive........ for $79 no less in BYTE, oh well Jeff Wolford att!iwsag!jww att!ihlpa!wolfordj harvard-+ | ucbvax--+---- att --+ iwsag!jww | decvax--+
berger@clio.las.uiuc.edu (11/10/88)
The 3.5" 1.44 m drive will not work in an AT unless you have a BIOS that
can handle it. I have a later model IBM 3270-AT 8 MHz machine, and was
unable to run a 1.44 meg drive with the DOS 3.3 device drivers. Using
a third-party device driver solved the problem. In other words, the
hardware should be capable, but your software may not be.
Mike Berger
Department of Statistics
University of Illinois
berger@clio.las.uiuc.edu
{convex | pur-ee}!uiucuxc!clio!bergerdoc@holin.ATT.COM (David Mundhenk) (11/12/88)
In article <10323@ihlpa.ATT.COM>, wolfordj@ihlpa.ATT.COM (452is-Wolford) writes: > > > > I am trying to get the definitive answer to a very simple question: > > Will a 1.44M 3.5" drive work if installed as the second drive in an > > AT, using the correct device= statement... > To use a 1.44M 3.5" fd your floppy disk controller needs to be capable of > the "high" density mode. If you are already using a 1.2MB as the first > drive then the controller is "high" density capable. > Second: You need Dos 3.3 or a special device driver, you said you have DOS > 3.3 so you have this one covered. > Third: Your BIOS needs to know about how to use 1.44MB drives or you > can configure your 1.44MB as a external drive using the dos driveparam > device line option in your config.sys. > I have AWARD BIOS 3.03 and it recognizes 1.44MB drives. > I have DOS 3.3 > 3.5" 1.44MB drive worked just fine, I had to change it out when I wanted > the second full height hard disk. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Just couldn't resist adding my $0.02 worth of info to this discussion. I have an AT clone with AWARD BIOS also, and a 16 bit HD/FD controller. I bought a Toshiba 3.5" drive with the understanding that I needed a special driver to make it go 1.44MB with the MS-DOS 3.2 I'm using. I didn't get the driver right away, so I just used it at 1.2MB with DS/DD media. Finally, I got the driver, tried to use it without luck. Then I realized I needed high density media. Now it works fine. The driver I have is by a company called Bastech. I don't have their address handy, but if anyone needs it, let me know and I'll find it. The package comes with a driver to put in "config.sys", a special "format35.exe" to format at 1.44MB (which enables me to still format DS/DD's at 1.2MB on the same drive using the regular DOS format command.) Regarding the use of DOS drvparm - I tried this without success, but that was before I realized I needed to use DS/HD media. If you can find out what parameters to use(I don't remember), this might be easier. -Dave "Credo quia absurdum" ------------------------------------------------------------------ /^, , , . . , , , , , / } _, , , . __/ | /| / /| /| , , __, __/ /_ _, __, /_ /_./ (_l |/ / /_/ |/ |/. / |/ | /_/ / / /_/ / / /_ / / /\ Disclaimer: My opinions do not reflect those of anyone I work for or with, or anyone who does not look like me.