papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (07/07/88)
How to use a BridgeCard AND a 5.25" internal Hard Disk ------------------------------------------------------ When I bought my Seagate ST-251 hard disk for the Amiga 2000, I did not think about further expanding with a BridgeCard. Then a project I got involved with required the BridgeCard and so the problem cropped up. The BridgeCard comes with a 5.25" floppy disk that "should" go in the same slot I used for the Seagate drive. So I thought that I could just get a hard disk for the PC side, make it autoboot PC-DOS and then use AREAD/AWRITE to get data to/from it through the Amiga side. It turns out that both AREAD and AWRITE don't work at all, unless there is a DRIVE A: in the system. So I got the A1020, the externally powered 5.25" PC drive and tried to install it as DRIVE B:. Again, it turns out that drive B: won't be properly configured by PC-DOS unless there is ALSO a DRIVE A: on the system. One gets "seek errors on drive B:" messages and no data can be read/written on the B: drive. One possibility was to do what Dave Haynie did. That is, route the SELECT DRIVE A: signal from the internal PC-compatible pinout to the SELECT2 on the external connector. Unfortunately this does not work since then the external pin responds to requests for both DRIVE A: and DRIVE B:. To fix this, one should also CUT the connection to drive B:. This seemed to me to be too radical, besides voiding my warranty right there, and making even servicing a nightmare. The solution was pretty easy, though. I had hoped that the internal drive shipped by CBM with the Bridgecard was of the same type as the floppy drives now sold with PC-clones. In fact it is. So I started looking for a nice, cheap drive enclosure with switch and included power supply. I found one that fits perfectly the CBM-provided drive; that has a good power supply with fuse and on/off switch; that has a beige case like the A2000, and is actually 1/2 the size of the A1020. Price was pretty reasonable, too: $59.95. Installation required: 3 minutes. This is the data on the drive enclosure [includes ALL parts]: JMR 5.25" Floppy Disk Drive Enclosure Part no. DDE1HH BIN Location: QB3 - Summer Flyer #137 Price: $59.95 [Ca resident add TAX] Warranty: 90 days. Order from: Jameco Electronics -- (415)592-8097 As usual, I have no connection with Jameco Electronics, except as a satisfied customer. Enjoy. -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=