[comp.sys.atari.st] 82 track drives and fragged floppies

TK0GRM1@NIU.BITNET (Gordon Meyer) (08/08/89)

Thanks to those who responded to my query about >81 track disk
drives.  I'm currently debating if the track indicator is worth
the extra $50.00 on a GTS-100.  (but oh how I love little
flashing lights! :)  I'll probably end up getting the 1st Stop
drive kit.  IF ANYONE HAS HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH THESE *PLEASE*
LET ME KNOW.

As for the floppy de-fragger.....it's a little silly to bother
with.  But if you insist why not just copy all the files to
another freshly formatted disk?  It's as easy as any other
solution.  It's only  800K for pete's sake!
-=->G<-=-

clf3678@ultb.UUCP (C.L. Freemesser) (08/12/89)

In article <8908072017.AA28413@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> TK0GRM1@NIU.BITNET (Gordon Meyer) writes:
>Thanks to those who responded to my query about >81 track disk
>drives.  I'm currently debating if the track indicator is worth
>the extra $50.00 on a GTS-100.  (but oh how I love little
>flashing lights! :)  I'll probably end up getting the 1st Stop
>drive kit.  IF ANYONE HAS HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH THESE *PLEASE*
>LET ME KNOW.
>
[Rest Deleted]

I just purchased the 1st Stop Disk Drive for our users group this week.
Got it 2 days ago.  So what did I get for $149.95?  Not much.

The drive itself uses the Toshiba ND-352-TH-A.  I had MANY problems with
this mechanism when I bought one, so either I screwed up when I tested
mine, or 1st Stop didn't test the mech enough.

The case is a hack-job.  Looks to have been an old modem case.  The
front of the drive is smaller than the opening, and the drive moves a
little bit.  A power switch is on the SIDE of the drive.  There is no
extra drive port for daisy chaining.

The power supply is an old ColecoVision PS (I use one for my drive) with
a 5-pin connector put on it.  

When I unpacked the drive, I found a small bit of foam with a
handwritten tag on it saying "PULL TO REMOVE".  This foam was wedged
between the case and the drive mech, and stuck out the front.  It's only
purpose is to keep the mech from moving around in the case during
shipping.

Do I recommend this drive?  No.  I have SERIOUS doubts about this
mechanism.  Unfortunatly, the program I used that pointed out the
problems with the Toshiba ND-352 (Sub Battle Simulator) was sold some
time ago.  I'd like to see a MUCH better case (IB Computers sells some
nice metal ones), and the option to hook up another drive to this one.


Chris Freemesser, Rochester Institute of Technology | What I like :
BITNET: %clf3678@RITVAX   GEnie: C.FREEMESSER       | 1) My Atari ST
USENET: Just reply and hope it gets through         | 2) My '77 Mercury
                                                    | 3) Coke Classic