robert@hemingway.WEITEK.COM (Robert Plamondon) (08/09/89)
There is also a monthly newsletter about the Tandy 2000: "Whimper,
the Journal of the Tandy 2000 Orphans." Tandy 2000 Orphans, 387 Main,
Westport CT
The Tandy 2000 BBS, (713) 980-9671, has a large variety of
software and upgrading hints for the Tandy 2000. The following
description for adding an external hard drive was downloaded from
there, and is how I added MY external hard drive.
The Tandy 2000 DOES support drives bigger than 10 MB. The standard
disk controller card supports two drives of up to 32 MB each. Use the
"HFORMAT /v" command (I think -- check in the manual) to enter drive
parameters other than the defaults. With a $50 program from
MicroLink Technology, you can partition drives bigger than 32 MB into
smaller chunks, allowing even larger hard drives to be used.
(MicroLink Technology, PO Box 2666, Sumter SC 29151. (800)334-9612.
-- Robert
robert@weitek.com
-------------
TANDY 2000 EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE
There seems always to be a need for more disk storage
space. One solution for the Tandy 2000 is to replace the
standard internal 10 MB hard disk with a larger unit. The
external connectors on the hard disk controller provide another,
easier option to add a secondary hard drive externally. This
provides additional storage of up to 32 MB and also enables use
of one hard drive to back up the other. The prices of hard
drives (and external enclosures) have dropped dramatically,
so this option is attractive economically. It's also easy to
accomplish, with just two aspects that might require special
consideration.
The Tandy 2000 provides separate pairs of control and
data cables for the internal and external hard drives. Because
the control cables are separate, each hard drive should have a
terminating resister installed; generally, hard drives come this
way. Even though the drives have separate cables, they should
be configured with identification for drive selection, not in
radial configuration. That is, the drives should be identified
by setting drive select jumpers or switches. Usually, hard
drives provide jumper options for drive select 1, 2, 3, or 4
(DS1, DS2, DS3, or DS4) besides the RADIAL type configuration.
The Tandy 2000 MS-DOS supports only two hard drives. Conven-
tionally, the internal drive should be set as DS1 (or C:) and
the external drive as DS2 (or D:). Although different models
of hard drives differ slightly in the details of jumper location,
the jumpers are often marked on the printed circuit board, and if
not the manual for the drive should provide a clear illustration.
Also, a vendor will probably be willing to place the drive select
jumper if asked.
The other special consideration concerns the pin arrange-
ments of the external hard drive connectors. The connectors are
keyed, so that they can be connected in only one orientation.
The order of the lines on the Tandy 2000 is reversed compared
with those on an IBM type hard disk controller. As seen viewing
the rear of the Tandy 2000, line 1 is at the left side of the
connector for both the data and control cable connectors. Most
cable sets that come with an external enclosure or even those
purchased separately are configured and keyed for controller
connectors with line 1 on the right, as seen looking into the
connector. Therefore, the line order must be reversed for use
with the Tandy 2000. A simple way to accomplish this is to turn
over the card edge connectors to the hard drive printed circuit
board, thus reversing the order of lines to compensate for the
second reversal at the controller board connectors. This method
works but is undesirable for two reasons. First, the card edge
connectors often have keys that must be removed in order to turn
over the connectors. Second, if the line identifications are
marked on either of or both the edge connector and the printed
circuit board, then reversed connection, with a line designated
as line 1 connected to one designated as line 20 (on the data
cable) or 34 (on the control cable) may cause confusion on some
later occasion. It seems preferable to disassemble one of the
connectors on an end of the cable, turn over the cable, and
then reassemble the connector. It is easier to turn the cable
over in the card edge connector, which is simpler, sturdier,
and less likely to be broken in the process. If one wishes to
maintain a convention that the colored edge of the cable be
associated with line 1, then the cable should be turned over in
the connector to the hard disk controller. Be warned that these
connectors are difficult to disassemble without breaking them;
however, they are inexpensive to replace. Any of these methods
can be used, according to personal choice, to adjust the control
and data cable orientation to the connectors on the Tandy 2000
hard disk controller.
---
* Origin: Wyrld Wyrm BBS, San Jose CA (Opus 1:143/12)
SEEN-BY: 143/12
--
Robert Plamondon - via FidoNet node 1:143/12
UUCP: {pyramid,amdcad,cae780}!weitek!wyrm!robert
--
Robert Plamondon
robert@weitek.COM
"No Toon can resist the old 'Shave and a Hair-Cut'"