tempest@ecst.csuchico.edu (Kenneth K.F. Lui) (01/12/91)
I have a NeXT Computer with an optical drive and a Quantum P105S 1/2-height 3.5" form-factor hard disk (for the near interrim...) and am in the process of looking for a larger hard disk. At this time, I'm eyeing at the 440MB Wren. It's a 1/2-height 5.25" form-factor and would be ideal if it can be placed inside the cube along with my Quantum. When I swapped the Quantum P40S swapdrive for my P105S, I noticed several things that worry me about future upgradability for NeXT cubes: 1. There are only 2 power cables. They are connected to the optical and hard drives. When I add the Wren, I won't have power going to it. Can I get adaptors that connect to one of the power cables and give me a total of 3, like a Y-cable? Will these adaptors--if they exist--introduce extra noise and make disk operations unreliable? 2. The SCSI flat ribbon cable only has one connector, and it's going into the P105S. Anyone know of the part number for a NeXT internal SCSI ribbon cable that will let you connect two disk drives? (Those clips on NeXT cables sure are cool--I won't settle for anything less :-) Note that the optical ribbon cable has two connectors. 3. Finally, the mount screws seem very limited. The layout of the drive bays look like this: Slots ________________ CPU Slot || || | | || || The symbols <- and || || | | || || -> refer to screws; || || | | || || and there are four || || <-|=== ______ ===|-> || || per bay--I only drew || || || || || || || || two per as this || || | | P105S| | || || crude diagram is from || || |____|______|____| || || the NeXT's back. || || | | || || || || | | || || The 3.5" form factor || || | Optical | || || of the Quantums need || || <- Drive -> || || brackets attached to || || | | || || them so they would || || | | || || fit in the cube. || || |________________| || || OK, so where would I mount my Wren? All mount points are used up, although I haven't looked carefully at the brackets used to hold the P105S--they do have a large number of mounting holes. I suppose I can use Scotch(tm) tape, but this is ridiculous. Incidentally, anyone know how the floppy disk drive would go on a new cube? If anyone out there has done what I'm about to do or are in the know, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Post to comp.sys.next--it would benefit everyone. Ken ______________________________________________________________________________ tempest@ecst.csuchico.edu, tempest@walleye.ecst.csuchico.edu,|Kenneth K.F. Lui| tempest@sutro.sfsu.edu, tempest@wet.UUCP |________________|