[comp.sys.amiga.hardware] Can IBM 3.5 in. H Density drives be used as Amiga drives

TEETER@ADMIN.HumberC.ON.CA (Doug Teeter) (01/15/91)

Due to no response from my last query, I'll try again.  Can I take a 3.5 in.
IBM style high density floppy disk drive and stick it in my a2000 as a
second internal drive?


Thanks.

Doug

blgardne@javelin.es.com (Blaine Gardner) (01/15/91)

TEETER@ADMIN.HumberC.ON.CA (Doug Teeter) writes:

>Due to no response from my last query, I'll try again.  Can I take a 3.5 in.
>IBM style high density floppy disk drive and stick it in my a2000 as a
>second internal drive?

Yes, but it will only work as a 720K/880K drive. I've used a Sony HD
drive for over a year as a normal floppy drive. Because of a limitation
in the custom chip set, there's no way to use the HD mode without extra
hardware.

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yorkw@stable.ecn.purdue.edu (Willis F York) (01/15/91)

>Yes, but it will only work as a 720K/880K drive. I've used a Sony HD
>drive for over a year as a normal floppy drive. Because of a limitation
>in the custom chip set, there's no way to use the HD mode without extra
>hardware.

Well My external Drive is Due for replacing. The thing uses a NEC brand drive
(I can easially pull the drive from the external case)

It seems like i could easially put in another drive in the case
(Just Plug it in) Put do all "Drives" have the same configuration
in the "connectors" ? 

I saw some IBM drives for sale cheap, and am just wondering
if i can get one, rip it apart and put the drive in my External
case..

(I'm attempting to save $$$$$)
.

--
yorkw@ecn.purdue.edu  Willis F York    
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Macintosh... Proof that a Person can use a Computer all day and still
not know ANYTHING about computers. 

Radagast@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall) (01/15/91)

>
>Due to no response from my last query, I'll try again.  Can I take a 3.5 in.
>IBM style high density floppy disk drive and stick it in my a2000 as a
>second internal drive?
>
No.

You can use a 720k 3.5" drive, but not very easily.  To use this drive,
you will have to sand off the connector key, and attach it upside down
(relative to the way IBM drives are keyed.)  Assuming the terminating 
resistors are removed, and the drive select is set to 1, it will then 
work marginally well as a df1:.  Unfortunately since it doesn't recognise
the Amiga identify request, it won't autoconfigure.  Fortunately, the 
identify response for a 3.5" drive is all 1's (ie: 0xffffffff).  To 
get your amiga to recognize the drive you will have to leave the drive
empty whenever the machine is rebooted.  Some programs (especially 
copiers) won't work well with this setup.  

                           -Sullivan_-_Segall (a.k.a. Radagast)
_______________________________________________________________
 
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peterk@cbmger.UUCP (Peter Kittel GERMANY) (01/15/91)

In article <9101141608.AA00815@lilac.berkeley.edu> TEETER@ADMIN.HumberC.ON.CA (Doug Teeter) writes:
>
>Due to no response from my last query, I'll try again.  Can I take a 3.5 in.
>IBM style high density floppy disk drive and stick it in my a2000 as a
>second internal drive?

Sorry, no. The only way to access HD floppies at this time is some
product (don't remember the company) that connects to a SCSI
controller.

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Best regards, Dr. Peter Kittel  // E-Mail to  \\  Only my personal opinions... 
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drysdale@cbmvax.commodore.com (Scott Drysdale) (01/16/91)

In article <38043@cup.portal.com> Radagast@cup.portal.com (sullivan - segall) writes:
>>
>>Due to no response from my last query, I'll try again.  Can I take a 3.5 in.
>>IBM style high density floppy disk drive and stick it in my a2000 as a
>>second internal drive?
>>
>No.
>
>You can use a 720k 3.5" drive, but not very easily.  To use this drive,
>you will have to sand off the connector key, and attach it upside down
>(relative to the way IBM drives are keyed.)  Assuming the terminating 
>resistors are removed, and the drive select is set to 1, it will then 
>work marginally well as a df1:.  Unfortunately since it doesn't recognise
>the Amiga identify request, it won't autoconfigure.  Fortunately, the 
>identify response for a 3.5" drive is all 1's (ie: 0xffffffff).  To 
>get your amiga to recognize the drive you will have to leave the drive
>empty whenever the machine is rebooted.  Some programs (especially 
>copiers) won't work well with this setup.  
>

but you *can* use a standard pc-compatible 3.5" 720K drive as an amiga drive.
that's what the amiga drives are, guys.  get a manual for the drive, and fool
with the jumpers.  i forget what brand of drive i was using or what jumpers
had to be changed, but when first attached it wouldn't do disk change detection,
and there was a jumper related to disk changes.  moved that, it detected disk
changes.  next problem was trying to copy disks, and it turned out to be a
motor on/ready signal/select signal problem, and a jumper changed fixed that.

>                           -Sullivan_-_Segall (a.k.a. Radagast)

  --Scotty
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