darth@athena.mit.edu (Darren T Garnier) (09/28/90)
A friend of mine recently acquired an old Mac128 but the disk
drive is very flakey. Can anyone suggest where I might get
a used one cheap? Internal or external, I don't care, price
is the real issue and the MIT computer center wants $200.
Thanks in advance.
-Darth
--
Darren Garnier
darth@athena.mit.edu | Some rise, some fall,
garnier@alcvax.pfc.mit.edu | some climb to get to Terrapin.stanfiel@testeng1.misemi (Chris Stanfield) (09/28/90)
In article <1990Sep27.170313.5329@athena.mit.edu> darth@athena.mit.edu (Darren T Garnier) writes: >A friend of mine recently acquired an old Mac128 but the disk >drive is very flakey. Can anyone suggest where I might get >a used one cheap? Internal or external, I don't care, price >is the real issue and the MIT computer center wants $200. > >Thanks in advance. >-Darth > Sorry to pst this, but I am having E.mail problems. You can get 400k drives from Shreve Systems and Pre-Owned Computers (Systems?) - they both advertise in Computer Shopper, along with others. They usually have used stuff at good prices. If they can't help, I can sell you a used one for CDN$70.00 (or make me an offer - I don't really know what it's worth, maybe a lot less!), including shipping, but it is probably easier for you to buy on in the US. Shreve are in Shreveport, Louisiana and I can't rember where the other guys are. Chris Stanfield, Mitel Corporation: E-mail to:- uunet!mitel!testeng1!stanfiel (613) 592 2122 Ext.4960 We do not inherit the world from our parents - we borrow it from our children.
earleh@microsoft.UUCP (Earle HORTON) (10/01/90)
In article <1990Sep27.170313.5329@athena.mit.edu> darth@athena.mit.edu (Darren T Garnier) writes: >A friend of mine recently acquired an old Mac128 but the disk >drive is very flakey. Can anyone suggest where I might get >a used one cheap? Internal or external, I don't care, price >is the real issue and the MIT computer center wants $200. You can plug a 3rd party 800k drive into the external drive port. This should cost less than $200 if you shop around. If you get a copy of a file named "HD20 Startup" that came with the System 3.0 distribution stuff, you might even be able to read HFS disks with it. Even without the "HD20 Startup" file, you can still format and use double-sided 800k disks, but they would have to be MFS. Earle Horton
dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) (10/02/90)
In article <57846@microsoft.UUCP> earleh@microsoft.UUCP (Earle HORTON) writes: >In article <1990Sep27.170313.5329@athena.mit.edu> darth@athena.mit.edu > (Darren T Garnier) writes: >>A friend of mine recently acquired an old Mac128 but the disk >>drive is very flakey. Can anyone suggest where I might get >>a used one cheap? Internal or external, I don't care, price >>is the real issue and the MIT computer center wants $200. > > You can plug a 3rd party 800k drive into the external drive port. This >should cost less than $200 if you shop around. If you get a copy of a file >named "HD20 Startup" that came with the System 3.0 distribution stuff, you >might even be able to read HFS disks with it. Even without the "HD20 Startup" >file, you can still format and use double-sided 800k disks, but they would >have to be MFS. > >Earle Horton NoNoNoNoNo! Unless I am seriously mistaken, 800K floppy drives WILL NOT WORK with the original 128K Mac. Don't waste your money! If I am wrong, well...I would love to know how to make an 800K drive work on a 512K Mac. Flames welcome if they contain this very useful information!!! -- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com) -- Unisys Corp. / Paoli Research Center / PO Box 517 / Paoli PA 19301 -- Any resemblance between my opinions and those of my employer is improbable. < You can put a mouse on an IBM. And you can put a radio on a motorcycle. >
cac@iear.arts.rpi.edu (Christopher A. Cox) (10/02/90)
About 800Kb drives on old Macs: A 128Kb Mac doesn't have the ROMs to deal with 800Kb -- they have to be 400Kb drives. A Mac 512 can't deal with them either. A Mac 512E (for Extended) does have the ROMs. To whomever asked about theses drives to star with: Drop me a line here -- I read your post yesterday and my scroll back buffer as long since gone beyond it. I may be able to get you a 400Kb drive, probably external. Chris Cox cac@iear.arts.rpi.edu
earleh@microsoft.UUCP (Earle HORTON) (10/02/90)
In article <'^Q%J~|@rpi.edu> cac@iear.arts.rpi.edu (Christopher A. Cox) writes: >About 800Kb drives on old Macs: A 128Kb Mac doesn't have the ROMs to >deal with 800Kb -- they have to be 400Kb drives. > >A Mac 512 can't deal with them either. A Mac 512E (for Extended) does >have the ROMs. This is untrue. Both the 128k and the 512k Macs can deal with 800k drives. They just cannot access HFS disks unless you use the "HD20 Startup" file. Both can even deal with 800k MFS disks. How do you get 800k MFS disks? Why, format them on your 800k drive that you have attached to your 128k Mac, of course. Don't buy a 400k drive, unless the price is way, way below the cheapest mail-order 800k you can find. Earle
deichman@cod.NOSC.MIL (Shane D. Deichman) (10/02/90)
>In article <57846@microsoft.UUCP> earleh@microsoft.UUCP (Earle HORTON) writes: >> > >If I am wrong, well...I would love to know how to make an 800K drive >work on a 512K Mac. Flames welcome if they contain this very useful >information!!! > As the gentleman who responded earlier said, you need to have the file "HD20 Startup" in your system folder, with System 3.5 and Finder 4.3. I've been using this arrangement with marked success for the past two years (I'm rather old fashioned -- haven't spend the money on a Plus or SE yet!). If you would like, send me a response and I'll give you my address so you can send me a disk and return postage. I'll return the disk with the aforementioned programs. Beleive me, it REALLY enhances your Mac 512!!! (How do you think I've made it so long w/out a MB?) |\/\/\/\/| | | | | | (o)(o) c _) | ,____/ | / /______\ "I'm outta here, man!" -shane d deichman
brindle (Jack Brindle) (10/03/90)
In article <15156@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) writes: > >Unless I am seriously mistaken, 800K floppy drives WILL NOT WORK with >the original 128K Mac. Don't waste your money! > >If I am wrong, well...I would love to know how to make an 800K drive >work on a 512K Mac. Flames welcome if they contain this very useful >information!!! Actually, 800K drives work quite well on 128K and 512K Macs. You simply need the HD20 startup file in your system folder. The HD20 file gives you support for the drive itself (both HD20 and 800K), as well as HFS support. It works better on a 512 than a 128 due to memory limitations. The bad news is you need to boot from the 400K drive in order to read in the HD20 file. Otherwise the Mac will try to access the drive as a 400K device. To put it another way, if you want to put an 800K drive in the internal slot, you really need to change out the ROMs. By the way, I use this configuration (internal 400K, external 800K) in several "servers" that provide specific functions. The servers consist of 512K digital boards with the drives and external power supply. They work quite well. I just wish the price of SCSI adapter boards would come down so I could scarf up several... - JackB.
stanfiel@testeng1.misemi (Chris Stanfield) (10/03/90)
In article <15156@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) writes: >Unless I am seriously mistaken, 800K floppy drives WILL NOT WORK with >the original 128K Mac. Don't waste your money! > >If I am wrong, well...I would love to know how to make an 800K drive >work on a 512K Mac. Flames welcome if they contain this very useful >information!!! > I seem to remember reading that *some* 800k drives will work with the 64k rom set fitted in a regular 512, but the guaranteed solution is to upgrade the Mac by installing the later 128k ROM set. These ROM sets are available from various vendors (see Computer Shopper, for e.g.), and a kit of ROMs plus an 800k internal drive costs about $280, as far as I remember (sorry- no Computer Shopper handy to check). The only vendor whose name I remember is Shreve Systems of Shreveport, Louisiana. If you decide to upgrade your ROM set, then you can also add an upgrade board, such as the NewLife, to add more memory (up to 4M) and a SCSI port. The upgrade board costs under $300, plus memory, as required (about $40 to $50 per meg) Chris Stanfield, Mitel Corporation: E-mail to:- uunet!mitel!testeng1!stanfiel (613) 592 2122 Ext.4960 We do not inherit the world from our parents - we borrow it from our children.
jimvons@ashtate (Jim von Schmacht) (10/03/90)
I also have a couple of 400k externals, available at $50 a piece, to any
interested parties.
Jim von Schmacht
--
Jim von Schmacht Senior Member, Project Test Staff Ashton Tate Corporation
Disclaimer: Standard Issue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It isn't the years - it's the mileage" -Indiana Jonesphilip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (10/03/90)
In article <4722@testeng1.misemi>, stanfiel@testeng1.misemi (Chris Stanfield) writes: |> In article <15156@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) writes: |> >Unless I am seriously mistaken, 800K floppy drives WILL NOT WORK with |> >the original 128K Mac. Don't waste your money! |> > |> >If I am wrong, well...I would love to know how to make an 800K drive |> >work on a 512K Mac. Flames welcome if they contain this very useful |> >information!!! As others have posted, you can use the HD 20 startup init to get HFS and use thr 800K drive. |> I seem to remember reading that *some* 800k drives will work with the |> 64k rom set fitted in a regular 512, but the guaranteed solution is to |> upgrade the Mac by installing the later 128k ROM set. [How to do this for $300] Save your money and buy a Plus for this price in a month. Already, at least one university is pricing _new_ Pluses below $500. How much will a good used one go for when Apple discontinues them in less than 2 weeks (does anyone believe the Plus will still be made after the 15 October new product announcement? I don't). -- Philip Machanick philip@pescadero.stanford.edu