[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] Disk controller question

stone@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Glenn Stone) (01/21/91)

The floppy drive in my IBM-AT stopped working; the startup check reports
it isn't working and it won't read or write (although it is getting power).
I put another drive in it with the same result.  What I want to know is...

1. Should I automatically assume the controller is shot, or are there
   other possibilities?

2. If the new controller I put in is a different kind, will I have to
   re-format the hard disk?

Thanks for the help..


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Glenn Davis Stone                BITNET stone@cunixc
  Columbia University            INTERNET stone@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

mea1@uark.edu (Mark _E_ Amos) (01/24/91)

stone@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Glenn Stone) writes:


>The floppy drive in my IBM-AT stopped working; the startup check reports
>it isn't working and it won't read or write (although it is getting power).
>I put another drive in it with the same result.  What I want to know is...
  ......(deletions).....

  I would venture a guess that indeed you have a component on the board that 
  has gone bad.

  When you replace the board, just be sure the hard-drive interface is of the
  same type (i.e. MFM, RLL, etc.)

  Better yet, keep the one you have, disable the floppy controller portion,
  and buy a dedicated floppy card, most of which can use up to 4 floppies
  and of each type (i.e. 1.2M 5-1/4, 360K 5-1/4, 1.44M 3-1/2, 720K 3-1/2).
  This can prove to be very useful when you least expect it.

  ......(elaboration available upon request).....

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
mea1@engr.uark.edu      University of Arkansas Computer Science Engineering