asplund@alcor.usc.edu (Daryl) (07/26/90)
Hello all, I have, what I thought to be, a simple question about a friend's Compaq Deskpro 386/16. His original disk drive (40Mb) died on him. He has a Seagate ST251-1 (40Mb, 27ms) drive that he would like to use; however, the Compaq "all-in-one" controller (controls hard disk, floppies, tape unit, one serial, one parallel) has an odd connector on it. A quick call to Compaq explained that the drive is an MFM drive (no probelm there), but it uses the "special" Conor(?) connector. They went on to say that there is a conversion between the standard connectors (the Seagate has a place for the two standard cables (control and data)), but they could not release that information. I guess my question is: Does anyone have the conversion between these connectors (if one really exists)? The connector on the Compaq drive/controller is a real long plug (only one at both ends), as opposed to the Seagate Data and Control cables. We need this information to make a cable (unless someone already makes one), as he must keep the controller to control the tape drive and for the other ports. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Please respond to: asplund@alcor.usc.edu
amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen) (07/27/90)
In article <11035@chaph.usc.edu> asplund@alcor.usc.edu (Daryl) writes: >I have, what I thought to be, a simple question about a friend's Compaq >Deskpro 386/16. His original disk drive (40Mb) died on him. He has a >Seagate ST251-1 (40Mb, 27ms) drive that he would like to use; however, .... I have been told, and am no expert on compaq's by any means, the following... 1. Compaq uses a funny disk standard. The drive may be mfm (or rll - I spose) However, the controller is split up differently that a st506 interface. More of the controller is mounted on the drive. 2. In order to use a st251 or sim drive, several different possibilities exist. a. Strip this extra 'stuff' off the dead compaq drive & rig it all up somehow. b. If the controller isn't the original deskpro type, the drive controller can be disabled via jumpers. These jumpers are undocumented and known only to quasi-psycotic hard-core compaq dealers. Maybe somebody from compaq can or will provide the information we all need. Maybe somebody that has worked on a least one deskpro can provide the same. al