det@acsu.buffalo.edu (donald e tranquillo) (04/10/91)
I realize that this is probably something that has been covered before,
but I have only been following this group for a few months, and don't
remember seeing answers to these questions. If it is common knowledge,
please reply by E-mail.
1) I have a PS/2 50z, with a 30 meg harddrive. I have (of course)
decided that I need more room. I was thinking about replacing the
drive (rather than installing another card, etc as has been dicussed
before). My question is what type of harddrive do I need to go with
my current controller (ESDI?). I've tried all kinds of diagnostic
programs, but the only hint as to what type of controller I've got
is 'IBM Fixed Disk Adapter'. Any insight?
2) I have 1 meg RAM, is it possible to expand that on the system board
of a model 50z? (even if only to 2 meg?)
- Don
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- Donald Tranquillo det@acsu.buffalo.edu
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-hh2@prism.gatech.EDU (HAAS) (04/11/91)
In article <70155@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> det@acsu.buffalo.edu (donald e tranquillo) writes: > > I realize that this is probably something that has been covered before, >but I have only been following this group for a few months, and don't >remember seeing answers to these questions. If it is common knowledge, >please reply by E-mail. Your question #1 is probably THE MOST often asked question. I respond by post in hopes of answering this common question for others. PS/2 needs a FAQ!!!!! > 1) I have a PS/2 50z, with a 30 meg harddrive. I have (of course) > decided that I need more room. I was thinking about replacing the The 50z BIOS supports the 30, 60 and 120 MB IBM ESDI controlled IDE drives. The 50 requires an "interposer" card that replaces the T shaped card that connects the hard drive. This "interposer" card adds BIOS support for the larger drives. Second sources are available. CMS offers identical drives rumored to be IBM origonal (manufactuered) equipment. Other 2nd sources may exist. If you have a 50, 50z or 70 (with 60MB), you may want to consider replacing your internal drive. If you can't dump your old drive, keep it and get a SCSI card. Add ANY drive. Other format controllers are available, but SCSI offers the most flexability, especially with only three available slots. > before). My question is what type of harddrive do I need to go with > my current controller (ESDI?). I've tried all kinds of diagnostic Your controller *IS* an ESDI, but it is integrated into the Drive Electronics. I.e. it is and IDE drive. You cannot add a 2nd disk to this controller. > 2) I have 1 meg RAM, is it possible to expand that on the system board > of a model 50z? (even if only to 2 meg?) Open the case and look inside. IT'S EASY! If it's like the Model 70, you'll have three RAM slots on the motherboard. Again, if like the Model 70, these slots can take 1 or 2 Meg SIMMs in any combination. The 25 MHz Model 70 (70A21) I think can take the 4 MB SIMMs ( ?? ) >- Donald Tranquillo det@acsu.buffalo.edu Good luck . . . . hh --- Harry Haas GTRI/RIDL/EB | Georgia Tech Research Institute Research Engineer II | Georgia Institute of Technology 404-528-7679 | Atlanta Georgia, 30332 hh2@prism.gatech.edu | "What makes it DO that?!" - Bones -- Harry Haas GTRI/RIDL/DB "What makes it DO that!?" - Bones Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!hh2 Internet: hh2@prism.gatech.edu hhaas@gtri01.gatech.edu
Jim Gerlach <GERLACHJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> (04/11/91)
It is relatively easy to add 2 Mb of RAM to a PS/2 Model 50Z but there are a few caveats. The 50Z has only one SIMM slot so you must remove the current 1 Mb SIMMs and replace them with 2 Mb SIMMs, as far as I know no further expansion is possible. There are numerous suppliers of RAM for PS/2's, just make sure you get the appropriate RAM for your machine. I just noticed Intel is advertising RAM modules heavily and includes support for PS/2's. Unlike the Model 70, you have to pull a number of components to get at the RAM slot. These include the floppy and hard drives, the fan and the upper-deck board. This is harder to describe than to do, just follow the instructions in the manual that came with the 50Z, it goes into sufficient detail for amateurs. The whole process took me about 15 min. Finally you boot from the Reference disk and run an auto-configuration when asked. When you're done you have a machine with 2 Mb of RAM and an extra 1 Mb of RAM to make into a tie-clip. Hope this helps, Jim Jim Gerlach - Cancer Research Laboratories James.H.Gerlach@QueensU.CA Queen's University GERLACHJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (NetNorth/BITNET) Room 358, Botterell Hall tel (613) 545-6446 Kingston, Ontario fax (613) 544-9708 CANADA K7L 3N6
bdb@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Brian David Bisson) (04/11/91)
Here is a twist to the often asked question...if I had the origional 30MB HD
that came with a 50Z, and a friend of mine gave me a 60MB which conveniently
slammed right in to the same slot with no hassle, now I have this 30MB doing
nothing, right? It sits in my drawer. So the question is, since this is the
origional drive with that damn wide interface...how can I get both the 60 and
the 30 online at the same time? Is it possible? 90MB would suit me fine :-)
and who can you buy the 2MB sims for the 50Z from? does that come with a kit
to pull the old 1MB simm out with? Those buggers seem to be in there quite
tight...
And it is ez to pull one of those machines apart...just pull all the nice littlewhite plugs up and pull all the guts out...kinda like disecting...
Thanks in advance...
--
In Real Life: UUCP:{codas|gatech}!uflorida!beach.cis.ufl.edu!bdb
Brian D. Bisson Internet: bdb@beach.cis.ufl.edu
Software Support Consultant Resident GB Addict/Nethacker/Jabberjaw
Business Admin. Computer Lab University of Florida (Gainesville, FL 32612)cur022%cluster@ukc.ac.uk (Bob Eager) (04/12/91)
In article <70155@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, det@acsu.buffalo.edu (donald e tranquillo) writes: > 1) I have a PS/2 50z, with a 30 meg harddrive. I have (of course) > decided that I need more room. I was thinking about replacing the > drive (rather than installing another card, etc as has been dicussed > before). My question is what type of harddrive do I need to go with > my current controller (ESDI?). I've tried all kinds of diagnostic > programs, but the only hint as to what type of controller I've got > is 'IBM Fixed Disk Adapter'. Any insight? There are lots of third party possibilities. One is to replace the existing drive with a larger one. Another is to put a second drive in the second floppy bay (Core sell drives that do the latter, and probably other vendors do as well). > 2) I have 1 meg RAM, is it possible to expand that on the system board > of a model 50z? (even if only to 2 meg?) This machine is NOT the same as a model 70 with respect to memory. You need a 2MB SIMM card (IBM specific, but lots of third party ones are around; I recommend Kingston). This card is (I think) IBM part num,ber 6450614, this info can be useful when ordering from a third party. Unfortunately it REPLACES the 1MB board inside the machine. Installation takes about 10-15 minutes and involves removing the case, the floppy drive, the floppy T-board, the hard disk, the hard disk T-board, and the plastic subchassis. Full instructions are in the manual that comes with the machine. The 1MB board will work in any IBM expansion board you buy later (well, the ones that take 2MB SIMM cards, anyway). 2MB is as much as you can get on the motherboard (planar) in a 50Z. -------------------------+------------------------------------------------- Bob Eager | University of Kent at Canterbury | +44 227 764000 ext 7589 -------------------------+-------------------------------------------------