[comp.sys.atari.st.tech] Need Help: Building a Harddrive

bd6@vax1.mankato.msus.edu (11/13/90)

        I am looking at building my own hard drive.  But i don't feel i have
enough information about the DMA port or TOS.  I am not quite sure how to
"install my own drivers" or even if thouse are needed.  If someone would give
me some information on the atari DMA port or how i need to access the drive
through the hardware and software.
        Please, any information would be help ful.
                brian.

mwjester@wsuiar.uucp (loki) (11/15/90)

In article <1990Nov13.093244.47@vax1.mankato.msus.edu>,
	bd6@vax1.mankato.msus.edu writes:
>         I am looking at building my own hard drive.  But i don't feel i have
> enough information about the DMA port or TOS.  I am not quite sure how to
> "install my own drivers" or even if thouse are needed.  If someone would give
> me some information on the atari DMA port or how i need to access the drive
> through the hardware and software.
>         Please, any information would be help ful.
>                 brian.

The first place I would start is Dave Small's article, "Megabytes, Not
Megabucks" in STart, vol. 2, no. 3 (Winter 1987). You don't need to worry
about device drivers, although you will need some partitioning software.

Basically, you will need:
	1) a drive
	2) a disk controller
	3) an Atari-controller interface (and the folks who sell these often
	   supply partitioning sw as well)
	4) a case & power supply
	5) cables
	6) time & patience

If you don't have access to back issues of STart, email me and I'll try
to summarize the info in a way that doesn't violate anyone's copyright.

Hope this helps!
Max J.