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XT clone - A few teething troubles

So, I could get a new drive and keep the controller? I hope so. I don't know how easy half length controllers are to get hold of. Or controllers at all for that matter.
Any offers for a new drive?

Also, the computer wont boot from floppy at even with hard drive unplugged until the controller is removed. How do I stop this as I would like to keep everything in the machine until the problem is solved
 
How long have you waited for it to boot? From the 1707 error, I'd leave the drive and adapter set up and wait for 3 or 4 minutes to see if it booted from floppy. If so, I'd then try to format with debug or fdprep.
 
If I leave it, it will say "Error, press F1 to continue."
If I try, I get no response. I don't know it it is the keyboard or something else.
The keyboard doesn't seem to be reponding to treatment either.
 
Dumb questions ahead ;-)

Is it an XT keyboard?
Does the keyboard work if you remove the controller and boot from floppy?
 
OK, this is weird.

I had one more go, it didn't boot of my harddisk, but it booted from the floppy in it which started copying files to the C:\ drive! After a few files it said error reading drive C:\, abort, retry, ignore, and thats as far as I got. I tried to use g=800c:5 but I now know that practically all the keys that arn't required in DIR and CD do not work...
 
It's standart DIN connector?
If so get another XT kboard.

If you look will you can find one after 1 or 2 days ;).
It will be propably one with XT/AT swich.
 
I dunno, what is standard DIN? mine has 5 pins
After reboot the drive was recognised at POST and no error messages, but it was not there as C:\ anymore. Another reboot and it made clacky noises again and gave an error message. Looks like I missed my chance to do some work thanks to a crappy keyboard. :(

So, I need
1) a new keyboard
2) an new drive.

Oh joy. I'd better post in the Wants forum.
 
You have RLL controller (!)

I heard, that not every MFM drive can be used with it.
RLL is more reliable that MFM method.

Someone know how it is whit using MFM drives under RLL controllers?
 
Laready got the settings.
I cant ll format because I can't use the keyboard. The spacebar is completely kaput as is the O,0 and F1 keys that I know of. Cleaning didnt acheive anything.

RLL? Oh dear. Sounds expensive.

I suppose a last resort would be another floppy drive. Can the onboard controller handle 3.5" drives?
 
It will propably handle 3,5" drive, but recognize as 720kB one.

Your keyboard connector is like that on 486s or 386s?
 
3.5" drives could work, but as Luke said a 1.44MB drive would only be registered as 720kB (or you might be lucky! you never know with clone mainboards). You can get a standard pin to slot adaptor easily enough to use it with the existing cable.
 
Recognised 720k disks. My card edge Connector/3.5" floppy cable is bad. Only the drive at the 3.5" end is recognised properly on my machines, so one 720k is better than 1 5.25" but not by much. When I'd had my fill, I put everything back as I found it, minus 1 HDD and controller card.
I suppose it will lie dormant until I can get my mits on a keyb and HDD that will work with my card.

Thanks for all your help, it's been an interesting learning experience :)
 
A hard drive isn't really needed, but a keyboard is. Keep a look out for the parts, they will turn up eventually. It is better outside of eBay, since the prices on there are crazy (the last PC/XT keyboard on there sold for 25 pounds).

Unfortunately I don't have any spare keyboards, but I will keep a look out for you :)
 
Thanks. It always seems that I find the things I was looking for after I need them... If that makes sense.
 
No. His controller is NOT RLL. Only the 5160 is RLL. The 5150 is MFM. MFM drives are cheap here in the US. I find them regularly for $10 plus shipping on EBay. I gues that would be about 6 pounds sterling plus shipping. Look for an ST-225, a Tandon tm-506, or something similar.
 
The ideal solution would be to use something like a hard card. I have one in my 5150, it's simply a 20MB SCSI drive and 8-bit controller on a single card that just slots in one of the ISA sockets. Much faster and more reliable than MFM. I've seen 8-bit SCSI controllers on eBay more often than 8-bit ISA.
 
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