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Experimenting with Floppy Controllers and 8 " Diskette Drives

Jimmy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
592
Location
Fort Walton Beach, Fl
I have a Mitsubishi Model M2896-63-02U 1/2 height 8" diskette drive. I have tried several controllers the XT-FDC, Sergeys FDC, both boards are equipped with PC8477 chips. I also tried a CompatiCard IV card. The drive is powered with Dbits power supply and using their 50pin to 34 pin adapter. I was moderately successful with all 3 configurations. The drive is configured as a 1.2 meg drive in all configurations. I was able to access the drive. Format a diskette and read it back. I could SYS: with all 3 controllers and read read the disks. I could not boot from any configuration. I also could not read disks written from different controllers. I had a straight through 34 pin cable. I did try the 50 pin connector but the XT-FDC would not recognize the Drive. I was able to Image some disks using Dave Dunfields Image Disk.

Any suggestions on why the 50pin connector did not work on the XT-FDC?

I also have a Shugart Model 801 disk drive but need to construct a power adapter.
 
Two things jump out at me. The first is that you didn't mention how the drive was configured. Per Table 6-1.

Secondly, you didn't mention what kind of 8" disks you were using--the index hole is placed differently for single-vs-double-sided ones.

Ideally, with a double-sided floppy, you should be able to format up a diskette as a more-or-less standard 5.25" HD (1.2MB) floppy, although it lacks the last 3 tracks of a 5.25" drive.
 
Chuck:

First I want to thank you for helping me get the drive configured with the Compaticcard IV a few years ago. It did exactly what I needed, to use Image Disk for numerous 8” diskettes with IBM System/36 SSP, compilers and utilities.

It will be this weekend before I can get the drive jumper settings, I smiled when you mentioned jumpers since the drive must have 15 or more. I can format a disk using the /s and it formats successfully. I can copy and read files from the disk. I can Run executables with either the Compaticcard or the XT-FDC.

I have not been able to boot from the floppy with my current configuration. I am using fresh out of the box, must be 35 or 40 years old Memorex 2S/2D 1024 bytes. The disk formats without bad sectors.

I tried the 50 pin connector on the XT-FDC, is it operational. If so do it need jumpers need to be set differently.
 
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