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Backpack Floppy Drives

mikerm

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
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Grand Rapis, MI
I thought I would start a thread to put together all of the information about Microsolutions backpack floppy drives and also make it part of my external 5 1/4" floppy drive project. There are a bunch of threads filled with useful information strewn everywhere on the forum. Here is my attempt at combining all of the information into one thread.

First, the auction on eBay that is currently providing these things for $1 each in their original shrinkwrapped box.

Maverick1978 said:

I copied the driver CD that comes with them to ISO for anyone needing it. It has files for the hard drive, cd-rom drive, and floppy drive versions of their products.
BackpackCD200.iso

Here is a flyer for their products (also here: backpack flyer):
modem7 said:

A TSR for them:
Chuck(G) said:
Here you go--this is a real-mode TSR for the backpack that supports all INT 13H BIOS functions. Somewhere I have the Win9x VxD code if you're interested. Sorry, no XP or NT code--the product timing was wrong for it. But there's enough here to write an NT-style driver if you're interested--have at it! [...]. It's all MASM 6.11 code and should be pretty much self-explanatory.
(attached as NECPACK..ZIP and available here: NECPACK..ZIP)

Some more great information thanks to Chuck(G):
Chuck(G) said:
These things are pretty neat in that they have a standard 1.44MB floppy combined with a NSC 8477 controller, a small (8051) microcontroller and some (16K, I think) RAM and a bit of NVRAM for storing configuration data. Commands are sent via the parallel port as if you were talking directly to the controller. There's nothing an ISA floppy controller can do that these babies can't--including single-density support.

The other tidbit is that the controller in each one of these will support up to two 360K/720K/1.2MB or 1.44MB drives (and probably 2.88M). Just pull the PCB out and set your unit up with whatever.

Here is a tip on how to take apart the 3 1/2" floppy enclosure:
1. 4 tabs located on the sides on the top part, push them in to release cover.
2. Slide floppy forwards to lift out
3. Gently bend back a tab on one side of the controller, hold with finger, then bend back the next tab back on the same side to release the controller board.

Power:
The backpack 3 1/2" floppy power supply puts out 5v 1amp, center positive.

Circuit board:
P4 seems to be for a standard molex connector, +5,GND,GND,+12

The post that started it all, and the person who deserves all the credit for this!
Chuck(G) said:
If you need a parallel 5.25" backpack (for use, not just to have something pretty on the shelf), you can take a standard 5.25" drive (or better yet, a dual 3.5"/5.25" drive)), supply your own power supply to the drive and connect it to the board from a 3.5" Backpack and use it that way. Every Backpack floppy drive has a NVRAM/EEPROM on it to hold configuration information for up to 4 drives. Simply use the SETID utility that comes with the drive and add the command-line switch "/DRIVETYPE".

Bingo--you're in business. Supply your own 5.25" enclosure.

An example of what not to do with these:
raven said:
I hooked a Trantor MiniSCSI adapter chained to a backpack 1.44MB floppy chained to a ZIP250 up to my Sr. Partner on DOS2.11, and trying to run the backpack driver caused the external HDD I had on the Trantor to fry itself and smoke went everywhere.

DO NOT DO THIS! :O

Alternatives:
MicroSolutions did in fact make an external parallel 5 1/4" enclosure. If you find that you are golden.
This company is now making 5 1/4" USB controllers: (insert site here if I can find it again)

Don't forget the Parallel (25 pin) to USB adapter!
 

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Good post! Once I receive them I'm going to try getting a 2.88M drive to work in one of these things. I'm not realy savvy with the command thingies but I'll figure it out eventually
 
I'll add a bit more--the earliest 3.5" backpacks were housed in a metal enclosure with a permanently-attached drive cable. They used a 13.5VAC power supply. Later ones had plastic enclosures that look just like the current crop being offered--but used a 9VAC power supply.
 
Ok, so I have had moderate success with this. Pics to come.

It's in a 5 1/4" enclosure that worked out almost perfectly. It already had a split off the main molex power connector the drive to power the parallel board, so I de-soldered the 2 pin header off of the parallel controller the encluser came with and put it on the backpacks controller in a non-destructive way. Everything fits in great.

The drive I got was a combo. I don't have a standalone 5 1/4"

So, on a computer with the backpack driver loaded (with parallel), it only sees the 3 1/2". No matter what it seems I can only see the one. Still playing with it though.
 
It's probably only seeing the 3.5" drive because it's driving just one of the drive select lines. IIRC, the combo drives have the built-in equivalent of the twist seen in most floppy cables.
 
Run the SETID utility with the DRIVETYPE argument; i.e. SETID DRIVETYPE After setting (or not) the ID, you'll be prompted for the drives on your controller. You can have 2 of them, although the controller can support 4 (I don't know if the firmware will, however).
 
Doh, I posted in the Microsolutions + link thread asking about a thread like this one...Good morning Tetrium!! Coffee? Yes please!!
 
Run the SETID utility with the DRIVETYPE argument; i.e. SETID DRIVETYPE After setting (or not) the ID, you'll be prompted for the drives on your controller. You can have 2 of them, although the controller can support 4 (I don't know if the firmware will, however).

I tried that, but it just only asks me to set the ID and that's it.

I have the floppy drive on the very end of the cable after the twist, maybe it needs to be before?

Edit: By golly I think I gots it, drivetype with NO slash in front.
 
I finally received my ordered drives yesterday

I first tried installing the driver in XP...wouldn't work ofcourse.
Then I tried it on one of my older rigs with windows ME...I can comfirm it will NOT work with ME, atleast not out of the box

I resorted to using my sole pre-ME system, a 486DX4 with win95, I installed the drive (which was very straight forward, very easy), checked if it worked (it did), did the drivetype command and set it to 2.88M, shut down, replaced with a 2.88M floppy drive, reboot and it works!

So I can hereby comfirm that these external drives will work with the 2.88MB floppy drives, although it seems to work somewhat slower then having the 2.88M drive build into the system directly.
But no matter, I've been wanting an external 2.88meg floppydrive ever since I learned of the format :)


These backpack drives are really excellent, very flexible!
 
Of course it's slower - parallel port vs internal bus.. You might get better results if your parallel port is set to ECP or EPP mode and all that, so check on that.. Good to hear the 2.88MB mode works - was quite possible it didn't, seeing as we're replacing the drive internals and using undocumented functions, and 2.88MB isn't/wasn't ever that popular compared to the others.
 
Of course it's slower - parallel port vs internal bus.. You might get better results if your parallel port is set to ECP or EPP mode and all that, so check on that.. Good to hear the 2.88MB mode works - was quite possible it didn't, seeing as we're replacing the drive internals and using undocumented functions, and 2.88MB isn't/wasn't ever that popular compared to the others.

I remember the board didn't have ECP nor EPP enabled. I only made sure the parallel port was enabled. I didn't bother doing some extra tweaks, all I cared about was wether it would work ATALL.
I didn't want to change too many settings around, better to have a slow computer to test it out then none atall. I did have a computer with 98SE but it somehow died during my last move and I haven't been bothered since to rebuild it. That 486 currently is my only (working complete) system predating windows ME.
I was actually surprised the backpacks were manufactured in 2002! In a way, that makes it even more remarkable that the 2.88 drives are supported. Then again, virtually every motherboard with an onboard floppydrive controller supports the 2.88 drives, even my new quad core.

Btw, I simply replaced the mitsumi drive (iirc) that came with the backpack with one of my 2.88M drives and it worked. At first I tried an oem sony drive but it wouldn't fit. Those oem drives (model number: MPF-40W) were made in a time when sony would make the drives's data cable key on the opposite side so any floppy cable with such a key (you know, the key so you don't plug it in the other way) won't fit properly. It will fit only the wrong way!
Since the backpack's data cable is keyed, it won't fit the sony oem drives of that era (unless I somehow 'remove' the key bit from the floppy connector OR I kinda jam the cable in the drive anyway, bending the circuit board which I rather not do on one of the 2.88 drives since those are much harder to replace then the usual 1.44 drives)
 
I think these Backpacks were part of a special order by the US government. Microsolutions would do the darnedest things for Uncle Sam. I remember wanting to get hold of a Matchpoint Apple-to-PC floppy adapter and being flat out told by their sales that they quit making them and there were none left in inventory--i.e. "Please go away."

One of our customers happened to be the USPS and I was chatting with one of their technical people and mentioned that it was a shame that one couldn't get the Matchpoints any longer. He told me that it wasn't true and gave me the name of a fellow over at Microsolutions to talk to. A week later, I had a brand new Matchpoint.
 
Yeah, I tried the parallel-usb on a Vista system, and while it installed the parallel port, that was it.

There should be enough here to write a driver I think, but I have never made a driver before, so it's on my mile long to-do list (you can guess how far up it is).
 
Yeah, I tried the parallel-usb on a Vista system, and while it installed the parallel port, that was it.

There should be enough here to write a driver I think, but I have never made a driver before, so it's on my mile long to-do list (you can guess how far up it is).

You've got a wonderful new adventure ahead. You'll learn new words like "ExInterlockedInsertTailList", "KeSynchronizeExecution" and "MmProbeAndLockPages". You'll be muttering the names of strange system calls in your sleep.
 
You've got a wonderful new adventure ahead. You'll learn new words like "ExInterlockedInsertTailList", "KeSynchronizeExecution" and "MmProbeAndLockPages". You'll be muttering the names of strange system calls in your sleep.
Hehe, I sorta know what you mean ;)

Years ago I had to learn how to write programs in Java.
It was then that I discovered I'd better stick to creating batch files and modifying html's and other data files (mostly data files related to games :D ).

My to-do list...ugh!!
Theres atleast 50 things I should do, must do, plan to do and want to do but I'm lucky if I can actually work on the top 2 or 3 items on my list.
Usually when I'm working with my old hardware I'll start doing one thing and after about an hour or so end up trying to do 10 at once/in parallel and not finishing anything!
On top of that I'm so chaotic, I keep forgetting where I put things. I must have atleast 15 screwdrivers spread around in my home and I still keep looking for them.
I\ve made it a habbit of always buying things in double because one is sure to get lost pretty soon (and trying to find it usually results in me standing in a room staring in some cardboard box looking like a zombie thinking "uhm...what was I doing again?"
I also keep finding things in spots where they aren't ment to be. Last week I found a carton of milk in my bathroom which I didn't even remember I was missing!
Occasionally when I'm doing shopping, after I've paid for my goods and open my shopping back to put all my groceries in it, I'll see some veggies or dairy product I had bought the day before, all warm and ready to throw out...and then remembering I found my shopping bag somewhat heavier then it should be.
The list goes on and on...

You'll LOVE it when I happen to ow you money, I keep saying I'll pay ya back but I keep forgetting. Thats why I always pay my debts right away or atleast ask people to help me remember it for me. I tried writing down but ofcourse those papers get lost too -_-

Ok then...plz don't mind me, I'm getting carried away again!
 
found a little gotcha with these backpack drives, if you try to run a combo drive like the TEAC FD-505, the wall wart CANNOT supply enough to power the spindle on the 5.25" and the backplate will get really hot, my question here is, CAN we run a 12v supply with it if the polarity is right? or will that fry the onboard circuitry
 
What I did was just power the drive via an external molex adapter box intended for temporary external IDE hookup to USB (with it's partner cable that does just that), but iirc it also worked fine for me with the board's PSU. I'm using Epson combo drives, though.
 
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