Maxtor XT-2190 Hard Drive Controller

[firebirdta84]

I am wondering if anyone here might know the "best" MFM Hard Drive Controller (ISA or eISA card) to use with a Maxtor XT-2190 MFM hard drive, in a Compaq Deskpro 386 PC?


(this is not my drive pictured, but mine are just like it...and these pics are great!)

The MFM interface is something that was a few years before my time, so my recent discovery of it is a new thing for me.

My ultimate goal is to read some data from one of these that was written in a UNIX branded OS called CTIX...

However, I've set myself up with some technology that I know a little better in order to learn about it. The 386 PC is something I remember well as a user, but never did much system configuration. I thought I would approach my project in several stages.

Stage 1) Configure my Compaq 386 to format and access a spare XT-2190 using DOS.

Stage 2) Once that works, install and configure SCO Xenix on the same machine, and format another XT-2190, to play with it using that OS.

Stage 3) Plug in and browse the CTIX/Unix formatted drive with the data, and see what I can find.

I have 4 of these Maxtor XT-2190s to play with, not including the one that has the data.

So far, I've acquired 2 controllers, but not exactly sure where to start...I don't even know if they control the right number of heads & sectors for this size MFM drive, and, for those of you how have browsed my blog or other posts, I continue to have some issues getting an ISA card to work right in my machine...I'm almost afraid to play with these.

1) Data Tech Corp DTC 5280CRA PC/AT HARD DISK & FLOPPY DISK CONTROLLER
http://ebay.com/itm/111304188857
bit.ly/1meIS55

2) Xebec 8 Bit MFM Hard Drive Controller Card (104836-01)
http://ebay.com/itm/191124319994
http://museum.ttrk.ee/th99/c/U-Z/21079.htm

I'm loosely creating a blog for the machine that the drive came out of (in scatterbrain fashion...sorry...). It's a Convergent Technologies MightyFrame.

http://MightyFrame.com

I've decided that one way or another, I'm going to figure out these machines, and this seems to be an approach that might at least be a good step-learning process for me.

I welcome anyone's thoughts. Everyone here is very helpful.

Thanks to everyone for their input!

-AJ

 

[bear]

You're unlikely to get anywhere plugging the CTIX drive into the PC, as the chances of the low level format being compatible are fairly small. If there's any chance of it working, you need to select for that (compatibility with Mightyframe low level format), and forget any other criteria. Even then, you will need to know how it was formatted on the Mightyframe (cylinders/heads/sectors) and set the drive type to match THAT, not what you find online for the drive specifications (they may match, but it isn't guaranteed).

 

[Stone]

The Western digital WD-1006 series which was replaced by the WD-1006 series controllers work very well with these drives.

 

[firebirdta84]

Thank you, bear, and Stone, for this feedback...I'll experiment with both of these options, and post here my progress...

-AJ

 

[SpidersWeb]

DTC card will likely go fine.
Xebec you're kind of asking for problems there.

As mentioned, you will likely have to low level format the drive and lose everything that is on it.

 

[firebirdta84]

and lose everything that is on it.

Thanks for that input, SpidersWeb...but I will opt for every option EXCEPT an option that sacrifices the existing data. My interest for this project is actually to retrieve the data on one of these drives in particular, no matter how hard that might be or how long it takes.

Thankfully, I still have several of these MightyFrame machines, so someday I'll be able to learn the original format configuration used, and go from there. I know it won't be easy, but if I work on this for another few years, I think I just might get it...

I did, however, acquire 4 additional XT-2190 drives to "sacrifice" as part of my learning process, so I may very well do a low-level format on one of those, once I learn how to do even that, just to get the feel of how these things work.

Thanks again!
-AJ

 

[modem7]

So far, I've acquired 2 controllers, ...

I did, however, acquire 4 additional XT-2190 drives to "sacrifice" as part of my learning process, so I may very well do a low-level format on one of those, once I learn how to do even that, just to get the feel of how these things work.

Xebec 8 Bit MFM Hard Drive Controller Card

There are three variations of the controller, detailed at http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/ibm_xebec/ibm_xebec.htm

This card is designed for XT-class computers running at 4.77 MHz.
This card may be unusable or unstable in a faster computer such as your Compaq 386.

Because the hard drive BIOS built into the card controls the hard drive, you would configure (via SETUP) the Compaq 386 motherboard for 'no hard drive'. That is usually done by setting the hard drive type to zero.

The low-level format techniques available for this card, and cabling diagrams, are at the web page quoted earlier.

The number of cylinder and heads that this card supports is much less than what the XT-2190 has, but all that means is that a fraction of the drive's capacity will get used; fine if you are just experimenting/learning.


DTC 5280CRA

This controller is designed for AT-class computers, such as your Compaq 386.

The manual for it is at http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals.htm

This controller includes floppy functionality. The card's manual does not show that the floppy functionality can be disabled. So that means that your existing floppy functionality (motherboard or card) will need to be disabled.