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Replacing Fixed disk in a 386

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Raddit123

Experienced Member
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Feb 14, 2015
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108
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So the original hard disk in my Olivetti m380 xp9 has died.

I'm currently trying to replace it; so far I have tried plugging a similar disk from another 380 in, using spare cables, swapping the disk controller for the one in the other 380, taking the disk controller and CF adapter from a 486 (known to be good) and plugging them in, and finally checking jumper settings on the disk from the other 380.

All of the above results in the message "Fixed Disk: not present" during start up.

Any ideas guys?

Cheers :)
 
If its MFM, you're going to have to go low level so the controller and hard drive recognize each other.

If it's IDE, you need to get into the BIOS to let the computer know the hard drive is there.
 
Which revision of m380 xp9 and which drives and controllers? A quick check shows that there was a late BIOS to support the 600MB ESDI drive which also needed a different controller.
 
Hi all, it's an NEC D5147H @62MB, which I have been told is an RLL drive but will work with MFM? (also the mannual if found here: http://www.retrocomputing.net/parts/olivetti/m380/docs/cap9.pdf says it is compatible, see page 18 #23). The controller is a WDC WD1007A-WA2. As for the version of the XP9, no idea.

I've just got it to boot off a DOS 6.22 floppy so that's one thing I guess!

So how does one 'go low level'?

Cheers guys!
 
Just done some research on low level formats. There doesn't seem to be any way of entering the drive parameters before dos starts.

So dos starts, then at a:\ I type debug

Then I get this;
-
So I type g=c800:5 and the system just hangs at the flashing _ on the next line. Any ideas?
 
You using an ESDI controller with an RLL drive!

Try using an RLL or MFM controller. You'll probably have much more success.
 
That would probably help.... So I'm now using the controller card that was in the other 380 with the hard disk I am now using. These should be comparable, right? It's a WD1003-RA2.

Same problem though, debug freezes at G=C800:5. Aghh, what am I doing wrong?!

Sorry about the newb mistakes... This system is older than me :p
 
Raddit123 said:
That would probably help.... So I'm now using the controller card that was in the other 380 with the hard disk I am now using. These should be comparable, right? It's a WD1003-RA2.

Same problem though, debug freezes at G=C800:5. Aghh, what am I doing wrong?!

Sorry about the newb mistakes... This system is older than me :p
Click to expand...

Most of the time you see "g=c800;5" mentioned it's for the old XT generation. It's also used for RLL and ESDI drives in many 286/386 PCs although typically I've found it more common to be at cc00.

However judging by the manual kindly hosted by minuszerodegrees there is no ROM, and you need to set the drive parameters in CMOS. I'd recommend using SpeedStor 6.5 - it'll let you pick the drive model, low level format it, set the best drive type it can in CMOS, and if required provide a software fix for the capacity as well.

You may also find that all you need to do is set the CMOS type and it'll boot - if the controller/drive were already a matched pair.
 
Thanks every one for,your knowledge and patience.

Especially SpidersWeb, your info did the trick, it was sorted in about an hour once I read your post :) however I could not have done it with out everyone else.

I now have DOS 6.22 running off my C: drive. It feels good. Especially as that machine had been sat in a cupboard for over a year in a state of dismantlement and disrepair.

Once again a massive thanks for helping breath life in to what I believe to be a reasonably unusual machine (correct me if I'm wrong :p ). You'll probably hear me posting a bit more in the future about this one, next plan is a RAM upgrade, followed by a coprocessor, maybe a PSU recap aswell.

Cheers guys :)
 
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