Help backing up my old Tandy

[VinnyVideo]

I have an old Tandy 1000 RLX computer with a Seagate ST-351 A/X hard drive (the kind with an 18-pin jumper block and a four-pin power connector). I'd like to back up everything on the old Tandy, as there's some interesting (though not extremely important) data on it, and I'd like to be able to run some of its old programs with Tandem or Dosbox.

The problem is the 3.5-inch floppy drive is broken, so I can't back up using that, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to connect the hard drive (as a slave) to a modern (Windows XP or 98) PC. This is an operation I've done before, and while I've read the manual, the jumper configuration is pretty confusing. I know the drive is supposed to use IDE-AT mode when not attached to a Tandy, but a lot of the information I've seen Googling around contradicts other information, and I've heard you can fry this drive's data if you're not careful.

Is this the right jumper configuration for my purposes?

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2
| : : | : | : : :
17 15 13 11 9 7 5 3 1

Alternatively, is there a way to copy the data by connecting the Tandy to a modern computer using a parallel or serial port? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Alternatively, is there a way to copy the data by connecting the Tandy to a modern computer using a parallel or serial port? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If that ST-351A/X hard drive is the IDE-XT hard drive that I think it is, forget about using it on a modern controller.

Serial or parallel interface backup is your best bet. I'd use the serial port, "null modem-ed" to my PC. It won't be fast, but it will get the job done.

 

[commodorejohn]

Yeah, that's an XT-IDE drive in there. If you've got a spare floppy drive on hand, you can connect it to the standard floppy connector on the cable (not the Tandy-specific connector, though.) Otherwise, yeah, serial-port transfer is probably the way to go.

 

[barythrin]

A little further help on backing things up via serial. If you have a new enough version of dos you can use the native interlnk.exe and intersrv.exe to set up a serial network connection with a null modem cable. Some instructions can be found here.

I recall there being some other products out there too (Norton Commander?). I think a few local members here also played with writing some backup software as well (Mike Chambers I recall often with ftp based hard drive backups though I don't see it on his site heh).

Best of luck!
- John

 

[Chuck(G)]

Actually, any terminal program that has a file transfer function (e.g. Xmodem, Zmodem, Kermit, etc.) can get you going. You may well have such a program already on your Tandy.

 

[VinnyVideo]

Thanks for all your insight. I'll see if I can connect another floppy drive I have, but if I'm not very mistaken, Tandy computers aren't compatible with standard floppy drives.

This means I'll probably be using a direct connection. My Tandy has a Telecom application that enables you to send and receive files using modem or direct cable connection, but the main hoop to jump through here is setting up all those old-fashioned communications settings (like the beloved "parity bit"). What settings would I most likely need to use if using a LapLink cable between the serial ports?

 

[Chuck(G)]

This means I'll probably be using a direct connection. My Tandy has a Telecom application that enables you to send and receive files using modem or direct cable connection, but the main hoop to jump through here is setting up all those old-fashioned communications settings (like the beloved "parity bit"). What settings would I most likely need to use if using a LapLink cable between the serial ports?

8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity is the customary setting. Pick a data rate that both sides can keep up with (9600 bps is probably safe).