Does anyone know if an adapter exists for the PS/1 or PS/2 to use standard floppy drives without hacking into the cable? I know Texelec made one for the edge card drives used in the model 30-8086 but my model 30-286 and model 35 just have a ribbon cable. I know it's possibly to hack up the cable and get it working but if there is an adapter out there I would much prefer that.
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PS/1 PS/2 floppy drive adapter
- Thread starter almoerman
- Start date
dhau
Experienced Member
IBM PS/2 to Standard Floppy Adapter - TexElec
Has your old IBM PS/2 ‘planar’ floppy drive stopped functioning? Would you like to use a standard floppy drive, or better yet, a Gotek or HxC floppy emulator? If so, then we have the solution for you! This adapter will allow you to connect a standard 3.5″ floppy drive to your PS/2. Some PS/2...
texelec.com
The model 30-286 doesn't have the edge card drive. It's a standard(ish) 34pin cable with integrated power and a few lines that have to be tied to ground to set the floppy drive type IIRC. I just don't want to hack up my floppy cable.IBM PS/2 to Standard Floppy Adapter - TexElec
Has your old IBM PS/2 ‘planar’ floppy drive stopped functioning? Would you like to use a standard floppy drive, or better yet, a Gotek or HxC floppy emulator? If so, then we have the solution for you! This adapter will allow you to connect a standard 3.5″ floppy drive to your PS/2. Some PS/2...
dhau
Experienced Member
I think you miss a bit that converts pins to edge. I got a model 50 and it has the edge connector thing attached
Nope. The Model 30 uses the edge card bit, the model 30-286 does not. Apparently IBM was fond of using multiple standards for the same things.
Eudimorphodon
Veteran Member
Does anyone have a link to a pinout of the proprietary floppy drive/cable used in this machine? Tandy machines did a similar thing, slapping power onto the data cable; the way Tandy did it you can work around it by inserting a stacking header in between the cable and the drive that has the power pins bent out so they don't engage. A similar technique might work on the PS/2 if the actual control signals aren't rearranged.
I found this. Based on several videos I found about using a regular floppy drive I was able to rig something up to get a gotek working, but an adapter with 34 pin in/out and a header for a floppy power connector would be great. If I knew how to design PCBs I'd just do it myself.
PS/2 Floppy Drive Interface Pinouts
twolazy
Veteran Member
Try out diptrace. Been designing a few pcbs past week that way. Its pretty simple compared to other alternatives. Downside have to contact the author and explain its not for commercial purposes to get a license to use it after 30 days.
I can get something together for you after I finish the 2 projects I've started. One is a new pcb for my altec lansing 90s speakers that the board is cracked and beyond repair, other is my own personal romdos card.
I can get something together for you after I finish the 2 projects I've started. One is a new pcb for my altec lansing 90s speakers that the board is cracked and beyond repair, other is my own personal romdos card.
I know you're probably looking for an internal floppy adapter, but there are also the external floppy adapters. I see these on eBay quite often, but you may have to wait to find a deal. Here is the one I have in my own collection. It takes a 40PIN floppy internal floppy cable to give you a standard 37 pin DSUB external floppy port.
This is for the external 5.25 drive isn't it? My model 30-286 doesn't have the 40 pin internal connector though.
I would assume any external drive would work. Yea, I had forgotten how convoluted the IBM floppy drives had become with so many different types.
How about this adapter on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/304382610986
How about this adapter on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/304382610986
Wow, that looks like exactly the thing. Only one way to find out I guess.