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WTB 8-bit ISA FDD controller card for IBM PC-XT, and other goodies

JNZ

Experienced Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
167
Location
Utah
I very fortunately came into possession of an IBM PC-XT (correction, a 5150) with a Hercules graphics card, a Microsoft Mach 10 8086 board, an HDD controller card, and a 20 MB MFM HDD (or maybe 10 MB).

The machine is missing the original 360 KB FDD, though, and I'll need a way to transfer software to and from the machine. I was thinking a 2.5" 720 KB drive and controller.

Does anyone have a compatible 8-bit ISA floppy controller for this system? Preferably with a cable.

I looked for a CF IDE card, but they seem hard to come by.

Anyone have anything else that may help this system? I need a serial card too, and an EGA or CGA card would be neat. Even an original 360 KB drive and controller.
 
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This will do the trick https://monotech.fwscart.com/Deluxe...ble_HD_Floppy_+_Serial/p6083514_19478745.aspx

They make XTE-IDE boards as well if your MFM hdd dies. I've got one and am currently fitting it to my XT system.

Another thing you can do is use a generic 16--bit i/o board with fdd support. You can use them for booing 720k disks and there is a driver you can load to see high density floppies. You don't need a 720k drive just use a 1.4meg drive as a 720k one.
 
This will do the trick https://monotech.fwscart.com/Deluxe...ble_HD_Floppy_+_Serial/p6083514_19478745.aspx

They make XTE-IDE boards as well if your MFM hdd dies. I've got one and am currently fitting it to my XT system.

Another thing you can do is use a generic 16--bit i/o board with fdd support. You can use them for booing 720k disks and there is a driver you can load to see high density floppies. You don't need a 720k drive just use a 1.4meg drive as a 720k one.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm a bit new to PCs of this era, though, so I have some questions and comments:

* If I want to use a 16-bit I/O board (I have a few, I think, along with floppy disk controllers and VGA graphics cards), won't it be physically prevented from fitting on my motherboard? Or are the larger 16-bit boards sometimes backwards compatible with the 8-bit ISA bus?

* I'll look for an XTE IDE board. (Here's one from NZ at least: https://www.ebay.com/itm/XT-IDE-8-b...r-PC-XT-etc-Assembled-or-DIY-Kit/332861819840)

* High-density floppies refers to the magnetic material, correct? So I can use more modern disks but still format them as 720 KB disks, rather than finding the lower density disks online (DD?). I think I have some lower density disks I bought for an Amiga, though.

* Good idea with the 1.44 MB drive. I have a few of those floating around, and would just need a mounting bracket and wide faceplate. (3D printed, perhaps.)

* With the DeluxeFloppy card, it says it comes with an HD-Floppy BIOS. Does that replace/override my system's BIOS, so that HD disks can be seen?
 
Where are you located?

Your Profile conveniently holds that info so you don't have to mention it every time you post a message.

I have a 360 KB drive with cable and controller, serial/parallel card, and an EGA card.

And, of course, I have floppy disks.
 
Where are you located?

Your Profile conveniently holds that info so you don't have to mention it every time you post a message.

I have a 360 KB drive with cable and controller, serial/parallel card, and an EGA card.

I like it to be private by default, but I also forgot that it's necessary here. I'm in Utah, the US.

I may take you or RadRacer203 up on the controller or other cards, but I'm investigating this DeluxeFloppy card and whether it's possible to use 16-bit cards in an 8-bit bus.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm a bit new to PCs of this era, though, so I have some questions and comments:

* If I want to use a 16-bit I/O board (I have a few, I think, along with floppy disk controllers and VGA graphics cards), won't it be physically prevented from fitting on my motherboard? Or are the larger 16-bit boards sometimes backwards compatible with the 8-bit ISA bus?

* I'll look for an XTE IDE board. (Here's one from NZ at least: https://www.ebay.com/itm/XT-IDE-8-b...r-PC-XT-etc-Assembled-or-DIY-Kit/332861819840)

* High-density floppies refers to the magnetic material, correct? So I can use more modern disks but still format them as 720 KB disks, rather than finding the lower density disks online (DD?). I think I have some lower density disks I bought for an Amiga, though.

* Good idea with the 1.44 MB drive. I have a few of those floating around, and would just need a mounting bracket and wide faceplate. (3D printed, perhaps.)

* With the DeluxeFloppy card, it says it comes with an HD-Floppy BIOS. Does that replace/override my system's BIOS, so that HD disks can be seen?

16-bit cards may not always physically fit in an 8-bit slot. Motherboard components may block them. But often they will fit. You may have to try different slots. Ocasionally you have to cover the exposed part of the card connector to prevent it from shorting with things.

Some 16-bit cards, such as earlier ISA VGA cards, may work either in a 16-bit or 8-bit slot.

The floppy portion of 16-bit hard drive/floppy controllers may work in an 8-bit slot, but their hard drive portion will not. A PC or XT class computer can not make use of high density disks unless a driver, or external BIOS is used.

The magnetic surface of 720k and 1.44mb disks are different. In practice, covering the high density notch of a 1.44mb disk will allow it to be formatted 720k and will work "well enough".

8-bit ISA floppy controllers that include a their own BIOS usually do so to enable the use of high density drives.
 
16-bit cards may not always physically fit in an 8-bit slot. Motherboard components may block them. But often they will fit. You may have to try different slots. Ocasionally you have to cover the exposed part of the card connector to prevent it from shorting with things.

Some 16-bit cards, such as earlier ISA VGA cards, may work either in a 16-bit or 8-bit slot.

The floppy portion of 16-bit hard drive/floppy controllers may work in an 8-bit slot, but their hard drive portion will not. A PC or XT class computer can not make use of high density disks unless a driver, or external BIOS is used.

The magnetic surface of 720k and 1.44mb disks are different. In practice, covering the high density notch of a 1.44mb disk will allow it to be formatted 720k and will work "well enough".

8-bit ISA floppy controllers that include a their own BIOS usually do so to enable the use of high density drives.

Very informative, thanks!

I'm currently testing with some ISA cards I have, including a VGA Wonder, which at least in theory should auto-sense 8-bit mode and work. (With the 5150's SW1 dip-switch set correctly.)
 
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm a bit new to PCs of this era, though, so I have some questions and comments:

* I'll look for an XTE IDE board. (Here's one from NZ at least: https://www.ebay.com/itm/XT-IDE-8-b...r-PC-XT-etc-Assembled-or-DIY-Kit/332861819840)

* With the DeluxeFloppy card, it says it comes with an HD-Floppy BIOS. Does that replace/override my system's BIOS, so that HD disks can be seen?
Yes the Bios over ides any system bios. I was lucky to have a 8-bit fdd card from a system I stipped about 3 decades ago. Knew it would come in handy at some stage.

That XT-IDE card is exactly the same as I'm using. Currently setting it up with a 4gig BigFoot drive. The guy who makes them, Jacob, lives in the same town as me and only 10 minutes away.
 
The DeluxeFloppy card that was mentioned previously is what you're after if you'd like support for any PC floppy drive.
I may be able to supply a floppy cable if I have spares. I seem to have an endless supply of IDE but few floppy...

Alternatively, I do have one IBM 5150/5160 floppy controller card. This will only allow using 160K/360K/720K though.

If this is just for easy transfer between machines, then this XT-CF has a rear-accessible CF slot:
https://monotech.fwscart.com/XT-CF_...lash_-_rear-accessible/p6083514_19915453.aspx

Cheers
JD
 
I think the DeluxeFloppy card might be the best fit, but I'm not entirely sure yet. I'm waiting for an MCE2VGA to get here just to confirm the machine works properly. I was hoping to use my ATI Wonder or Mach32 in VGA mode, and though the machine has a successful POST beep, I never see anything on my VGA LCD. I'm wondering if the Mach 10 card is interfering, but unfortunately I don't have an 8088 to return the machine to stock.

I should probably go with a floppy controller and the XTE IDE controller, if I can find one, and put in a more modern IDE HDD or CF card. A 360 KB drive would be nice to make it look more stock, too.
 
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