WTD: HP 9153C Internal Hard Drive

[hexsane]

I acquired a 9153C but the HD is physically damaged. The HDs comes in 4 flavors: 10MB, 20MB, 30MB and 40MB. I'm looking for something in the 30MB or less category so if you've upgraded yours and have the extra drive on the shelf lemme know.

While I'm at it: Does anyone have a 9144/5 tape drive and tapes? Or (preferred) a 9142a?

-Matt

 

[Chuckster_in_Jax]

The HP 9153C came out when IDE Drives were just being introduced. HP used a proprietary drive and controller that is incompatible with anything else on the market. They also had a high failure rate. HP manufactured 2 drives for the 9153, a 10MB and a 20MB. The box houses 2 hard drives so the capacity you mentioned above is the total of the 2 drives. It also has a 1.44MB floppy that is incompatible with the standard 3.5" floppy interface. If you power-up the box and the hard drives fails or is non-existant, then an error occurs and the floppy is inaccessible also.

You could buy and aftermarket HP-IB unit but at $2,950.00 it's not an option for most people. http://www.tamsinc.com/storage/2085/index.htm

From time to time the 9144A tape drives come up on eBay. Unfortunately, the pinch roller in the units turn to goo over time and has to be repaired. See info at this link: http://www.hpmuseum.net/display_item.php?hw=257

The drives also use a tape cartridge that is preformatted at the factory and no longer manufactured.

Sorry for the bad news but that is the reality with these drives. You would have a better chance getting a 9133H dive that uses a Seagate St-225 drive or a 9133L that uses a Seagate ST-251. If the drive is dead, there is at least some hope of finding a working replacement.

 

[Chuck(G)]

Interesting tidbits on the HPChannel bulletin regarding the 9153C regarding its new 1.44MB 3½" drive:

As with any new floppy technology. understanding media compatibility is important. The HP 9 153C employs an ANSI-standard format-sensing mechanism to differentiate 2-Mbyte diskettes from those of other capacities. Two-megabyte media should not be used in any disc drive other than a 2-Mbyte one. Existing I-Mbyte and %Mbyte customer media may be used with confidence in the HP 9 153C. although 2-Mbyte media is required to obtain the increased capacity storage.

Contact your HP sales rep For more information.

http://www.hpmuseum.net/pdf/HPChannels_1988_1_29pages_Jan88_OCR.pdf

 

[Chuckster_in_Jax]

OK, I looked at the floppy in my 9153C and it's a Sony MFD-73W-50. The only technical info I could find was on Herb Johnson's site. I am showing the part referring to the Sony drive:

http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/drive.html

Scroll down to the section
Replacing old 3.5" drives with "new" towards the end of the page

 

[hexsane]

If I could just use the floppy I would be fine but it requires both drives to operate. This is a hobby device so I'm not going to drop $3k on something I'm doing for the fun of it. Replacement drives on eBay are in the $500+ range and rarely does an untested 9153c come up. Its the HD floppy that I want to work with but 9122c drives get into the astronomical price ranges. I have a 9133h drive and can accomplish much of what I'm doing with it. The tape drive is just a side thing I want to see if I can get working. I'd love to get my hands on a 9 track HP-IB drive but they are so heavy it would have to be really close to Omaha for me to obtain it.

-Matt

 

[Druid6900]

I don't recall HP ever manufacturing its own drives, so, what drives are you looking for really.

I just opened a franchise in Florida, so, I can check with him. Seems to have all kinds of strange little devices in his inventory.

 

[hexsane]

The drive is called a Nighthawk P# 97500-85620. Chips have HP part # so it was definitely made by HP.

-Matt

 

[Chuckster_in_Jax]

I'd love to get my hands on a 9 track HP-IB drive but they are so heavy it would have to be really close to Omaha for me to obtain it.

Like this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-7978-797...180?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20bf962f14

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-7978-6250-1600-CPI-BPI-Tape-Drive-7978A-7978B-/380371481542

 

[hexsane]

There is also the 7980a which is drawer style rack mount but is still ~100lbs outside of the cabinet. I've shipped similar drives using Fedex Ground (135lb limit) but it was costly.

-Matt

 

[Druid6900]

The drive is called a Nighthawk P# 97500-85620. Chips have HP part # so it was definitely made by HP.

-Matt

No, he has nothing like that in his in-house inventory, but, he will check in his off-premise storage as he has the chance.

He had a stroke a while back, so, he doesn't get around as well as he used to.

 

[hexsane]

No, he has nothing like that in his in-house inventory, but, he will check in his off-premise storage as he has the chance.

He had a stroke a while back, so, he doesn't get around as well as he used to.

I'm not in a rush.

The drive is a 3.5" FH with a single IDC 40 connector and no power connector. They come in 2 sizes 10MB and 20MB.

I think the 10MB is P#: 97500-85610 but not sure.

-Matt

 

[Chuckster_in_Jax]

My 9153C has drives with HP P/N 97500-85621. Those are the 20MB IDE Drives.

They look like this:

http://www.recycledgoods.com/products/HP-97500-60011-10MB-3.5"-HH-IDE-Hard-Drive-97500-85600.html

 

[ghnatiuk]

Hello,
Just registered with this forum. If anyone out there is needing information, complete units or parts for the HP9153C, I have over 30 years experience working and repairing these products. I have a large inventory of all components and assemblies for the 91XX series of drives that came out of the Greeley division including the 9153C. I have personally examined literally hundreds of the NightHawk drives and know the mechanism inside and out. You can contact me through this forum or directly using the CONTACT button on my web site:

www.adc-colorado.com

Does anyone have an HP 9100 calculator for sale or trade?
Thanks in advance

 

[mondoshawan]

My 9153C has drives with HP P/N 97500-85621. Those are the 20MB IDE Drives.

They look like this:

http://www.recycledgoods.com/products/HP-97500-60011-10MB-3.5"-HH-IDE-Hard-Drive-97500-85600.html

Sorry to necro, but I have the same drive, actually. That is decidedly not standard IDE -- they have power over the connector and no other means of powering it. IDE does not specify +5V or +12V over the ribbon cable anywhere except extended 44-pin connectors.

 

[Al Kossow]

They are HP's own interface, prone to failure.
They were expensive to find used 20 years ago already.