Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cica!iuvax!rutgers!att!cbnews!ewm
From: ewm@cbnews.ATT.COM (edward.w.mcfarland)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: More hard disk madness (was Re: CLEAR THINGS)
Message-ID: <10046@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 9 Oct 89 20:58:29 GMT
References: <15457@nuchat.UUCP>
Reply-To: ewm@cbnews.ATT.COM (edward.w.mcfarland,54723,mv,30-2 W3,508 960 6202)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 44

In article <15457@nuchat.UUCP> seven@nuchat.UUCP (David Paulsen) writes:

>I think the 64 can make good use of a hard disk, even if it was
>interfaced through the serial port. 

>Even clone computers do not speak directly to their hard drives.  They
>use controller cards, buffers, caches.. all the things found (in a *much*
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>tinier form :-) inside the 1541.  What I propose is taking some of that
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>existing 8-bit IBM-PC technology and putting it to work -- cheap -- for
>the 64.  "Formatting" is not the issue.  I don't expect to be able to
>boot Disk Doctor, nor do I need Fastload to work.  As far as low-level
>formatting goes, we can always format the beastie on an IBM, then
>unship it for use in the 64 system.  

>Various possibilities include:
                                (4 possibilities deleted)

>While I applaud the Total Concept embraced by the Xetec hard drive
>systems, I cringe at their prices.  I don't NEED 100% compatibility
>or blinding speed... I have my 1541 for the former, and an REU for
>the latter.  

My feelings as well.

>David Paulsen    ..uunet!nuchat!seven  ||| The Curiosity Shop BBS, 713/488-7836


     I am fairly ignorant at the nuts and bolts level of the hardware but, 
what about cannibalizing a 1541 drive to use as a controller for commonly
available pc harddrives? What would be involved in hacking an interface board
together so one could substitute a hard drive in place of the floppy drive?
Is this harder to do than it seems? I wouldn't mind cannibalizing my 1541
to gain a hard drive. (it would be the incentive I need to get a 1571 or 81)
What about cannibalizing a 1581? Is the hardware there any more conducive?
I'd bet this could be done for less than the $700+ that Xetec charges.

    How about it you hardware types, is this possible/worthwhile?


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    Ed McFarland     ewm@mvusa.att.com  |
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