Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!mcgill-vision!bloom-beacon!snorkelwacker!apple!usc!srhqla!nrcvax!rick From: rick@NRC.COM (Rick Wagner) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: Input needed on XT Hard Disk Message-ID: <456@nrcvax.NRC.COM> Date: 18 Jan 90 20:47:58 GMT References: <1400021@hp-ptp.HP.COM> Reply-To: rick@nrcvax.UUCP (Rick Wagner) Organization: Network Research Corp., Oxnard CA Lines: 44 In article <1400021@hp-ptp.HP.COM> pault@hp-ptp.HP.COM (Paul_Taira) writes: > > > I have an IBM (real) PC-XT with a Seagate ST-225 hard disk. I need > to add a second hard disk or simply replace the original 20MB with > something much larger (60MB?). Currently, I only keep the software > which I regularly use one the system and a few (<30) user files > on the system. But I have run out of room. I visited a local > computer store and I was told that I could not put more than > 30MB on my system since it is an XT with an 8-bit bus. Is this > true? I thought that DOS 3.2 supports hard disks larger than > 32MB in one partition. I would also like to find a faster hard > disk. BTW, I have an Intel 386PC turbo card in the system to > improve performance. A few months back, I was doing development for the Segate St01/st02 controller. I had this card, and an st296N (80 Mb) drive installed in my XT clone. It worked fine. You'll need DOS 3.3 or 4.0. DOS 3.2 only allowed one partition, upto 32Mb, per drive. DOS 3.3 allows multiple 32 MB partitions (logical drives) per hard drive. I used DOS 3.3 on my XT, and had 3 partitions (C:, D: = 32Mb, E: = ~10Mb). Worked fine. I only had the setup for a limited time, so others can comment on the long term reliability of these drives. I am not recommending them (or un-recommending), just making the point that it can be done. These drives/controllers were discussed (alot!) a few months ago, so if you want to check into them, someone might have the discussions archived. > > I would also like to add a 1.44MB floppy onto the system. Any hints > or suggestions. Which disk drive is better? Toshiba? Sony? I beleave the ST02 can handle these drives. > > Thanks --rick -- =============================================================================== Rick Wagner Network Research Corp. rick@nrc.com 2380 North Rose Ave. (805) 485-2700 FAX: (805) 485-8204 Oxnard, CA 93030 Don't hate yourself in the morning; sleep til noon.