Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnewsh!brion
From: brion@cbnewsh.att.com (brion.n.feinberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: Upgrade an Original Mac II with Superdrive ?
Message-ID: <1990Jun30.141243.23638@cbnewsh.att.com>
Date: 30 Jun 90 14:12:43 GMT
References: <40918215MES@MSU>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 34

From article <40918215MES@MSU>, by 18215MES@MSU.BITNET:
> Hi Folks!
> Just a quick question here...
> A friend has an original Mac II and would like to upgrade to
> the FDHD superdrive...
> Should he just buy the FDHD upgrade kit @ $400 or so
> or does he also need a motherboard upgrade ?
> 
> If he needs the motherboard, wouldn't it be better to get the
> FX upgrade?
> Thanks, mark Sartor, 221 Ag Hall, MSU, E. Lansing Mi. (18215mes@msu.bitnet)

My local dealer informed me that I can upgrade my Mac II to use a FDHD
for about $600.  This includes a swap of the SWIM chip (needed to drive
the new floppy drive) AND a new floppy drive mechanism.  Since I only
have a single floppy Mac II (with an external HD), I would be able to keep
the current floppy drive.  But I don't think it would work as an FDHD even
with the new SWIM chip.  I'd love to hear if anyone has had this upgrade
performed.

In any case, I haven't done the upgrade yet because I am considering 
buying the Rappaport/Drive 2.4 product.  This external floppy drive
would give me the same functionality as the Apple upgrade.  The cost
is about the same (because you need to buy a cable for the Mac II), but
an external drive is more flexible.  For example, I could use it at home
with my Mac Plus.  My main application will be to run SoftPC, although I
can't use the Mac Plus to run that at home.

I'd also appreciate any information you get on these upgrades.  Note
that the Apple upgrade does not involve a motherboard swap.

Brion

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