Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gecko.cis.ohio-state.edu!thamer
From: thamer@gecko.cis.ohio-state.edu (M T )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: 030 Network Cube Dilemma
Message-ID: <86428@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 29 Nov 90 20:24:09 GMT
Sender: news@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Reply-To: <thamer@gecko.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Organization: Ohio State University Computer and Information Science
Lines: 41


  Ok, here's the situation: I just picked up my 030 Cube from Businessland.
However, I ordered the one without the optical drive, it only has the
40MB swap drive.
  Now, of course the system won't boot, since it can't find any hard drive,
and its not connected to any network - all I get is "Bad Network" message.
  My plan is to connect a ~300MB HD to the system, and get system 2.0, and
eventually the 040 upgrade board and floppy drive.  This is tricky since I
can't boot, and have no optical or floppy for loading software.

Which is the best option for an optical-less cube:?

1) Buy a 3rd party 300MB internal HD for $1200, and 2.0 on optical disk for $185.
     and   A.  Borrow someone's optical drive, connect it to my cube, 
		boot from it, init my HD, and dump 2.0 to my HD.
     or    B.  Connect my internal HD to someone else's cube (who has an
		optical, format it, and put 2.0 on it.

2) Buy the NeXT 105MB HD (preloaded with Release 2.0) for $725, and the 
new NeXT 200MB HD for $700.  I assume that I could boot off the 105MB and 
then init the 200MB.  Later, I could get the missing extended software,
perhaps on floppy.  However, is there space for both drives inside the cube ?  

3) Buy a 3rd party HD ($1200), and NeXT floppy drive ($500), and hope 
that NeXT decides to sell the 2.0 release on floppy someday soon.
Then boot off floppy, initialize HD, and install 2.0.

BTW, what should I do with that 40MB swap drive.  Will it be useless
with a larger HD and no optical in my system ?

I'm leaning towards option #2 if its feasible.  Any other ideas would be
greatly appreciated ...

	Thanks,


--
	"Two days ago I saw a vehicle that'd haul that tanker.  
	 You wanna get out of here; you talk to me."   Max - The Road Warrior

	 M. Thamer @cis.ohio-state.edu