Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!att!devildog!devildog.att.com
From: jdalin@devildog.att.com (Jimmy Dalin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: 4 Floppy Controllers
Message-ID: <1848@devildog.att.com>
Date: 6 Feb 91 15:37:42 GMT
Sender: jdalin@devildog.att.com
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T IMS - Piscataway, NJ (USA)
Lines: 30

I'd like to know about a 4-floppy controller cards.  I have an AT (286)
machine that I'd like to add a third floppy to.  I understand that the
4-floppy controllers have to have their own ROM.  It raises some questions:
 
1. What drive letters are assigned to your third and fourth floppy?  I assume
the first two are "A:" and "B:", but I've always assumed that your hard drive
always has to be C:. Further, if you have more than one hard drive partition
where do the 3rd and 4th floppy drives go, letter-wise?  After the last hard
drive partition?
 
2. Does DOS have any problems recognizing the 3rd and 4th floppy drive? What
about other software (Windows, PCTOOLS, Norton, etc.)?  Assuming that the 3rd
and 4th floppies are, let's say, your E: drive and F: drive, will a backup
program (PCBACKUP, Fastback, etc.) allow you to back up a hard disk to your E:
drive and/or F: drive?  If I have a new piece of software to be installed
from a floppy, can I install it from (for example) my E: or F: drive?
 
3. Do you need a device driver or other TSR?  Does the controller card come
with a floppy with the driver, format program, etc?
 
4. My current disk controller card is a standard MFM 2 hard / 2 floppy
controller card.  a) Do I control all 4 floppies from the new card, or do my
first two floppies stay on the hard/floppy card and the second two floppies
plug into the new card?  b) If I plug all four floppies into the new card, is
there anything that I need to do to disable the hard/floppy controller's
"floppy section"?
 
Thanks.
 
Jim Dalin