Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!mips!apple!radius!lemke
From: lemke@radius.com (Steve Lemke)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware
Subject: Re: MacII => MacIIfx
Keywords: FDHD, SWIM, Upgrade
Message-ID: <1464@radius.com>
Date: 29 May 91 20:20:12 GMT
References: <1534@h.cs.wvu.wvnet.edu> <1462@radius.com> <1991May29.162300.4159@wlbr.imsd.contel.com> <5471@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>
Lines: 30

jim@jagubox.gsfc.nasa.gov (Jim Jagielski) writes:

>That's true, the IIfx motherboard requires NO mods to use the FDHD drives.
>
>However, I think that to buy the FDHD's, you buy the FDHD Kit, which includes
>the drive and the (worthless for a IIfx) ROMs and SWIM chip. Or maybe it's
>the other way around that if you want just the ROMs and SWIM chip, you have
>to buy the drive too...

Nope.  Here's the scoop, direct from Apple's price list.  If you are buying a
IIfx upgrade (we won't debate here the relative merits of doing that, or lack
thereof, as opposed to OTHER alternatives... :-), and you have a Mac II,
then all you do is purchase the upgrade and a bare FDHD internal drive.
Remember those?  Yes, Apple sells bare FDHD drives, for folks with Mac IIx's
and IIfx's who want to have two internal FDHD drives.

If you have a Mac II and want to have an FDHD drive, you purchase the FDHD
upgrade kit, which consists of the bare drive, a SWIM chip, and Mac IIx ROMs.

So, the moral is, if you're going to purchase a IIfx upgrade, don't purchase
the FDHD upgrade for your Mac II since you're wasting money on the new SWIM
chip and the IIx ROMs, both of which will disappear with your old Mac II
motherboard when you upgrade.  Just buy the IIfx upgrade and a bare FDHD drive.

Does this all make sense now?

-- 
----- Steve Lemke, KC6QDT - Software Engineering, Radius Inc., San Jose -----
----- Reply to: lemke@radius.com -- U.C. Santa Barbara ECE Class of '89 -----
----- "I'm not a UNIX wizard, but I play the Postmaster at radius.com." -----