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From: lotto@talcott.UUCP (Jerry Lotto)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: low density drive in an AT
Message-ID: <583@talcott.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-Apr-86 08:48:15 EST
Article-I.D.: talcott.583
Posted: Wed Apr  2 08:48:15 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Apr-86 06:10:49 EST
References: <3427@sun.uucp>
Organization: Harvard Univ. Chem. Dept.
Lines: 60
Summary: Not ALL low density drives are created equal (and PC Limited Humor)

In article <3427@sun.uucp>, cramer@sun.uucp (Sam Cramer) writes:
> A friend wants to put a third party low density floppy drive in his AT so he 
> can write PC-readable diskettes.  I've been told that any standard low density 
> drive will do.  Is this the case?  Or do I need a special AT 
> controller-compatible low density floppy drive?  Also, who are reputable drive 
> vendors?

I recently picked up a TEAC 55 series drive for the AT from PCs Limited
(Yes, I should have known better). I ran into two problems.

First of all, the drive was built with the planar board mounted on top.
In the AT, this means that the ribbon cable has to connect to the lower
drive with the 3" A drive extension facing down. To reconnect the high
density drive then requires wrapping the cable around itself, something
which it is too short for.

The other problem was that the rails were cut so far off that I would
have had to shave off 1/4" in order to fit it under the existing drive.

Rather than playing around, I returned the drive. BTW, to add to the PC
Limited Horror stories: Returning the drive entailed a series of phone
calls like this:

call 1	Me: I want to return a drive.

	Them: Sure, my name is George but I can not help you after hours.
	      Call back tommorrow.

call 2	Me: Is George there?

	Them: Noone named George works here.

	Me: Oh. I want to return a disk drive.

	Them: Who sold it to you?

	...

	Them: I cannot find your order.

	Me: It has already been filled. I want to return something.

	Them: Do you have a problem with it?

	Me: Yes.

	Them: You have to call Tech. Support.

call 3	Me: Is this Tech. Support?

	Them: Yes, my name is George. May I help you?

Goto call 1
-- 

Gerald Lotto - Harvard Chemistry Dept.

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