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From: ix21@sdcc6.UUCP (David Whiteman)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Tecmar 10mb Hard Drive
Message-ID: <2536@sdcc6.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Apr-86 05:08:10 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc6.2536
Posted: Mon Apr 21 05:08:10 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Apr-86 04:19:18 EST
References: <3065@sunybcs.UUCP>
Reply-To: ix21@sdcc6.UUCP (David Whiteman)
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 53
Keywords: updating system files, HFS, MacPlus
Summary: Three ways to convert a Tecmar to be used by a MacPlus

In article <3065@sunybcs.UUCP> cohen@sunybcs.UUCP (Alexander Cohen) writes:
>	I have a Tecmar 10 mb Hard drive that I aquired through a  
>macintosh users group.  Somebody there had already massaged the
>system files in order to update it to what was then the most 
>current system,2.2 I believe and included the Hard Disk 20 start-
>up system file in order to get HFS.  

...

>	Additionally, does anyone know whether the new ROMs will
>work with the MacDrive.

The same massaging that is necessary to allow the Tecmar MacDrive to
read HFS is used to allow the Tecmar to run on the Mac-Plus.

You  take a the system file which is used with the Mac-Plus
(presumably 3.2) and then replace some of the resources which were
originally in the older system file that came with the Tecmar using
the resource editor.  If I recall correctly you take the following
resources from the old file and place them into the new system 3.2
file or subsitute if there is a corresponding resource.  The actual
text on what to replace is posted on Compuserve.  INIT #31, the two
FIXX resources, the driver named .Tdisc, the driver .print, and the
icon resource which looks like the icon for the Tecmar.  As the
preceeding poster mentioned Tecmar refuses to support or even talk
to anyone who does this, but my two of my friends who have Tecmars
have sucessfully performed this conversion and have not have had any
problems nor disc crashes.  The only noted bug is that the print
spooling feature will not work if you use the new Imagewriter print
resource file meaning that you cannot use the Imagewriter II if you
desire print spooling.

There is a second way to convert a Tecmar MacDrive in order for it
to be used by a MacDrive.  Both types of drives that are used in the
Tecmar, the Shugart 712-s and the Sysquest 5 meg cartridge, are both
SD-506 drives.  There is plenty of room in the cabinet for an SD-506
to SASI disk controller card, and this would convert the Tecmar to a
SCSI drive which will plug into the MacPlus SCSI port.  You now have
a SCSI drive which is many times faster than the old Tecmar
MacDrive, your Mac now boots automatically without the need for a
floppy disc, and you freed up one of your serial ports, but you do
lose the print spooling function and of course Tecmar won't support
this configuration either.  I know of one friend who has done this
without difficulty.

Of course the third route is to simply sell your Tecmar and use the
money to buy another drive.  By the way if anyone is interested in
buying a slightly used Tecmar MacDrive I have one for sale.

-- 
----
David Whiteman,
University of California, San Diego