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From: burton@parcvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Adding 3 1/2" drive to IBM AT
Message-ID: <518@parcvax.Xerox.COM>
Date: Sat, 19-Sep-87 03:28:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: parcvax.518
Posted: Sat Sep 19 03:28:24 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 20-Sep-87 14:32:04 EDT
References: <2889@whuts.UUCP>
Reply-To: burton@parcvax.xerox.com.UUCP (Philip M. Burton)
Organization: Xerox PARC
Lines: 37
Keywords: IBM AT;3 1/2"

In article <2889@whuts.UUCP> 2212msr@whuts.UUCP (ROBIN) writes:
>I currently own an 'old' IBM AT (del 8/84 as 6Mhz machine) which is equipped
>with a Seagate 4051 HD and TWO 5 1/4"-1.2M floppy drives.  For reasons I
>won't go into here, I need to add 3 1/2" drive capability w/o removing
>either of the 5 1/4" drives.  My thoughts run toward an A/B switch
>on the3 drive cable, such that in one psitiom I have A= 5 1/4" and in
>the other A= 3 1/2".
>
>Any thoughts, ideas, sources for 34 line A/B switches, etc. would be greatly
>appreciated

A salesman from a tape drive company told me that Tecmar (sp?) in the greater
Cleveland area makes some sort of adapter card that might address your need.

As a possible alternative to using the standard AT floppy-rigid controller,
you might consider using an SCSI adapter arrangement.  It might have a higher
initial cost but you could, if you got the right adapter (say Western
Digital or Adaptec), probably support other devices, notably tape.

Another issue to consider is mounting the new floppy.  Lots of companies will
sell you an external box, but that just adds cost and requires bulky cables
to meet FCC Class B requirements. (And, you don't want to violate those 
rules, do you -) ).  An external box just adds clutter.  Much nicer to get
all the drives inside the main box.

I've seen ads for AT-compatibles that show a case with all three right side
drive slots available, not just the two that IBM has allowed us.  Some of
these cases appear to be the exact same size as IBM's.   

If any net reader has an AT-clone with three available drive slots available,
please post the name of the clone maker, or the cabinet maker, if possible.


-- 
Philip Burton       burton@parcvax.COM   ...!hplabs!parcvax!burton
Xerox Corp.         preferred path: burton.osbunorth@xerox.COM
408 737 4635   ... usual disclaimers apply ...