Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:20836 comp.sys.tandy:951
Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!bpa!drexel!jeff
From: jeff@drexel.UUCP (Jeff White)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.tandy
Subject: What's needed to add 1.2M and/or 1.44M drives to Xt clone?
Keywords: 1.2Mbyte 5 1/4" 1.44Mbyte 3 1/2" drives add to XT
Message-ID: <810@drexel.UUCP>
Date: 2 Nov 88 17:43:01 GMT
Organization: Drexel University, Phila., Pa.
Lines: 31


  At one of the places I work at, we have a couple of Tandy 1200's (XT cloneswhich are getting enough serious use that daily/every other day backups are
starting to be considered.  We're using Fastback Plus to do the backups, and
although we are pleased with it, some of the machines require 5/10/15 360k
floppies to backup their data only.  Having to deal with so many floppies
makes it difficult to get the users to do their own backups.
  I was going to propose that we replace the standard 360k full height drive
with a new 1.2M half height drive.  This would not only greatly reduce the 
number of floppies used per backup set, but also allow interchanging of
disks for people who work on AT-type machines.
  I am under the impression that to do this, I would require:

1. A 5 1/4", 1.2Mbyte drive (about $110-$130).
2. A new disk controller board capable of handling the higher capacity drives
   (about $40-$100)  Ps. - the 1200's have the floppy controller built onto 
   the motherboard.  Will this be a problem?).
3. A 3.x version of DOS (where x is probably at least 2, if not 3).

  Am I missing anything?  Once whatever steps to get the 5 1/4" drive are
completed, will a 3 1/2" drive be able to be added by just attaching the
drive (ie. no new controller or OS)?  This isn't required, but the capability
to add one makes the upgrade look more feasible.  Note that since the new 1.2M
drive will be the only floppy, it must be a bootable one.  There won't be an 
ordinary 360k drive that I can boot up a kludge driver to then get the 1.2M
drive to work.
  If anyone has eveer done this, or knows the required details, I would very
much appreciate hearing from you.

						Jeff White
						Drexel University - ECE Dept.
						rutgers!bpa!drexel!jeff