VERAULT
Veteran Member
Any reason in particular? I always buy kit whenever possible; if there is an issue it would be my fault. I have bought a couple from texelec as well (assembled) and they work great as well.
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A tip for those designing new hardware for vintage machines...
- Thread starter JonnyGators
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NeXT
Veteran Member
I have such a large inventory of controllers, cables and disks I'd rather use them up before entropy takes them, then I'll probably get an XT-IDE.
Though I guess there's those odd times I've spent a few hours trying to move a file I've muttered it sure would be handy to have one...
Though I guess there's those odd times I've spent a few hours trying to move a file I've muttered it sure would be handy to have one...
VERAULT
Veteran Member
I get it. But i was in thst boat and Id like yo liquidate my shelves of old spinning drives and controllers for pc compatibles.at the end of thr day who really cares about originality over convenience?
NeXT
Veteran Member
I'm a weird individual. I thought we had concluded that by now.
VERAULT
Veteran Member
Cummon man. Were all weird.. look what our hobby is. I mean my wife and I are driving 6 hours today for a pickup of old computers! This isnt nornalin the slightest.I'm a weird individual. I thought we had concluded that by now.
Eudimorphodon
Veteran Member
Hey, there is a tiny subset of PC/XT software out there that won't work on anything but the original hard disk hardware; IE, some alternative operating systems and some applications that did nasty things to implement copy protection on hard disks. For that stuff only the original spinning rust or an original spinning-rust-controller+MFM disk emulator will do the job.
Not really too bothered myself, but, hey, it is a niche.
Not really too bothered myself, but, hey, it is a niche.
appleIImidi
Member
Computers just ain't the same without the mechanical orchestra. Too bad MFM drives almost never work.
Chuck(G)
25k Member
Need to toss 50 or 100 relays into your system...
cjs
Experienced Member
So what did you do with your carpet rakes? There's a piece of retro gear that I bet almost nobody here has.
JonnyGators
Experienced Member
I wouldn't say MFM drives in general almost never work, depends on the model. I've got multiple seagate st225 drives that work without issue. And a pile of broken tandon tm 262 drives. Too bad my nostalgia is for a computer that used a tandon, I'm down to one working tandon drive, and it requires a few drops of oil to get it going anytime I let it sit for a while.
For me the big problem is picking up another tandon drive is usually at least $200, and based on experience chances are it won't work long, if at all. That's a lot of money for something that's just about guaranteed to let you down.
But - it's the only way to have one machine that actually sounds like my old PC when I turn it on.
VERAULT
Veteran Member
modem7
10k Member
The 'Blue Lava Systems XT-IDE Deluxe (XT-IDE CF+)', shown at [here].
( A clone of the Monotech XT-IDE Deluxe Rev1.0, shown at [here]. )
These cards are essentially two circuits/blocks, per the illustration at [here].
BIOS ROM circuitry
The photo in in post #27 reveals that the 'BIOS ROM' circuit is working.
And we know that the XUB in the ROM is not mis-configured (because, the card was working, and without provocation, stopped working).
IDE interface circuitry
Per [here], the XUB (via the IDE interface circuitry) is not 'seeing' a CF card (the contents of any CF card being irrelevant).
CF card ruled out because in post #12, you state that you tried a different CF card (and we know that the 'XT-IDE Deluxe (XT-IDE CF+)' is not restricted to CF's that can do 8-bit transfers).
You have re-seated the piggyback board.
The card contains a couple of fuses, but they are for the 4-pin power jack (i.e. no impact on the dedicated CF connector).
Try changing the setting of the 'hi-speed' mode switch a few times.
Do the same for the three 'IDE address' switches a few times, returning them to all OFF.
A thorough visual inspection, with focus on solder joints.
modem7
10k Member
Another possibility?
The card is functional. Another card was added to the computer, one that uses an I/O port range starting at address 300h.
The card is functional. Another card was added to the computer, one that uses an I/O port range starting at address 300h.
Eudimorphodon
Veteran Member
Here's a mild gripe: I understand that 300h was chosen as the default for XT-IDE because that doesn't interfere with the address range used by the original IBM XT controller at 320h. The problem that exists with using 300h is it seems like a *lot* of ISA network cards rely on that address for their jumperless configuration systems to work. Unless you're specifically trying to use your XT-IDE alongside an original disk system I'd argue it might more sense to use 320h as the default.
Flip side: I guess it's not like network cards are that popular of an accessory in XTs.
If the complaints in that thread I linked are any indication it seems like at least sometimes the geometry of that board sandwich might be putting some stress on that interconnect. Reflowing the solder joints for the 40 pin connector definitely might be a worthwhile thing to try.
VERAULT
Veteran Member
If your not running 10mb ethernet, a HD 1.44mb floppy controller, XTIDE, and some basic sound card in your XT computer you havent lived!
Granted those were all options i got many years after my initial 5160 setup.. But CGA and a 20 mb seagate hard drive kinda sucked even back then.
Granted those were all options i got many years after my initial 5160 setup.. But CGA and a 20 mb seagate hard drive kinda sucked even back then.
cjs
Experienced Member
Chuck(G)
25k Member
I used a bamboo rake. I hated that stuff. When I bought my first house, it had green shag; my current house had orange shag carpet. I tore every square inch of it out and installed hardwood floor and ceramic tile. You would not believe the amount of filth that accumulates in wall-to-wall carpeting.
CommodoreZ
Experienced Member
+1 for Glitchworks' XT-IDE Rev 4's. I've had one for a few years in my Commodore PC40-III, and I was hoping to get a second one from him at VCF East but that shipping issue put the kaibosh on that. I'll just order another one on Tindie from him when the parts arrive.
Dwight Elvey
Veteran Member
Are all old MFM drives bad? When I wanted to add a hard drive to my NC4000 processor ( and I'm cheap ) I bought 3 ST506's at $5 each. I accidentally damaged one ( never rotate the spindle backwards ). Now I have 2 have these drives. I got an old XT 8 bit MFM controller ( for a few dollars ) and I had a mass storage for my NC4000 computer. I turned it on about a year ago and it still worked!
I still have a spare that also worked. Both have the mechanical brake and make a bad sounding noise but are relatively sound.
I should note that the NC4000 is nothing like an Intel processor.
I'd never even thought of using a ST225 or such ( all junk ).
Dwight
I still have a spare that also worked. Both have the mechanical brake and make a bad sounding noise but are relatively sound.
I should note that the NC4000 is nothing like an Intel processor.
I'd never even thought of using a ST225 or such ( all junk ).
Dwight
VERAULT
Veteran Member
No many still work. Im sure maybe half of my stack works.. but a year from now who knows. I would just rather sell them to someone who wants "REAL" hardware while they work then continue to give up real estate to something Im not using. (controllers and drives)
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