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What kind of cables are these?

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v4an1shed

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I have a Compaq Portable III and I can’t find any setup floppies for it. So I was gonna give a shot on temporarily installing a 3.5 floppy drive (as it originally has a 5.25 floppy drive) so I can get past the infamous error:

162-System Options Not Set-(Run Setup)
Insert DIAGNOSTIC diskette in Drive A:

(RESUME = "F1" KEY)

I need help, I want to use this machine and bring it to life again. I cannot find any disks for sale. I have some 5.25 floppies so I guess I could just get a 5.25 floppy drive and get a usb adapter but it’s hella expensive.

Advice??

The cables:
IMG_3629.jpegIMG_3630.jpegIMG_3631.jpegIMG_3632.jpeg
 
Welcome to these forums. Where on the planet are you located? There could be someone nearby who can assist you in some way. I remember once dropping off a floppy on someone's doorstep on my way to work.

There is some information on the Compaq Portable III in the thread at [here]. According to that, not only can CMOS SETUP be performed using Compaq's SETUP software for the Portable III, but the GSETUP utility can be used instead.

Note that even with the CMOS SETUP configuration not set, if you connect up a 'standard' 1.44M diskette drive to the motherboard, then we expect that you will be able to boot from, and read, 720 sized 3.5" diskettes. If you do not have 720K diskettes, covering the density hole on a 1.44M diskette usually works for this exercise. There is a procedure at [here] for the IBM 5170 (IBM AT), one where the user uses WinImage software on their modern/modernish computer to create a 720K sized DOS boot diskette, one that contains the GSETUP utility. I expect that the procedure, apart from IBM 5170 specific stuff, will work for you.

BTW. If you really want to use the existing floppy cable for a 'standard' 3.5" drive, an adapter is advertised at [here].
 
Looks like usual 5.25 floppy cable, they have edge connector, do you have newer floppy cable to try your 3.5 drive?
 
Yeah that's a standard 5.25 floppy drive cable. The twist in the cable indicates the connector is for the A drive (rather than the B drive).

Those old machines normally want to know in the bios what type of drive you're using. Since it expects a 5.25 drive, trying to use a 3.5 drive may result in an error (it can't read the disk).
 
modem7 said:
Welcome to these forums. Where on the planet are you located? There could be someone nearby who can assist you in some way. I remember once dropping off a floppy on someone's doorstep on my way to work.

There is some information on the Compaq Portable III in the thread at [here]. According to that, not only can CMOS SETUP be performed using Compaq's SETUP software for the Portable III, but the GSETUP utility can be used instead.

Note that even with the CMOS SETUP configuration not set, if you connect up a 'standard' 1.44M diskette drive to the motherboard, then we expect that you will be able to boot from, and read, 720 sized 3.5" diskettes. If you do not have 720K diskettes, covering the density hole on a 1.44M diskette usually works for this exercise. There is a procedure at [here] for the IBM 5170 (IBM AT), one where the user uses WinImage software on their modern/modernish computer to create a 720K sized DOS boot diskette, one that contains the GSETUP utility. I expect that the procedure, apart from IBM 5170 specific stuff, will work for you.

BTW. If you really want to use the existing floppy cable for a 'standard' 3.5" drive, an adapter is advertised at [here].
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot for the reply. I have a 3.5 floppy drive, would that adapter you mentioned apply to all 3.5 floppy drives?
 
Maikudou said:
Looks like usual 5.25 floppy cable, they have edge connector, do you have newer floppy cable to try your 3.5 drive?
Click to expand...
No unfortunately. The only floppy stuff I have is a extra 3.5 drive and a Windows XP machine with a 3.5 floppy drive.
 
There are you located? Someone might either lend you a drive or write a floppy. Also at you local e-waste recycle should be some cables, sometimes even for free.
 
Maikudou said:
There are you located? Someone might either lend you a drive or write a floppy. Also at you local e-waste recycle should be some cables, sometimes even for free.
Click to expand...
Spokane Washington, no one in my area I have tried asking for has a machine that can write them for me. I haven’t heard of a e-waste facility near the county. Unless there is? What cable am I looking for exactly?
 
modem7 said:
BTW. If you really want to use the existing floppy cable for a 'standard' 3.5" drive, an adapter is advertised at [here].
Click to expand...
v4an1shed said:
Thanks a lot for the reply. I have a 3.5 floppy drive, would that adapter you mentioned apply to all 3.5 floppy drives?
Click to expand...
Not literally ALL 3.5" drives. For example, some later 3.5" drives expect to be powered via the ribbon cable.

But the 3.5" drive in your Windows XP computer is probably a 'standard/regular' 1.44M drive, the type that in the day, you would get if you went to your local computer shop and asked for a 1.44M drive.
 
Yes, that cable is very useful. I have used that type many times. It has both the card edge connector and the pin connector on the same cable. But a card edge to pin adapter is also useful when all you have is a cable with a standard pin connector. I have also used the adapter to connect a drive with a newer pin style to your existing cable that has only a card edge connector. So, either the adapter or the combo cable should work for you.

Seaken
 
Chuck(G) said:
Even if you have the card-edge variety, it's pretty easy to crimp on an IDC Dupont connector just behind the card-edge one.
Click to expand...
It is easy, but I thing if one does not have a stash ready it won’t be much easier or cheaper than sourcing a cable :)

The sell it at Amazon though (search for 34 position IDC connector), might be a way, unless, I agree, simply connecting a drive different from what pc expects might not work
 
Yes. The cable you have now is for the 5.25" and it uses a card edge connector. If you were to exchange your existing cable with this combo cable you can connect the 3.5" floppy in this picture. And the 5.25" can also be connected at the same time on the other connector, before the twisted end and will be drive B:. The 3.5" will go on the pin connector after the twist in the cable and will be seen as drive A:

Seaken
 
seaken said:
Yes. The cable you have now is for the 5.25" and it uses a card edge connector. If you were to exchange your existing cable with this combo cable you can connect the 3.5" floppy in this picture. And the 5.25" can also be connected at the same time on the other connector, before the twisted end and will be drive B:. The 3.5" will go on the pin connector after the twist in the cable and will be seen as drive A:

Seaken
Click to expand...
Ok, another question, is this valid? I just had the idea. Would I be able to use this HDD instead of the one that came with the Compaq? Or is it too modern.
IMG_3666.jpeg
Once I get the cables for the floppy drive, which will probably be this week, I’ll write some floppies and hope for it to work. Thanks a lot!
 

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v4an1shed said:
Ok, another question, is this valid? I just had the idea. Would I be able to use this HDD instead of the one that came with the Compaq? Or is it too modern.
View attachment 1277003
Once I get the cables for the floppy drive, which will probably be this week, I’ll write some floppies and hope for it to work. Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...
It’s not, I tried it never mind
 
 
The cable looks right

I don't know how it was done for that old 5.25 drive, but it has to be powered somehow and if it was a molex, you'll need something like this for a [relatively modern] 3.5 https://www.adafruit.com/product/425

If for whatever reason 5.25 was not powered by a molex you'll also need a Y splitter https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-LP4-Power-Splitter-Cable/dp/B000067SLY to slice into any molex connection in the system if it has any. It might not work or overload that particular power rail, so take care

If there is no a single molex there, you'll have to find where are +5 V and +12 V and just hack it with some wires and that Berg connector https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berg_connector
 
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