🚀 go-pugleaf

"Randy McLaughlin" <randy482@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:fJRLc.15178$GT3.866@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
> "Randy McLaughlin" <randy@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:_5QLc.8876$yF.8852@bignews2.bellsouth.net...
> > "Greg Andrzejewski" <pressyourluck85@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:6pydnZWjzcxR12LdRVn-ug@comcast.com...
> > > Hi,
> > >     I have a Tandy Coco 3 with a FD 501 disk drive. I'm trying to get
> > Nitros
> > > 9 to work, but I can't seem to figure it out. I've tried writing the
> disk
> > > images with two different computers with no change. The system will
> either
> > > lock while at the boot screen or not start booting at all.
> > > My guess would be that the images are double-sided disks and the FD
501
> is
> > a
> > > single sided drive. Would I be right in this assumption? If so, can I
> swap
> > > the drive in the FD 501 with a standard PC 5.25" high density drive?
Or,
> > > where can I get a single-sided version of nitros?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Greg Andrzejewski
> >
> > You can't use 5.25" HD but you can use 3.5" HD drives.
> >
> > With 3.5" drive you have to stick with DD (720K) disks (or tape over the
> > density hole of a HD disk).
> >
> > Most 3.5" drives don't have jumpers for drive select anymore.  This can
be
> > overcome by modifying a PC cable.  The motor control line needs to be
> > changed.  I'll look up the pinout and follow up later.  It is a
relatively
> > simple change and you can use current drives on many antique computers.
> >
> > You can mound 3.5" drives in your drive case with a standard 3.5" ->
5.25"
> > mounting bracket.
> >
> > 720K disks usually have to be specially ordered but are still very
> > available.
> >
> > bit.listserv.coco is a good usenet group for COCO discussions.
> >
> > Randy
>
> I looked up the pinout (it's simple but I don't have it memorized).
>
> Take a "standard" PC floppy cable and carefully remove the connector cover
> on the end with the twist.
>   If the connector has two covers the top one is a strain relief and
usually
> breaks when removed (not needed).
>   The cable cover has tabs on each side, using a pocket knife carefully
pry
> each tab away from the connector while pushing up.  Sometimes the tabs
catch
> on a second notch before coming off, just repeat the procedure to finish.
>
> Pull off the part of the cable that is twisted and straighten it out.
>
> Separate the wires 10 through 12 (counting from the colored stripe).
>
> Twist just those wires and push all the wires back on the connector
through
> the same holes.
>
> Replace the cover.
>
> You now have a cable that uses new drives on old computers without
changing
> jumpers.
>
> Please note that the drive plugged into the connector just changed is the
> first drive, the "straight" connector is the second.
>
> If anyone is interested pin 10 is the first DS, 11 is ground, 12 is the
> second DS.
>
> Randy

Can I mount this drive inside the FD 501 case while still using the
single-sided 5.25" drive that is in the case now? This would be a great
solution, becasue 3.5" drives are a lot easier to come by than half-height
double density 5.25" drives.
I'd assume that the 80 track disk image that i dowloaded with the nitros
package is a 720kb 3.5" disk image?

Thanks,
Greg