🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan23.193114.3033@dct.ac.uk> eesb2mm@dct.ac.uk writes:
>
>
>Okay I have a PC XT, 256k memory with BIOS date 1982 or thereabouts, with IBM 
>internal 10 MB hard disk drive. I have a couple of questions to ask:
>
>	1) I'm a bit tight on space, so turned the machine on its side. This 
>	   worked fine for a while, but recently I have been getting 'Disk
>	   Boot Failure' and 'Data Error reading drive C:' errors. These errors
>	   normally clear after a couple of retries, but am I causing damage to
>	   the hard disk, or is it just a bit flakey on its side?
>
Probably both! the hard disk is probably a full hight unit, with much less
mechanical strength that the newer units. Try leaving it on for a couple
of hours, then (having backed up your data) reformat the drive:
	debug
	 g=c800:5     <-- the BIOS routine for low leveling an XT drive

	fdisk
	format c:/s


>	2) Due to its age, I heard it is impossible to get a 386 motherboard 
>	   and PSU in the case. If this is so, does anyone know where in the UK 
>	   I could obtain a second-hand case ( and any other second hand items)
>	   to suit a student budget? (Yes, I know about misc.forsale %-)
>
Let me know too (*PLEASE*)

>	3) If I do get new components for the machine, can anyone think of 
>	   any ideas for using the old parts in some way?
>
If you are going to change large chunks of the machine, and the XT fill
work when you've finished, see if there is a charity project near you that
provides computing facilities for disables/housebound people (it's called
MicroBecon in Edinburgh)


--
--- Kiz (aka Ian Stuart) istuart@nyx.cs.du.edu
	{ Chivalry is not dead! - Just the Horse }