PC Drive in an External Amiga Drive

mr_magnell · 26 August 2013, 18:58

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know if i can put an PC Drive into my external Amiga drive and read PC HD Floppies without doing any changes to the PC Drive?

I don't care about reading Amiga floppies, i only need to read PC HD Floppies with Crossdos.

Jope · 26 August 2013, 21:45

Not possible. The Amiga can't keep up with the PC HD drive's data speed.

mr_magnell · 26 August 2013, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jope

Not possible. The Amiga can't keep up with the PC HD drive's data speed.

OK, thanks for the info.

Then I have to stay with the 720Kb DD disks

ElectroBlaster · 27 August 2013, 03:07

Well it is possible BUT you need to find a Power Computing XL external drive! These are designed to read and write PC HD disks with crossdos afaik! I have one so I can verify it if you want, been a fair number of years since using one but im sure it can do it. I think it can even format amiga dos disks to 1.77mb? I will defo verify this later.

Amitek also made an high-density external out of a pc laptop drive, I have one of these but the rather heath-robinson hack they did on the connector lead means it was very prone to breaking. Mine blew apart so its now stuck as a paperweight, nobody else seems to have one so I cant even begin to repair it

prowler · 27 August 2013, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroBlaster

Well it is possible BUT you need to find a Power Computing XL external drive! These are designed to read and write PC HD disks with crossdos afaik! I have one so I can verify it if you want, been a fair number of years since using one but im sure it can do it. I think it can even format amiga dos disks to 1.77mb? I will defo verify this later.

Amitek also made an high-density external out of a pc laptop drive, I have one of these but the rather heath-robinson hack they did on the connector lead means it was very prone to breaking. Mine blew apart so its now stuck as a paperweight, nobody else seems to have one so I cant even begin to repair it

Do both the Power Computing XL and Amitek HD external drives actually use unmodified PC-compatible floppy drive units?

cpiac64 · 27 August 2013, 22:27

i can test tomorrow my drive for verify

prowler · 27 August 2013, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpiac64

i can test tomorrow my drive for verify

Thankyou.

ElectroBlaster · 28 August 2013, 00:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by prowler

Do both the Power Computing XL and Amitek HD external drives actually use unmodified PC-compatible floppy drive units?

I happen to have the guts of another Power Computing XL, was originally in one of my a1200 tower conversions back in 2000/2001. From what I can see! The drive is an un-modified Sony MPF, need to clarify 100% but I am sure its just an off the shelf pc unit. Power C put all the interface stuff on the board along with the custom chip.

Now I pretty sure the Amitek unit is the same thing again but the drive mech is in netbook/laptop form with a clever little interface board going to the 23pin drive port on the amiga. Mine collapsed on me one day ripping itself apart in my hand and then I just couldnt suss out where each wire went... dam thing was hot glued before the plastic cover was put on so there was no strain relief on the cable or anything

This amitek unit was 1000 times better than the power c one! It did not need any drivers for starters!

EDIT: How about this for a test! I shall fish out a NOS Sony MPF920 E/131 built in 2004. I managed to acquire a bundle of these brand new! I will then grab the power c xl board gubbins and hook it all up. If it works I will soon let you guys know

prowler · 28 August 2013, 00:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroBlaster

Now I pretty sure the Amitek unit is the same thing again but the drive mech is in netbook/laptop form with a clever little interface board going to the 23pin drive port on the amiga. Mine collapsed on me one day ripping itself apart in my hand and then I just couldnt suss out where each wire went... dam thing was hot glued before the plastic cover was put on so there was no strain relief on the cable or anything

This amitek unit was 1000 times better than the power c one! It did not need any drivers for starters!

I'm sure I have one of those drives somewhere. It's in a beige case IIRC, somewhat darker than usual. and the data lead is detachable, secured with a catch on either side. I'm not sure if it works, but it's never been taken apart AFAIK. When I find it, I'll see if I can dismantle it and supply the wiring details.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroBlaster

I happen to have the guts of another Power Computing XL, was originally in one of my a1200 tower conversions back in 2000/2001. From what I can see! The drive is an un-modified Sony MPF, need to clarify 100% but I am sure its just an off the shelf pc unit. Power C put all the interface stuff on the board along with the custom chip.

EDIT: How about this for a test! I shall fish out a NOS Sony MPF920 E/131 built in 2004. I managed to acquire a bundle of these brand new! I will then grab the power c xl board gubbins and hook it all up. If it works I will soon let you guys know

That would be much appreciated, thanks.

ElectroBlaster · 28 August 2013, 00:48

Excellent if you do! The amitek drive is tiny little skinny thing that was covered in rubber?, the eject button sits on the top. Basically designed for an old school 486 laptop (I guess?) then amitek trundled along and suddenly thought "This would be great on the amiga!"

Clueless as to how they came up with this but it worked! I decided mine was looking tatty so spent some time picking all the rubber coating off, got it looking nice and then broke the lead

It has been sitting in boxes of carp ever since just languishing! I think it is a Toshiba but will need to confirm it.

EDIT: Not Toshiba, but a DX9-DELL-EXFDD

cpiac64 · 28 August 2013, 20:16

i have tested 3 drive, 2 hd and one slim 26 pin, nothin.

sorry

prowler · 28 August 2013, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpiac64

i have tested 3 drive, 2 hd and one slim 26 pin, nothin.

sorry

Not at all. Thanks for trying.

ElectroBlaster · 28 August 2013, 22:37

Ok I have finally found the XL guts again, its amazing how much time seems to pass... I wrote on the box what was in it and the date 15th December 2012.

It just feels like yesterday when I found it amongst loads of old stuff.

Anyway I shall get it hooked up soonish and see what happens.

prowler · 28 August 2013, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroBlaster

Anyway I shall get it hooked up soonish and see what happens.

ElectroBlaster · 29 August 2013, 00:02

Okay dokey!

Update time

Kinda had mixed results but I was expecting this anyway:

Fished out one of these pc drives and it works but only if a disk in it and then powering the amiga, powering the amiga first and then putting in a disk just results in a clueless df1??? sitting on workbench.

If the disk in the drive when powering up I can read and copy all day, so I am assuming this pc drive needs some soldering iron action, basically using one Jope's excellent guides. I then suspect it will be 100% with everything and allow high-density 1.44mb pc formatted disks to work.

I really need to find the original drive unit, if memory serves that drive is old enougth to have id switches. I seem to remember it having switches so im guessing over time as with all things, switches/jumpers were done away with. Hence why we need guides like Jope's when wiring and cutting tracks!

Shame it did not work out of the box. But its all part of the fun I guess

EDIT: Stumbed upon an old book from back in the old days where I wrote down bits that were needed etc! I think this is the drive model: Sony MP-F17W-2W
EDIT2: I am nearly 100% sure this pc drive needs setting to DS0 and that is the only thing hanging it up!

prowler · 29 August 2013, 00:48

Thanks for posting your results.

It sounds like you're nearly there with that one.

Your feeling that the drive needs jumpering to DS0 is almost certainly correct. This is true for all Amiga and Archimedes drives, AFAIK.

I have collected a few of these Power Computing XL drives as well as the Amitek HD example, mostly from eBay, in connection with my floppy disk recovery activities. Some of them work and some do not.

Your findings and those of cpiac64 will help me troubleshoot those that are faulty. Thanks to you both.

When I get started on that I will post all my results here too.

And in the meantime, I'll see if I can dig out that Amitek drive.

26 August 2013, 18:58	#1
mr_magnell Registered User Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Sweden Posts: 35	PC Drive in an External Amiga Drive Hello everyone, Does anyone know if i can put an PC Drive into my external Amiga drive and read PC HD Floppies without doing any changes to the PC Drive? I don't care about reading Amiga floppies, i only need to read PC HD Floppies with Crossdos.

29 August 2013, 00:02	#15
ElectroBlaster Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK Age: 49 Posts: 1,706	Okay dokey! Update time Kinda had mixed results but I was expecting this anyway: Fished out one of these pc drives and it works but only if a disk in it and then powering the amiga, powering the amiga first and then putting in a disk just results in a clueless df1??? sitting on workbench. If the disk in the drive when powering up I can read and copy all day, so I am assuming this pc drive needs some soldering iron action, basically using one Jope's excellent guides. I then suspect it will be 100% with everything and allow high-density 1.44mb pc formatted disks to work. I really need to find the original drive unit, if memory serves that drive is old enougth to have id switches. I seem to remember it having switches so im guessing over time as with all things, switches/jumpers were done away with. Hence why we need guides like Jope's when wiring and cutting tracks! Shame it did not work out of the box. But its all part of the fun I guess EDIT: Stumbed upon an old book from back in the old days where I wrote down bits that were needed etc! I think this is the drive model: Sony MP-F17W-2W EDIT2: I am nearly 100% sure this pc drive needs setting to DS0 and that is the only thing hanging it up! Last edited by ElectroBlaster; 29 August 2013 at 00:19.

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26 August 2013, 21:45	#2
Jope - Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Helsinki / Finland Age: 43 Posts: 9,864	Not possible. The Amiga can't keep up with the PC HD drive's data speed.

27 August 2013, 03:07	#4
ElectroBlaster Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK Age: 49 Posts: 1,706	Well it is possible BUT you need to find a Power Computing XL external drive! These are designed to read and write PC HD disks with crossdos afaik! I have one so I can verify it if you want, been a fair number of years since using one but im sure it can do it. I think it can even format amiga dos disks to 1.77mb? I will defo verify this later. Amitek also made an high-density external out of a pc laptop drive, I have one of these but the rather heath-robinson hack they did on the connector lead means it was very prone to breaking. Mine blew apart so its now stuck as a paperweight, nobody else seems to have one so I cant even begin to repair it

27 August 2013, 22:27	#6
cpiac64 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Italy Posts: 1,136	i can test tomorrow my drive for verify

28 August 2013, 00:48	#10
ElectroBlaster Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK Age: 49 Posts: 1,706	Excellent if you do! The amitek drive is tiny little skinny thing that was covered in rubber?, the eject button sits on the top. Basically designed for an old school 486 laptop (I guess?) then amitek trundled along and suddenly thought "This would be great on the amiga!" Clueless as to how they came up with this but it worked! I decided mine was looking tatty so spent some time picking all the rubber coating off, got it looking nice and then broke the lead It has been sitting in boxes of carp ever since just languishing! I think it is a Toshiba but will need to confirm it. EDIT: Not Toshiba, but a DX9-DELL-EXFDD

28 August 2013, 20:16	#11
cpiac64 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Italy Posts: 1,136	i have tested 3 drive, 2 hd and one slim 26 pin, nothin. sorry

28 August 2013, 22:37	#13
ElectroBlaster Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Exeter, Devon, UK Age: 49 Posts: 1,706	Ok I have finally found the XL guts again, its amazing how much time seems to pass... I wrote on the box what was in it and the date 15th December 2012. It just feels like yesterday when I found it amongst loads of old stuff. Anyway I shall get it hooked up soonish and see what happens.

29 August 2013, 00:48	#16
prowler Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sidcup, England Posts: 10,300	Thanks for posting your results. It sounds like you're nearly there with that one. Your feeling that the drive needs jumpering to DS0 is almost certainly correct. This is true for all Amiga and Archimedes drives, AFAIK. I have collected a few of these Power Computing XL drives as well as the Amitek HD example, mostly from eBay, in connection with my floppy disk recovery activities. Some of them work and some do not. Your findings and those of cpiac64 will help me troubleshoot those that are faulty. Thanks to you both. When I get started on that I will post all my results here too. And in the meantime, I'll see if I can dig out that Amitek drive.

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