Ariel Millennium Thornton @arielmt@computerfairi.es

I still want someone to make USB floppy drives that can read & write MF2DD floppies reliably AND USB floppy drives that can read & write DSDD & DSHD floppies in all the most common formats.

I still want someone to make new 3-1/2 (90mm) AND 5-1/4 (135mm) floppies, too!

Windows 10 is an incompatible clone of VMS that thinks it's an incompatible clone of CP/M.

Context: Surprise that Windows 10 reads & writes MF2HD floppy disks with a (relatively) cheap USB floppy drive.

What I tried so far:
> debug
-> G=C800:5
-> G=C800:800
-> G=C800:CCC
-> G=C800:5
-> G=C800:6

What I haven't tried yet:
> SpeedStor http://minuszerodegrees.net/software/speedstor.htm
> Other debug commands https://jeffpar.github.io/kbarchive/kb/060/Q60089/

There's no HDD attached. I have to figure out what the controller is & supports before sourcing a disk.

404 Monday not found

@cr1901 I already did try the Debug command, and it hung identically to commands for other controllers.

My problem is that I have to identify the controller type and jumper settings positively before I can source a hard drive to pair it with.

@cr1901 suggest away!

I have IBM DOS 2.1 for the PC-XT & IBM DOS 3.3 on disks the XT likes, but they don't have a setup program. The disks were installed before being shrink-wrapped.

The only other utilities I have are DEBUG & FDISK. None of the Debug commands worked, & FDisk simply says no HDD.

The Diagnostics disk from the XT's Guide to Operations recognizes that a controller is present & jumpered for a single HDD, but it doesn't say what the controller is or what kind it is.

But the only Mountain Computer manuals I can find are for their Apple II products. None for their IBM PC controller cards.

And I know it's a hard drive controller of some sort, because Mountain Computer sold it for the PC & XT (5150 & 5160) at the same time they sold hard drive kits for Apple IIs.

Omni Complete Catalog of Computer Hardware and Accessories 1984, pp. 242-243: https://archive.org/details/Omni_Complete_Catalog_of_Computer_Hardware_and_Accessories_1984_Omni_Publications/page/n249/mode/2up

It's similar to to this tape controller sandwich:
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/133011110665
- https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Mountain-tape-drive-interface-8-bit-isa-05-04031-01-rev-C/521212501
but not.

Anyone who knows rare add-ons for #vintagecomputers, can you point me to the manual for this? It's a Mountain Computer part number 05-04031-02 that came in a HDD-less IBM 5160 (PC-XT) I rescued. I can't tell if it's an MFM, RLL, or ESDI controller or what the jumpers do.

BOOT ERROR PB

Meaning: Remove peanut butter & jelly sandwich or other foreign object from disk drive.

The computer arrived with this drive's door shut. How did they even get that far in there?

When you ship #vintagecomputers, folks, *PLEASE* cover and protect the openings before pouring packing peanuts into the box!

I now own a TRS-80 Model III that *must* be disassembled because styrofoam peanuts are clogging the disk drive cavities and edge connector openings.

I shouldn't be shopping for vintage computers, especially at this hour, but someone is definitely as much of a geek as I am. They're selling a TI-99/4A for $99.4A: