tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post8036039958916560538..comments2024-03-18T14:26:41.591-04:00Comments on Nerdly Pleasures: Working with ST-506 Interface MFM Hard DrivesGreat Hierophanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04409413307024477304noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-54189658020773607192021-08-31T20:46:58.556-04:002021-08-31T20:46:58.556-04:00It was common in those days to underrate or relabe...It was common in those days to underrate or relabel a device either just for marketing purposes or to sell devices where spot testing showed too many errors at higher densities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-80961514336980687702017-12-22T11:24:46.074-05:002017-12-22T11:24:46.074-05:00I remember back in the day I was playing with an I...I remember back in the day I was playing with an IBM XT clone PC with a ST-225 MFM drive.<br />I wasn't afraid to break it back then, as my main rig was a 386, so I experimented.<br /><br />I installed a WDC MFM controller, but accidentally plugged the smaller (data) cable in the wrong way around. When I booted the PC the WDC BIOS said it detected a new "uninitialized" drive and proceeded to enter into it's own low level format utility.<br /><br />I new the drive was working, so I checked and saw the cable upside down, and while the machine was powered I changed the cable the right way around...<br /><br />I then saw there's a list of drives I can choose from, so I tried a different option than the ST-225. It was a 30MB option (cannot remember what the ST number was), so I chose that option.<br /><br />To my surprise the drive formatted to 30MB and worked! I then tried the 35MB option and that didn't work, once it got past a certain cylinder the drive would click and mark all sectors bad after that cylinder, but hey, atleast my 20MB ST-225 was a 30MB drive, and it worked, all 30MB of it worked.<br /><br />Those where the days...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01848583399094170825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-56335732946872760732017-07-18T01:11:08.168-04:002017-07-18T01:11:08.168-04:00I was there, and I just want to add that one of th...I was there, and I just want to add that one of the neat tricks at the time was buying an RLL controller and using with MFM drives, which were much cheaper. Instant 50% capacity (and speed) increase.<br />It worked for two drives I had: an original 20Mb that turned to 30Mb and one 40Mb bought specifically to work as a 60Mb drive. Never had any trouble...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-863374229390701242017-01-22T01:04:31.075-05:002017-01-22T01:04:31.075-05:00Very handy info to know if trying to access data o...Very handy info to know if trying to access data on a very old drive. Thank you, I did not know XTs were so limited, but I guessed they might be. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-34302308341494653022016-12-17T04:39:02.940-05:002016-12-17T04:39:02.940-05:00Indeed, this short article was well written. I lov...Indeed, this short article was well written. I love reading about old hardware like this. Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-13481449517505001552016-12-07T16:57:15.371-05:002016-12-07T16:57:15.371-05:00Fun fact I'm in the process of resurrecting an...Fun fact I'm in the process of resurrecting an MFM hdd, and putting it on a newerish/olderish system to pull the data off of it and bring it to the future.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12436607989292561669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993165553021868648.post-68017584089213544572016-05-31T03:48:36.488-04:002016-05-31T03:48:36.488-04:00Great great article! Keep the good information com...Great great article! Keep the good information coming! :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com