is there anyway to run a non IEDE drive on a new computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter fstop8
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fstop8

I have an old non Eide hard drive with some info that I need. The old
computer is fried.

Fstop8
 
Put it in an XP computer as a slave.
You don't say why it's fried.
If the HD is fried then you have a bigger problem that if it's just the
motherboard or power supply.
How about some decent info to give you a decent answer?
 
fstop8 said:
I have an old non Eide hard drive with some info that I need. The old
computer is fried.

Fstop8
Click to expand...

you mean an MFM drive?
no

you need to pickup another old machine
 
fstop8 said:
I have an old non Eide hard drive with some info that I need. The old
computer is fried.

Fstop8
Click to expand...

Exactly what kind of drive do you have?

Is it a 1st generation IDE?

Is it MFM?

Is it RLL?

What the hell is it?
 
fstop8 said:
I have an old non Eide hard drive with some info that
I need. The old computer is fried.
Click to expand...

Post the model numbers of both the drive and the controller. The drive
type is either MFM, RLL, ESDI, or SCSI, and the drive probably plugged
into a controller card rather than directly into the motherboard. Save
that controller card since may be almost irreplaceable, especially the
MFM and RLL types, which usually lay down a low level format unique not
only to the particular model card but also to the version of the BIOS
on the card. Don't throw away the controller even if it's damaged
since damage is typically limited to the cheap, generic buffer chips
that any real computer technician can fix.

I'm almost sure you'll need a motherboard with ISA slots on it, and if
the controller is made for 16-bit ISA (has both a 62-pin connector and
a 38-pin connector in front of it, with a notch between them) rather
than 8-bit, the motherboard will need the ability to turn off its BIOS
shadowing, which causes problems for those controllers because they
possibly use some of the BIOS space for their own scratchpad RAM.
8-bit controllers don't seem to require this, but they can be
incompatible with the BIOSes of some 16-bit motherboards (AT, ATX, as
opposed to XT) and SMS OMTI controllers that use a small amount of
memory space as scratchpad. Another problem can be I/O port overlap
with the IDE controller built into most newer motherboards; either turn
it off in the BIOS setup, or set the controller card to uzse secondary
I/O port addresses.
 
The drive is a NEC -model #D3142 and the date is 1989. S/N is
8952603630 and part # 134-500558-531. The drive is connected to an
ISA card with the notch.
 
The drive is a NEC -model #D3142 and the date is 1989. S/N is
8952603630 and part # 134-500558-531. The drive is connected to an
ISA card with the notch.
 
The drive is a NEC -model #D3142 and the date is 1989. S/N is
8952603630 and part # 134-500558-531. The drive is connected to an
ISA card with the notch.
 
fstop8 said:
The drive is a NEC -model #D3142 and the date is 1989. S/N is
8952603630 and part # 134-500558-531. The drive is connected to an
ISA card with the notch.
Click to expand...

That drive is a 42 MB MFM drive. The ISA card would be the MFM
controller. In order to access the data on the drive, you would need to
use the original controller, or an exact duplicate. Although MFM was a
common format, it seemed that each controller manufacturer implemented
the specs a little different. So, it was virtually impossible to swap
controllers and be able to access the drive without doing a low-level
format to make the drive compatible with the new controller.

If the data is really important, you should be able to find a used
motherboard with an ISA slot. Perhaps you have a computer shop in town
that would be willing to help you find a solution.
 
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