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- Adding a 3.5 inch drive to a PC or compatible
- by Doug Hogarth
-
- If you have a PC or compatible with an open drive slot (ready for a 5.25
- inch drive), these instructions should help in changing to the newer 3.5
- inch size.
-
- Before starting, note that this does not discuss physical mounting.
- External cases are currently available (though usually dual), but I'd
- prefer an adapter for mounting in a half-height 5.25 inch drive slot.
-
- First comes the drive. You'll want what is known as an 80 track,
- double-sided drive. A Teac 35-F works nicely, and was my choice for
- about $130 discounted. This is the "bare" drive. A jumper needs to be
- placed on MS, and the proper "drive select." In my case, as the second
- physical drive, I jumpered DS1.
-
- The next step is to prepare two cable adapters, one for power and the
- other for data. Both are non-standard sizes, and while other cabling
- methods could be used, I'll discuss making adapters from standard 5.25
- inch connectors to the 3.5 inch.
-
- For power, you need to get the small four pin female connector to mate
- with the drive. You might have to snip the "ears" off it to make it
- fit. I got the parts for about $1, and made a special "Y-cable." One
- end was from the 5.25 inch size male connector, wired to a 5.25 inch
- size female connector, but in parallel to a 3.5 inch size female
- connector. It is important to note that the pin numbers on the 3.5 inch
- connector must be REVERSED from the 5.25 inch connector. In other
- words, pin 1 goes to pin 4, etc. Wired incorrectly, the drive might
- select and spin, but data will not pass and damage might occur (but did
- not in may case). If you are familiar with the fact that only three
- connections actually need to be made, note that the same is the case for
- the 3.5 inch.
-
- For data, you need the 5.25 inch size male card edge connector, wired by
- ribbon cable to the 3.5 inch size female header connector (about $1).
- This one is not reversed. (Someone should start selling these cables
- for about $5 each, to