From: larry_fosdick@hotmail.com   
      
   "pollard"  wrote in message   
   news:1233ncsd28flve3@corp.supernews.com...   
   > Hi all,   
   >   
   > I've got an old Teac 3.5" drive (in 5.25" mount) with jumpers set as Drive   
   > 1 that I want to install in my Model 4P. Tried to tackle installing it   
   > today, but was unsuccessful. The 4P's drive cable is card edge only, so   
   > tried using a PC drive cable hooking up the original 5.25 drive and 3.5   
   > drive using both the cable's end and middle jacks. The 4P wouldn't   
   > recognize either drive in any position.   
   >   
   > Anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Maybe it's due to the wire twist found   
   > on PC floppy cables? I'm about at my wits end trying to find a way to   
   > transfer DSK files from PC to 4P.   
   >   
   > Thanks,   
   >   
   > David   
      
   To work with the TRS-80, the floppy drive has to meet a few conditions.   
      
   1. It has to have jumpers to change some functions   
      
   The two jumpers you have to have are DS and RDY.  DS selectes between   
   different drives. If you are only using it as drive :1, then you don't need   
   to change this jumper.   
      
   The RDY jumper has to be changed. In the IBM PC, this jumper's alternate   
   position was used as a media change indicator. In the TRS-80 it is a ready   
   indicator.  This is not an option.  If your drive does not have jumpers but   
   has them all soldered in place, you're probably out of luck.   
      
   There are some Teac floppy drives with jumpers. Since you state it is "old",   
   it may be so equipped.   
      
   2. You have to have a straight-through cable   
   The twist changes lines that the TRS-80 doesn't like. I don't remeber the   
   details, but I do know it doesn't work for me.  Here you have some options.   
      
   You can build a new cable from scratch; the parts can be found on the web   
   with some searching in Google.  You can add a female IDC connector to your   
   existing cable.  Crimping can be done with a vise with care, or a crimp tool   
   if you don't have a vise.  These connectors are usually less than a buck.   
      
   If you have a PC floppy cable with both card edge and IDC connectors, you   
   can use the two before the twist.  The other end will plug into the 4P mobo.   
      
   If you build a straight-through cable, you must change the DS jumper on your   
   5.25" drive to be the lowest number (DS0 or DS1 depending on the drive).   
      
   I have a 4P with 2 3.5" Chinon drives.  I also modified it to use external   
   drives, and have a case with one 5.25 and one 3.5" drive, each selected as   
   drive 2. I then plug in whichever I want as my third drive (I like this   
   better than making them both active, since I also have a Model I and with DS   
   drives, I can only have three active).   
      
   Larry   
      
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