[Coco] Making it work...

[Gene Heskett]

On Saturday 02 September 2017 03:48:23 titan1a at juno.com wrote:

> Please pardon my brevity...
>
> I have a pristine Coco 3 with 512k, Amiga RGB monitor, FD-502
> controller, and dual 720 drive set.
>
> From what I read I'm in a dilemma. The current system will neither
> read nor write 720 disks natively. I can't get ANY software on 3.5
> inch drives. I can't run Extended ADos 3 without media nor may I
> attempt to run Nitros9 of any sort. My options are ... use the
> floppies for ECDB BASIC programming converting other BASIC programs
> for compatibility. Attempt, again, to use my "tweener" computers to
> rig something that might way using an emulator. Try hard to get a copy
> of CocoSDC although instructions to procure same are obtuse at best.
> Go back to using SS/DD disks by purchasing a used drive or drives.
>
> Computer still won't recognize double-sided drives. I can't use
> CocoSDC with ADos3. I can't install ADos 3 in ROM. What can I do?
>
> All I want is to run Nitros9 and associated programs, access my
> floppies, and transfer and install software incompatible with my
> current system.
>
It sounds to me that you may be using an original radio shack ribbon 
cable, if your machine will not recognize double sided drives.  You'll 
need to replace the drive connectors with the missing teeth with 
connectors carrying the full 40 teeth.  The original shack cable didn't 
carry enough connections for double sided drives and was I think setup 
so the drive became whatever the connector was pinned out for. So if 
using 3.5" drives, which can be wired as 0 and 1, but which out of the 
box were all set for drive one, (and finding that jumper on the drives 
pcb can be a chore) and the pc's twisted cable made the drive on the end 
of the cable drive 0. With 5.25" drives, 3 double sided drives can be 
used w/o anything but a fully populated cable when using nitros9, and of 
course the correct drive selection jumpers installed.  Usually DS0 on 
drive 0, DS1 on drive 1, and DS2 on drive 2.

> I hope I didn't make anyone unhappy.
>
> Rick (sparks) Ethridge
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Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
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