Comments on: How to build an 8-bit IDE controller for a PC XT http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/ The tech blog of Geordy Rostad Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:02:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Geordy http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-981 Geordy Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:04:54 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-981 Last time I tried to track down the PCB, I couldn't find it but I talked to someone at my local vintage computer club and he told me there was actually a newer version of the board with more features. I only needed one for the moment so that's all I built but I might get motivated to build another one someday here. If I do, I'll blog about it. Last time I tried to track down the PCB, I couldn’t find it but I talked to someone at my local vintage computer club and he told me there was actually a newer version of the board with more features. I only needed one for the moment so that’s all I built but I might get motivated to build another one someday here. If I do, I’ll blog about it.

]]> By: alex http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-980 alex Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:01:18 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-980 can you still make these XT IDE controler cards? I would need 2. I have 2 Tandy 1000 computers that used to boot off my MFM drives but the drives no longer boot. Ive been wanting to convert to IDE for a long time now. Can you help? Alex can you still make these XT IDE controler cards? I would need 2. I have 2 Tandy 1000 computers that used to boot off my MFM drives but the drives no longer boot. Ive been wanting to convert to IDE for a long time now. Can you help?

Alex

]]> By: Geordy http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-522 Geordy Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:34:42 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-522 Actually, now that you mention that reseating DRAM's somewhat fixed it, you gave me another idea. Take your motherboard out entirely and check on the solder side for bad/thin/cracked solder joints. Reseating the drams could have worked something temporarily back into place that is flaky but touching up the solder might be a permanent fix. Actually, now that you mention that reseating DRAM’s somewhat fixed it, you gave me another idea. Take your motherboard out entirely and check on the solder side for bad/thin/cracked solder joints. Reseating the drams could have worked something temporarily back into place that is flaky but touching up the solder might be a permanent fix.

]]> By: jace http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-521 jace Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:23:53 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-521 dying capacitors... sounds scary. don't know if i'd ever find a power supply to replace the one this machine came with. Just about an hour ago, i reseated the four DRAM chips to see if that would help... The display is working again with the hard drive enabled. It did go blank on me once so far shortly after that, but it's been ok for almost an hour now. i have a multimeter but don't know electronics so well. i suppose i could look at the voltages on the drive power... beyond that, i'm at a loss. Regarding compact flash... i'd LOVE to replace the hard drive with CF, but the controller is XT IDE and i'm working with the understanding that XT IDE is so old as to be unsupported by ANY devices still being built (it's not the standard IDE we know from 386 and up PCs). dying capacitors… sounds scary. don’t know if i’d ever find a power supply to replace the one this machine came with.
Just about an hour ago, i reseated the four DRAM chips to see if that would help… The display is working again with the hard drive enabled. It did go blank on me once so far shortly after that, but it’s been ok for almost an hour now. i have a multimeter but don’t know electronics so well. i suppose i could look at the voltages on the drive power… beyond that, i’m at a loss.
Regarding compact flash… i’d LOVE to replace the hard drive with CF, but the controller is XT IDE and i’m working with the understanding that XT IDE is so old as to be unsupported by ANY devices still being built (it’s not the standard IDE we know from 386 and up PCs).

]]> By: Geordy http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-520 Geordy Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:09:12 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-520 One of the best ways to find me is in the IRC channel irc.freenode.net #zipit-dev. Feel free to PM me on there. Yes, the PSU could certainly be dying. When old electrolytic capacitors dry out, things can start to get flaky. I would still suggest finding an old AT style power supply and try powering the drive off of that. One of the best ways to find me is in the IRC channel irc.freenode.net #zipit-dev. Feel free to PM me on there.

Yes, the PSU could certainly be dying. When old electrolytic capacitors dry out, things can start to get flaky. I would still suggest finding an old AT style power supply and try powering the drive off of that.

]]> By: jace http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-519 jace Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:23:20 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-519 Thanks for the response (is there a better way to get in touch?) My Tandy 1000 TL/2 has a built-in XT IDE controller on the mainboard (the IDE is often referred to as "SmartDrive"). The power supply is what came built with the machine and i see no obvious power ratings labels. Could the PSU be dying in such as way as to offer less power? i assume though that if it were the power supply, the drive being powered on would cause the same problem even if the IDE cable was unplugged. That's not the case. Everything worked fine as is (hard drive & MPU-401 MIDI card) until a week ago . The problem started as intermittent than became consistent. Remove the drive's IDE connector and the video works again. Thanks for the response (is there a better way to get in touch?)
My Tandy 1000 TL/2 has a built-in XT IDE controller on the mainboard (the IDE is often referred to as “SmartDrive”). The power supply is what came built with the machine and i see no obvious power ratings labels. Could the PSU be dying in such as way as to offer less power? i assume though that if it were the power supply, the drive being powered on would cause the same problem even if the IDE cable was unplugged. That’s not the case.

Everything worked fine as is (hard drive & MPU-401 MIDI card) until a week ago . The problem started as intermittent than became consistent. Remove the drive’s IDE connector and the video works again.

]]> By: Geordy http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-465 Geordy Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:42:23 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-465 Is your power supply up to the task? Have you tried using a separate power supply on the hard drive to make sure that isn't dragging down the system? A ide-cf adapter might be a good item to try too since the power requirements are very low for that. Sure I could build you a card but I'm not convinced that it would solve your problem. What IDE controller card are you using now? Is your power supply up to the task? Have you tried using a separate power supply on the hard drive to make sure that isn’t dragging down the system? A ide-cf adapter might be a good item to try too since the power requirements are very low for that. Sure I could build you a card but I’m not convinced that it would solve your problem. What IDE controller card are you using now?

]]> By: jace http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-452 jace Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:01:47 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-452 would you be willing to build one of these for me? if yes, what price? i need one for a Tandy 1000 TL/2 that has (for unknown reasons) decided that the XT IDE drive will black the display (computer is okay if the drive is unplugged but i really want a hard drive in there & there are no XT IDE or SmartDrive hard drives on the market at any reasonable cost). would you be willing to build one of these for me? if yes, what price? i need one for a Tandy 1000 TL/2 that has (for unknown reasons) decided that the XT IDE drive will black the display (computer is okay if the drive is unplugged but i really want a hard drive in there & there are no XT IDE or SmartDrive hard drives on the market at any reasonable cost).

]]> By: XT IDE controller | Video Game News, reviews, and information. http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-361 XT IDE controller | Video Game News, reviews, and information. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:12:14 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-361 [...] this ISA card. [Geordy] was even able to order a professional PCB from one of the forum members. He ordered the parts an soldered it together, costing about $30 total. He had a friend help him burn the code to the EEPROM but that’s [...] [...] this ISA card. [Geordy] was even able to order a professional PCB from one of the forum members. He ordered the parts an soldered it together, costing about $30 total. He had a friend help him burn the code to the EEPROM but that’s [...]

]]> By: XT IDE controller - Hack a Day http://www.notanon.com/electronics/how-to-build-an-8-bit-ide-controller-for-a-pc-xt/2010/07/30/comment-page-1/#comment-360 XT IDE controller - Hack a Day Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:10:33 +0000 http://www.notanon.com/?p=924#comment-360 [...] this ISA card. [Geordy] was even able to order a professional PCB from one of the forum members. He ordered the parts an soldered it together, costing about $30 total. He had a friend help him burn the code to the EEPROM but that’s [...] [...] this ISA card. [Geordy] was even able to order a professional PCB from one of the forum members. He ordered the parts an soldered it together, costing about $30 total. He had a friend help him burn the code to the EEPROM but that’s [...]

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