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Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373529] Thu, 13 September 2018 10:01 Go to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: cb meeks

Every time the CFFA card comes up, I don't have the money. lol

So I was wondering, are there any open source designs out there where I could have a PCB made, solder up the components myself, and have some type of internal mass-storage for the Apple IIe?

I know about the Floppy Emu project (although, I don't think it's open source). And that seems to be a wonderful product. But I'm looking for more of the internal drive experience and ProDOS.

SD card or IDE drive would be fine (not much into SCSI as they are getting harder to find).

Now, if someone would create a SATA interface that would be wonderful. :-)

Anyway, information greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373597 is a reply to message #373529] Sat, 15 September 2018 02:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: James Davis

Have you looked at the Microdrive IIe/IIgs?
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373624 is a reply to message #373597] Sun, 16 September 2018 00:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: cb meeks

On Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 2:37:14 AM UTC-4, James Davis wrote:
> Have you looked at the Microdrive IIe/IIgs?

No, I didn't know about that. Thanks for the suggestion!

Question...if I bought that $95 card, could it be used to run ProDOS and the tons of games that have been "cracked" to work on ProDOS?

I'm really looking for a single OS running some sort of hard-disk setup instead of using floppies.

Thanks
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373631 is a reply to message #373624] Sun, 16 September 2018 08:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
David Schmidt is currently offline  David Schmidt
Messages: 993
Registered: October 2012
Karma: 0
Senior Member
On 9/16/2018 12:19 AM, cb meeks wrote:
> On Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 2:37:14 AM UTC-4, James Davis wrote:
>> Have you looked at the Microdrive IIe/IIgs?
>
> No, I didn't know about that. Thanks for the suggestion!
>
> Question...if I bought that $95 card, could it be used to run ProDOS and the tons of games that have been "cracked" to work on ProDOS?

That's exactly what it would do, yes.
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373641 is a reply to message #373624] Sun, 16 September 2018 16:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: James Davis

On Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 9:19:40 PM UTC-7, cb meeks wrote:
> On Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 2:37:14 AM UTC-4, James Davis wrote:
>> Have you looked at the Microdrive IIe/IIgs?
>
> No, I didn't know about that. Thanks for the suggestion!
>
> Question...if I bought that $95 card, could it be used to run ProDOS and the tons of games that have been "cracked" to work on ProDOS?
>
> I'm really looking for a single OS running some sort of hard-disk setup instead of using floppies.
>
> Thanks

I bought one last year for my Enh. Apple IIe, but I haven't installed it yet. I want to use it to port my Sider HDD (and everything else I have on floppies) over to my Windows machine for use with AppleWin.
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373643 is a reply to message #373641] Sun, 16 September 2018 17:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: inexorabletash

The MicroDrive is working fine for me. I have it in my son's enhanced IIe.

I'd prefer a solution that mounts HDV/2MG files on a FAT file system as ProDOS volumes (like the FloppyEmu's SmartPort mode) for ease of maintenance, rather than CF partitions, but that's just my workflow.

I have run into a handful of issues. Must be a higher slot than a mouse card, and creating more than two partitions made things go wonky until I deleted them, but otherwise it's fine.
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373644 is a reply to message #373643] Sun, 16 September 2018 17:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
David Schmidt is currently offline  David Schmidt
Messages: 993
Registered: October 2012
Karma: 0
Senior Member
On 9/16/2018 5:06 PM, inexorabletash@gmail.com wrote:
> The MicroDrive is working fine for me. I have it in my son's enhanced IIe.
>
> I'd prefer a solution that mounts HDV/2MG files on a FAT file system as ProDOS volumes (like the FloppyEmu's SmartPort mode) for ease of maintenance, rather than CF partitions, but that's just my workflow.
>
> I have run into a handful of issues. Must be a higher slot than a mouse card, and creating more than two partitions made things go wonky until I deleted them, but otherwise it's fine.

The slot issue is interesting to me - I fixed an issue in ADTPro where a
probe for a different kind of card sent the MD/T into la-la land as
well, but if the other card showed up first, it didn't cause the
problem. There is some volunteer work afoot to look at the MD/T's
firmware, so it may get some resolution over time.
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373662 is a reply to message #373529] Mon, 17 September 2018 10:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: cb meeks

On Thursday, September 13, 2018 at 10:01:22 AM UTC-4, cb meeks wrote:
> Every time the CFFA card comes up, I don't have the money. lol
>
> So I was wondering, are there any open source designs out there where I could have a PCB made, solder up the components myself, and have some type of internal mass-storage for the Apple IIe?
>
> I know about the Floppy Emu project (although, I don't think it's open source). And that seems to be a wonderful product. But I'm looking for more of the internal drive experience and ProDOS.
>
> SD card or IDE drive would be fine (not much into SCSI as they are getting harder to find).
>
> Now, if someone would create a SATA interface that would be wonderful. :-)
>
> Anyway, information greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks!


Thanks for all of the feedback. I think when I get two nickles to rub together, I will purchase the Microdrive. Sounds like it's exactly what I want. Well, not exactly...I don't think it's totally open source but the price isn't bad for what it does.
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373698 is a reply to message #373662] Mon, 17 September 2018 17:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: frank_o_rama

If you only want a static setup, get a microdrive. If you want to change images a ton and also use a virtual disk ii, you'll be annoyed you didn't just get a CFFA3000. The FloppyEmu is okay, and less expensive, but you'll need a more "modern" II with SmartPort like the //c or //gs to use it as mass storage. It's also a bit "fiddly" whereas the CFFA3000 is not.

f
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373727 is a reply to message #373698] Tue, 18 September 2018 08:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: Delfs

CF card = IDE drive. Have used the cheap adapters in all the following controllers: Focus, micro drive, micro drive turbo, Pegasus, CFFA (redundant but had to try it.). YMMV though.

There is an open source IDE adapter. Just saying. http://s.guillard.free.fr/Apple2IDE/Apple2IDE.htm

Personally I have a WiFi SD card plugged into a CF adapter plugged into an IDE adapter plugged into my Focus A2 IDE controller. Ciderpress (Windows) is my friend for moving files wirelessly. YMMV

Lots of used IDEs out there, ask around. YI am fortunate enough to have a spare CFFA card, make offer if interested. (IDE card with CF socket, fast reliable.)

-Ed
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373728 is a reply to message #373727] Tue, 18 September 2018 08:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: cb meeks

On Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 8:07:19 AM UTC-4, Delfs wrote:

> Lots of used IDEs out there, ask around. YI am fortunate enough to have a spare CFFA card, make offer if interested. (IDE card with CF socket, fast reliable.)
>
> -Ed

Thanks for the offer, but I have no idea what they are worth. I wouldn't want to insult you with a low-ball offer. I actually thought about buying one around Christmas if they are still available. If not, no biggie.

Unfortunately, I don't know enough about the Apple file systems to know what I need or not. But my "dream" setup would be:

1) Turn on Apple IIe (enhanced or not, I could do either)

2) Auto-boot into ProDOS (newest version)

3) Use menu-driven screens to find a game (or even non-game) software to load and run. Something that can be organized by sub-directories.


This is almost exactly what I do with the SD2IEC and my Commodore machines. Except it doesn't auto-boot into the menu.
Re: Internal hard drive on the cheap? [message #373778 is a reply to message #373728] Wed, 19 September 2018 21:55 Go to previous message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: Delfs

Yes there are several options for that, to a menu and run. Even the newest proofs quit routine may be sufficient for that. :). I want to say I recall several folks here offering HD images set up for just such a set up. Look around a bit. Pm me off list if you are serious about a HD.
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