Subj : Re: floppy drives and cables
To   : All
From : not@telling.you.invalid
Date : Thu Jan 31 2019 19:16:25

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From: not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev)
Newsgroups:
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion
Subject: Re: floppy drives and cables
Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2017 21:51:50 +0000 (UTC)
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References: <venl0d1ckbs22un77lo9g4hkrmu91keq40@4ax.com>
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<3aim0d9uhvm69b4kvfn04blmrs1vc1j0gs@4ax.com> <ougql9$m6u$1@dont-email.me>
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In microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion james@nospam.com wrote:
> On Wed, 15 Nov 2017 14:16:24 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
> <G6JPG-255@255soft.uk> wrote:
> 
>>In message <ougql9$m6u$1@dont-email.me>, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> 
>>writes:
>>[]
>>>The twisted part, consists of four active signals.
>>>Two for each drive. The twist swaps the signals, so
>>>that one connector can have an A personality and the
>>>other a B personality. (Just like a CS Cable Select method.)
>>[]
>>I've always assumed it was that, and thought it was a clever solution 
>>(admittedly, requiring unusual cable construction).
>>
>>So presumably there is something like (_at the drive_):
>>
>>01 - A
>>10 - B
>>
>>(or vice versa).
>>
>>Does that mean there is the _possibility_ of _four_ drives, using up the 
>>00 and 11 options?
> 
> I am curious if 3 or 4 drives could be used. Not that I would need that
> many. I'm still trying to remember if those ZIP drives connected to the
> floppy cable, or to something else, like a serial port?

The Zip drive installed in the PC I'm posting from is IDE. There were also
external ones for the parallel port and USB.

As for the drives, I guess a lot of things are possible if you write
the code to access them from scratch. Whether this method for selecting
more than two drives would work may depend on the flexibility of the
floppy controller.

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