Re: Need help identifying this drive?

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

labelas@hotmail.com (Labelas Enoreth) wrote:

>Why is it that the Mac 800k (lacking the button) will not work with the
>IIgs, but the one with it will? I thought internally they were the
>same...I mean, obviously you'd need to use a paperclip to eject the disk,
>but still.

Because the drive was pre-Apple IIGS.  In fact, you'll find
that old buttonless Mac 800k and Mac 400k floppy drives
won't work in later Mac models (but external SuperDrives
and IIGS/Mac Apple 800k drives will).

FYI, I never use the eject button on my IIGS' floppy drive.
I just drag the disk to the trash (or within GS/OS programs,
the program ejects the disks when necessary).

You can use buttonless Mac drives on Apple II computers
with the addition of a Universal Disk Controller (UDC) sold
by Video Technology under the Laser brand, though.  The
drives will also work on all but the earliest model of Laser
128 computer (later model Laser 128, 128EX, and 128EX/2
units had UDC controllers built in).

In fact, the Laser 128 external 3.5" drives didn't work on
a real Apple II unless the controller was a UDC.  They
look exactly like the Cutting Edge drive you describe.
While it looks like the drive is a PC drive (with the
mechanical disk eject plunger and all), there is actually
an eject motor inside.  Dragging the disk to the trash
under Apple II Desktop on a Laser 128 will eject the
disk.  It is kind of fun to watch the mechanical pluger
push itself in!  ;-)