Re: Question about Focus Hard Drives

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article itsme <quantum@telis.org> writes...

>I read somewhere that focus hard drives use IDE drive mechs.
>
>These must be from notebook computers.  They're tiny.

    Yep, the Focus uses a 2.5" IDE hardrive mechanism, obviously 
refurbished drives pulled from dead/upgraded laptops and notebooks.

>Can I just go buy a couple more drive mechanisms and stick them on the
>card when I fill up the one that came on it?

    Judging from the photographs I've seen of the card, probably not
since there seems to be just a single connector. In order to upgrade
it's size you would have to remove the old drive and replace it with
a larger one (it looks like it slides off a set of pins).

>If so,  is the card limited to the size of drive that came on it?  Or can
>I put a higher or lower capacity mech. on it?

    Well Alltech sells the Focus card with sizes ranging from 20 MB up
to 800 MB, so it should be able be to use drives in that size range at
least. I would guess it is limited by the ROM firmware on-board, but
you would have to ask Alltech to find out.

    On an Apple IIe, 20 MB would be quite acceptable and while some
may require more, I would not go beyond 60 or 80 MB. If your getting
a Focus on an Apple IIgs, the 120 MB size should be minimum with the
200 size being just about right (of course I wouldn't really be so
quick to recommend a Focus for a IIgs since it does not do DMA. For
the same cost as the 120 model <US$159>, you could easily pick up a
used RamFAST SCSI and 300+ MB drive). The only benefit is it's an
internal device (less clutter outside case and makes the GS more
portable) and is extremely plug'n'play. :)

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca