Re: Pinger INIT for Zip drives

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Geoff Kaiser writes ...
> 
> ....
> 
> Wow. I didn't know Zip drives were usable on a IIgs. Can someone tell me
> if you need special driver software for this or does it just work? Does
> the GS format the Zip disk in ProDOS, or does it just read Mac or DOS
> formatting?
>

     The Zip drive used on a GS does need to be the SCSI model.

     Mainly, the Zip drive looks and works like a 100MB SCSI hard disk with 
swap-able media. (You can store and retrieve files, boot System 6.01, 
etc..)  You do not need any special Zip drivers to use a Zip drive on the 
GS.

     A SCSI Zip drive comes with a 25-pin-to-25-pin cable. If you have a 
modern RamFAST SCSI interface, you just follow directions and plug it in. 
Since the built-in termination resistors can be switched in or out, it can 
be placed anywhere in the SCSI chain.

     Zip comes with a utilities disk and a diskette for PC or Mac. These 
utilities are handy if you have a PC or Mac-- e.g. you can set the "sleep" 
delay, etc.-- but are of no use on the GS.

     A 100MB disk can be partitioned as three or more ProDOS volumes. It 
can, also, be set up as an HFS volume.

     The basic, low-level formatting appears to be a function of the Zip 
drive. On GS, RamFAST utilities can handle low-level Zip disk formatting; 
so can a PC or Mac running the Zip utilities. When purchased, blank Zip 
disks are already formatted. A new disk can be partitioned on GS using 
RamFAST utilities. 

     Zip is not quite as fast as a decent hard disk; but, it is, still, 
pretty speedy-- much faster than diskette. Another nice plus: the SCSI Zip 
drive is faster than the non-SCSI Zips employed on most PC's.  


Rubywand