Re: Profile HD info needed

[dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff)]

I don't know a whole lot about the ProFile, but I do have one hooked up to
a Lisa 2/5.  Here's what little bit I can tell you, perhaps the Gurus can
fill in the gaps.

jcreid@ix.netcom.com wrote:
: I just picked up a Profile hard disk at my local thrift store.  It's a
: little noisey so I suspect the drive itself is not long for this world. 

This may or may not be the case.  The ProFile uses a noisy mechanism to
begin with; the case makes a darned good resonant amplifier (like a guitar
body); and if the thing is buzzing/whining REALLY loud, you may find that
it needs a little lubrication on the bottom bearing.  Several years ago, I
posted a procedure for doing this, and I'm pretty sure I saw that post on
a web site just recently (it may have come from either
"dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us" or from
"valthoff@magnus.acs.ohio-stste.edu"; I'm not sure which).  I might even
have a copy around here someplace, but it might be on the Lisa which could
make it tough to recover.  Look around for the file; meanwhile I'll look
around and see if I have it here someplace.

: Regardless I have a few questions about the unit.
: The model number is A9M0005 so can I assume this is a 5Mb unit?

Well, you know what happens when you assume.......But my unit is 5Mb, and
like yours, is model A9M0005.

: What card is recommended for using this on an Apple II?  Will it work on
: an Apple II? ...

I believe there is a specific interface card for the A][, specifically the
//e.  The ProFile was designed specifically for use with the Apple ///,
and it uses some goofy bidirectional parallel port.  It's a DB-24
connector...that is, a DB-25 with one pin (#7, I believe) removed.  On the
Lisa 2, it hooks right into the parallel port.
 
                ...Is there software required to make the Apple SCSI card
: function?...

Well, yes there is, but that isn't the question you really wanted to ask. 
The real answer to your question is that the ProFile is not a SCSI drive,
therefore you will need a ProFile interface, and a SCSI card won't help
much.  I'm pretty sure that the drive itself is a 5.25" MFM type drive.
  
:           ...How hard is it to find 5 or 10 Meg drives should this unit go
: belly up?  And is 10 Megs the limit?  Inquiring minds want to know.... 
: Thanks in advance.

Well, again, you're probably looking at an MFM drive in there, so a little
"dumpster diving" at your local used PC shop might turn up a replacement.