Re: hard drive questions

[Wayne Stewart <waynes@intergate.ca>]

Jim Conger wrote:

> I am replacing both drives with CFFAs from
> http://dreher.net/CFforAppleII/ because I'd like to get rid of the
> large boxes of moving parts.  I'd like to wipe and reformat both
> drives and find them to good homes.  Two obsticles:

The CFFAs are so much faster it'll feel like your computers are running
several times as fast
 
> 1. I don't have dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/hdd like I would on a UNIX
>    machine.  Anyone ever write a wipe utility?

Michael already answered that
 
> 2. Can I get the original software for the Sider?  Is it worth trying
>    to preserve or re-create the CP/M, Pascal, and DOS3.3 partitioning
>    on the Sider?  Should I forget about it and format in ProDOS?

You can download a late version of the Sider manual from my website.
The Software's there too but it seem that PCs have difficulty with that 
subdirectory. If so, let me know and I'll email them too you.
http://homepage.mac.com/waynes
 
> Suggestions welcome, offers of a good home will be considered ;)  The
> TruStor sounds pretty good, but the Sider is making a fair bit of
> noise and may not be long with its smoke inside.

The Sider is a really noisy drive even when new. If it's become more 
noisy since you acquired it that's a different story. Since brand new 
mine has clicked and grunted when starting up. It chirps and grinds 
when it reads and writes. Came across another drive a short while ago
and it sounds the same.