I decided to change the config of my Pentium 4 retro computer a bit. I swapped out an IDE DVD-ROM drive for a SATA DVD-RW drive on account of a new 2-port IDE to SATA adapter I ordered. I retained the system's IDE CD-RW which left a vacant spot on the ribbon cable. So, I added and attached my LS-120 drive to the system.
After I verified that the BIOS identified it, I decided to test the LS-120 drive in a variety of OS's. Here are some interesting results:
- Windows NT 3.1 refuses to boot with the LS-120 drive attached; I suspect that it interferes with the ATAPI CD-ROM driver
- OS/2 2.1 ignores the LS-120 drive, but still initializes the CD-RW drive
- Apple Rhapsody DR2 properly identifies the LS-120 drive and auto-mounts inserted disks; it even triggers the eject mechanism from software
I haven't decided if I'll keep the system this way. I like the ability to read physical floppies quickly, but I tend to use the system's Gotek a lot more. I also don't like Windows NT's behavior with the LS-120. I might just have to live without this drive once again.