MFM HDD controller model DTC-350

DTC 5150 CR

MFM HDD controller.

Babasha wrote on 2023-06-05, 22:42:

MFM HDD controller model DTC-350

Robin4 wrote on 2023-06-05, 23:54:

DTC 5150 CR

MFM HDD controller.

Same thing different names?

Question: how to I test it without a MFM drive? Kinda guessing I can't 😀
Is Windows going to show it?

Nexxen wrote on 2023-06-06, 13:05:

Question: how to I test it without a MFM drive? Kinda guessing I can't 😀

All you can do is checking the controller's BIOS.

That controller is for XT computers - they lack hard disk support in the main BIOS, so the support must be provided by BIOS extension installed on the card.

You can install such a controller in an AT, but the controller's BIOS will most likely clash with the HDD support in the main BIOS.
The solution is to disable the HDD support in the main BIOS, by setting all HDDs to "None" in CMOS Setup.
Then you can boot off a diskette, run DEBUG, and try to enter the Low Level Format utility:
g=c800:5
(or wherever the controller's BIOS is located)

Grzyb wrote on 2023-06-06, 14:09:

All you can do is checking the controller's BIOS. […]
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Nexxen wrote on 2023-06-06, 13:05:

Question: how to I test it without a MFM drive? Kinda guessing I can't 😀

All you can do is checking the controller's BIOS.

That controller is for XT computers - they lack hard disk support in the main BIOS, so the support must be provided by BIOS extension installed on the card.

You can install such a controller in an AT, but the controller's BIOS will most likely clash with the HDD support in the main BIOS.
The solution is to disable the HDD support in the main BIOS, by setting all HDDs to "None" in CMOS Setup.
Then you can boot off a diskette, run DEBUG, and try to enter the Low Level Format utility:
g=c800:5
(or wherever the controller's BIOS is located)

Oldest I have it's a 286. Gonna try until I get somewhere.
And I thought I knew stuff 😀 Too bad I don't have Adrian Black close by... (he made some vids about MFM)

Nexxen wrote on 2023-06-06, 13:05:

Same thing different names? […]
Show full quote

Babasha wrote on 2023-06-05, 22:42:

MFM HDD controller model DTC-350

Robin4 wrote on 2023-06-05, 23:54:

DTC 5150 CR

MFM HDD controller.

Same thing different names?

Question: how to I test it without a MFM drive? Kinda guessing I can't 😀
Is Windows going to show it?

To complete the test? Noway.

Nexxen wrote on 2023-06-06, 13:05:

Same thing different names? […]
Show full quote

Babasha wrote on 2023-06-05, 22:42:

MFM HDD controller model DTC-350

Robin4 wrote on 2023-06-05, 23:54:

DTC 5150 CR

MFM HDD controller.

Same thing different names?

Question: how to I test it without a MFM drive? Kinda guessing I can't 😀
Is Windows going to show it?

Its written on the PCB already, so if you have your eyes open you will see it. Simple as that.

How you can see if it will work

See on which address of the EPROM is set to. (normally C800, but it could be set different due jumper settings.)

Then use Debug command to get in the formatter utillity onboard. Thats all what you can see..

The only way to test is out, is to mount an needed HDD to it.. And try to see if you can get it working.

Normally all these older cards should working at my experience if you store them right. But its better to have a ROM backup for each card you own.
If something goes bad, its easy to replace the eprom with new written rom on it., So it will last another 35 years again.