Tandy Professional Forum   Section: T1000/1400/3000/4K
Subject: Tandy Upgrade Question   Total messages: 6
===================================================

#62545   1 Reply   10/10/96   19:06:00
From: David Zanchettin, 73552,3603
To:   All

Hi,

I have a Tandy Sensation 25 MHz i486 SX with a 107 MB SmartDrive

(IDE) hard drive.
I am needing more hard drive space so I was trying to decide the
best
way to go about upgrading.
I have contacted several people who say they will not work on
Tandy
computers, so now I am considering doing the job myself.
I was thinking of buying a Western Digital 2.5 gigabyte
harddrive
to use as the replacement.
Would that be a good choice?
Also what would any potential problems/complications be that I
might
get prepared for.
Is replacing a hard drive a fairly easy job?

Thanks,
David Zanchettin



#62550   Reply to #62545   1 Reply   10/13/96   23:09:26
From: Robert E. Cunningham, 75146,271
To:   David Zanchettin, 73552,3603

Dave,

I have an original Sensation, and have done some upgrades.

I bought the computer through the Express program so was able to
customize what I wanted.  I got 1024 video ram, 255 meg HD, an
overdrive chip and 8 megs ram.  Since then, I have replaced the
HD with a 1.1 gig HD, added a 28,800 modem, added a 2X Creative
Labs CD-ROM, a Sound Blaster16 card, went to Windows95 and added
8 more megs of ram.

Regarding the HD - the original bios will only recognize 550 or
so megs so had to make the drive into 2 partition.  I originally
tried to get updated bios but none were ever made.  The drive is
a Western Digital and a breeze to change (also, they provide the
software to make it into two drives).  You open the case, pull
off the two metal covers (see instructions in the book) lift up
and turn over the CD ROM/HD package, unplug the drive cables,
remove the four screws and replace the HD.  The holes all line
up.  You then follow the instructions to make 550 drives and go
from there.  The only problem I had was trying to move the data
from the old drive to the new one.  I tried a y-cable, played
with the master-slave jumpers, etc., but could not get it to
recognize the two different units.  I ended up doing a backup and
restore to the new unit.  Now if the new one ever dies, I just
put the old one back in.

Modems: put an internal in one of the slots, set it up for Comm1
and have at it.
CD-ROM: replace the physical drive (again, the screw holes all
matched) and use their controller card.
Memory: install the ones required, it will note the change on
startup, tell it what you did and off you go.
Sound Card: the sound card goes in the last slot, and its setup
is a breeze with Windows95.  The only thing screwy (note that
both the CD-ROM and sound card are Sound Blaster units) is
the sound card won't drive the CD-ROM.  Apparently the drive
needs a special ICD controller so won't work off the sound card's
pins.

The extra memory makes a really difference on performance.  I
ditched WinMate ages ago; it isn't compatible with Windows95.
You lose the capability to use the phone directory program but
Bookshelf 93 works great.

Any other info you might need?  It is beginning to show its age
only being a '486/50mz, but for three years old (a LONG time in
computer years), I have gotten my use out of it.

Bob


#62555   Reply to #62550   1 Reply   10/14/96   19:08:17
From: David Zanchettin, 73552,3603
To:   Robert E. Cunningham, 75146,271

Bob,

I want to thank you very much for your very helpful and detailed

reply. I feel a lot better about trying to do this myself now.

There was a couple of things I was hoping you might elaborate on

if you don't mind.

You said:
> the original bios will only recognize 550 or so megs so had to
make
  the drive into 2 partition.  I originally tried to get updated
bios
  but none were ever made.<

When you say the original BIOS, does that mean the BIOS for all
IBM
and IBM clone computers was never updated, or are you talking
about
possibly something to do with some specialized Tandy BIOS.
The reason I ask is because I thought that BIOS was standardized
in
all IBM and clones. I'm not sure. If that is correct though, then
you
would have to partition any hard drive on any IBM as you
described,
it that right?

Also you said you added a 1.1 gig HD.
Do you see any problems with the 2.5 GB Western Digital that I
was
considering?
Or should I stick to less than or equal to 1.1 as you did?

And one more follow up if you don't mind.

You said:
> Modems: put an internal in one of the slots, set it up for
Comm1 <

My modem is now on Com 2. So do you mean I should leave the old
one
in, and set the new one up on Com1, or should I remove the old
one
which is on Com2, but set the new one up for Com1?

Thanks again very much for your help!
David


#62563   Reply to #62555   1 Reply   10/19/96   11:35:00
From: Robert E. Cunningham, 75146,271
To:   David Zanchettin, 73552,3603

Dave,

>> When you say the original BIOS, does that mean the BIOS for
all IBM and IBM clone computers was never updated, or are you
talking about possibly something to do with some specialized
Tandy BIOS. <<

Tandy.  The WD drive manual gave the following instructions
regarding high capacity drives:

"Most computer systems manufactured before 1994 do not allow you
to access the full capacity of IDE hard drives without a software
solution or BIOS upgrade.  If your system was made prior to 1994
you will probably need to install Ontrack Disk Manager to access
the full capacity of your Western Digital hard drive in DOS,
Windows, Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, and Windows95
environments".
"To verify that a system manufactured in 1994 or later will
support the drive, we suggest the
following:
1) Contact your system or BIOS manufacturer and verify your
system supports drive capacities over 528MB.
2) Enter your CMOS setup, look for options such as 'LBA', 'Large
Disk Access' or 'Translations' and enable these options.
3) Frequently, but not always, you must select an auto config
drive type.  If you see a value greater than 16 heads, you
probably have a translating BIOS."
 (A note in the margin states "Important: A translating BIOS
supports drives greater than 528 MB (1024 cylinders, 16 heads,
and 63 sectors)."

Since I bought the Sensation! in October, 1993 (about a month
before the Sensation2 came out), I called Tandy in Texas and
asked about a BIOS upgrade; the guy there stated they never made
one and suggested I use the software provided with the drive.
This is what I did and has worked fine since.  It just appears to
Windows95 as a drive C and drive D.  I use C for the main stuff
and D for backups of zipped files, Win95 themes (my biggest space
waster - I luv them things!) and a copy of the Windows
subdirectory for insurance.  I also periodically do a regedit and
sent the file there.

>> The reason I ask is because I thought that BIOS was
standardized in all IBM and clones. I'm not sure. If that is
correct though, then you would have to partition any hard drive
on any IBM as you described, it that right? <<
Probably any made before 1994.  I didn't want to try to use a
BIOS that was not made by Tandy; my guess is if there had been
another one available, the Tandy guy would have suggested it - a
big IF actually.  I'll admit I never asked the Tandy guy if ANY
BIOS would work.  Usually the company's BIOS are pretty
specific.

>> Also you said you added a 1.1 gig HD. Do you see any problems
with the 2.5 GB Western Digital that I was considering? Or should
I stick to less than or equal to 1.1 as you did?<<
Good question.  I really wanted only a 550meg HD, but Incredible
Universe in Indianapolis was selling this one on sale so went
with it.  My guess is you can partition it into more than the two
I have just so none is larger than the maximum.  I just did a
scandisk and each of my drives are 540,672,000 bytes.

The docs also states "...the drive is an enhanced IDE drive which
means that the controller circuitry and 40-pin IDE connector are
mounted directly on the hard drive.  It does not require a
separate controller card if your system provides a 40-pin IDE
connector on the motherboard..."  I unplugged one drive and put
in the new one with the same connectors (standardization is a
great benefit).

To continue, "...enhanced IDE (EIDE) drives support increased
data transfer rates and higher capacities in systems that are
EIDE ready.  Some features...are:  higher capacities - up to 8.4
GB per drive, up to four EIDE drives per system..."  So it sounds
like you can have up to at least 4 drive letters of up to 540MG
each.  I think mine is 540 because it cut it in half (1080
total).  I can't even find a drive this small anymore - most are
1.2 up to 2.something.  If I were you, I would go for it.  Just
be aware that if you get four more drives, your CD-ROM will
become drive G.  This isn't a problem unless you have software
that thinks your CR-ROM is drive D (mine is drive E, and I have
had no problems with this at all - I just wanted to mention this
to you.  I think most DOS will accept drive letters up to Z.  Do
you have Win95 or something earlier?

>> My modem is now on Com 2. So do you mean I should leave the
old one in, and set the new one up on Com1, or should I remove
the old one which is on Com2, but set the new one up for Com1?
<<
I'm not sure but I think the original modem (being a worthless
2400 baud) is attached to the motherboard and not easily
removeable.  The diagram on page 192 shows it near the back
right.  Anyway, I just left it in.  I have tried using it as an
emergency unit on Comm2, and it still works.  I have the primary
28,800 set up on Comm1.  The mouse uses another interrupt so
there are no conflicts with two modems and a mouse, CD-Rom drive,
etc.

Hope this helps.  I had a SupraFaxModem 14,400 which broke four
times in the three years (of the five year warrantee) so got a
Blaster288 (to match the sound card).  It is great.  The only
thing is Win95 thinks it is a Best Data Smart One.fast Internal
so I use those init strings.

If you need any other help, just ask.  I did have my Tandy dealer
install the CD-ROM drive upgrade.  At the time, it was supposed
to be hard to get some units to work with a Sensation!.  The
problem I learned since was the difficulty in trying to get the
sound card on the motherboard to work with it (it is AdLib
compatible which means almost nothing works with that - try
running 11Hour, and see what I mean).  If you have another sound
card, almost any drive should work with it.  I also have an
external 5.25" drive (my wife calls the computer my 'Barbie doll'
due to all the extras it has) which does not work with Win95 - no
drivers were ever made for it.  If I need to use it, I just set
up an MSDOS session and load the old drivers.

Later and keep in touch.

Bob


#62580   Reply to #62563   1 Reply   10/26/96   21:06:09
From: David Zanchettin, 73552,3603
To:   Robert E. Cunningham, 75146,271

Bob,

Just wanted to drop this note to tell you thanks again very much

for all the information you gave me.

David


#62608   Reply to #62580   11/02/96   15:39:15
From: Robert E. Cunningham, 75146,271
To:   David Zanchettin, 73552,3603

Glad to have been able to help.  Keep me posted on how it all
works out.

Bob (zinging along at 50mz and OzWin2.11)


