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| Using Zip drive as HDD for Macintosh Plus |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-01 14:28:21
Hello! Can anyone help me set up an Iomega Zip drive as a HDD for my Macintosh Plus? I have pieced a few instructions together from my research on the web. This is the process I’m trying to get working:
- Make system disks of 6.0.7 or 6.0.8 (I have both).
- Create a start disk (I made one for 6.0.8)
- Make an Iomega Zip 4.2 installation disk (I have this)
- Insert the Zip 4.2 installation disk and drag the Iomega driver to the start disk
- Open the start disk and drag the driver to the system folder
- With Zip drive connected to the SCSI port, restart the Mac Plus with the start disk (you should notice the Iomega driver load at the bottom of the screen) —> ***I am stuck here, the driver appears at the bottom of the screen while booting up, but it has a giant X through it.
- Put a zip disk in the zip drive, the Mac will ask if you want to initialize it - agree to it
- Once complete it will mount
- Eject the start disk and insert the system tools disk
- Open system disk an click on system install and install system 6.0.8 to the Zip drive
- Drag the Iomega driver to the system folder on the zip disk system folder
- Restart the computer with only the zip disk drive connected and it should boot
As stated, I am stuck on step 6 above with the Iomega driver failing to load. Does anyone know why this is happening?
The Zip drive model I have is Z100P2 with a SCSI interface. I have seen some things on the internet about switching to ID 6 and making sure the end point is switched on. I do not have these switches on my Zip drive. Would this be an issue?
I also read this thread “Zip drive and Mac Plus”, but it doesn’t help me with my driver problem.
Thanks for your help!
- Jon |
Posted by: mdeverhart on 2022-05-01 14:32:38
I could be wrong, but I believe that the Z100P2 is actually a PC parallel port drive - the Mac SCSI version is the Z100S2, which has the SCSI ID and termination switches. I’d disconnect the Zip drive immediately - hopefully the SCSI chip on the Mac hasn’t gotten damaged. |
Posted by: LaPorta on 2022-05-01 14:44:38
What mdeverhart said. I hope nothing happened to the Mac! |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-01 15:52:12
Oh man, thanks guys! Any idea why the driver isn't loading? |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-05-01 15:57:16
Oh man, thanks guys! Any idea why the driver isn't loading?
It'll only load if it finds a drive it supports, if I remember correctly. |
Posted by: Skate323k137 on 2022-05-01 16:01:20
It'll only load if it finds a drive it supports, if I remember correctly. In practice this is how its acted for me. |
Posted by: MacKilRoy on 2022-05-01 18:03:18
The Z100P2 model is most definitely a PC “parallel port” Zip drive. These are notoriously passed off as “SCSI” on sites like eBay.
I used to go through and let sellers know to change their listing and it got very time consuming, as most sellers notice the SCSI version sells for more than the Parallel port version, and so seemingly just list it as that.
I hope you didn’t damage your Mac Plus scsi controller. That is the usual casualty of plugging a parallel port Zip drive into a SCSI port.
Otherwise, your instructions seem right. I’ve used a SCSI Zip 100 on a Mac Plus before and it worked just fine. |
Posted by: LaPorta on 2022-05-01 19:26:24
Yea, the extension doesn’t load and produces the X if no compatible drive is present. |
Posted by: rollmastr on 2022-05-02 00:50:23
You can also look for a Zip 100 Plus which support parallel and SCSI. |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-02 06:16:15
Thanks everyone for your replies. I really hope I didn't damage the SCSI controller. :-(
I did order the correct Zip drive.
If the SCSI controller is damaged, am I out of luck? |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-05-02 07:00:37
If the SCSI controller is damaged, am I out of luck?
Depends on your repair skille 🙂 The SCSI controller chip itself isn't particularly rare, and it's all fairly chunky through-hole stuff so it's not that fiddly. And if you're not used to repairing a machine like this, a Plus is a good option to practice on, because they're not at all rare and not very miniaturised, so it's physically easy to work with and not too annoying if the repair fails. |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-02 07:29:12
Hmm, okay. I did recap all caps on the analog board, replace a connector that was burned out, and few other parts. Where is the SCSI controller located on the motherboard? Thank you so much for your response cheesestraws! |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-05-02 07:33:02
Looking at this image (ignore the caps):
It is the NCR 5380 directly behind the SCSI port. |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-02 07:39:56
Hmm, okay. I did recap all caps on the analog board, replace a connector that was burned out, and few other parts. Where is the SCSI controller located on the motherboard? Thank you so much for your response cheesestraws! But I definitely would not call myself experienced or skilled! 😬 |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-02 07:40:40
Looking at this image (ignore the caps):
It is the NCR 5380 directly behind the SCSI port. Ok, I'll take a look! Thanks again!! |
Posted by: cheesestraws on 2022-05-02 08:01:10
But I definitely would not call myself experienced or skilled! 😬
Well, if it comes to it, a Plus is an excellent machine to practice on then. 🙂 Silver linings, and so forth. |
Posted by: joshc on 2022-05-02 08:13:09
Adding new solder to the pins before desoldering can help. Also lots of flux. All the flux. Good luck! |
Posted by: Jon146 on 2022-05-09 16:31:10
Hi everyone. I thought I would post an update. It took a while for me to get a compatible Zip drive and proper SCSI cable (amazingly the PC version is male/female and the Mac version is male/male - silly). In short though, it works! The Zip drive driver loaded correctly and I was able to format a Zip disk and install system 6.0.8. Fortunately the PC version Zip drive did not damage my SCSI controller on the motherboard as cheesestraws warned. I guess I got lucky. Thanks again everyone for your help! |
Posted by: mdeverhart on 2022-05-09 17:04:37
Glad you got it straightened out and that everything is working! |
Posted by: MacKilRoy on 2022-05-09 17:13:34
Awesome! Great to hear. |
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