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Using Magneto Optical drives on vintage 68k Macs
Posted by: zefrenchtoon on 2023-05-04 08:19:31
I guess this would also work in a Quadra 800
I guess so but as I never had any of these models in my hands ... I don't want to write something wrong 🙂
Posted by: zefrenchtoon on 2023-05-04 08:21:55
I guess this would also work in a Quadra 800
Confirmed on this other auction with the same drive in a 840 AV :
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-05-09 12:37:49
Decent price for 50x 640MB disks (just over $3.00 each)

www.ebay.com

Lot of 50 Imation 3.5inch 640MB R/W MO Magneto Optical Disk Unused Japan F/S | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Lot of 50 Imation 3.5inch 640MB R/W MO Magneto Optical Disk Unused Japan F/S at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-11-14 20:08:16
For anybody looking for the system extension for use with most 3.5" magneto optical drives on System 7-Mac OS 9, I'm uploading it here.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-19 17:25:20
@MrFahrenheit @olePigeon which one below is the right 640MB drive for 68K macs?

Fujitsu MCP3064SS
Fujitsu MCC3064SS

Can't tell what the difference is.
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-11-19 17:36:44
@MrFahrenheit @olePigeon which one below is the right 640MB drive for 68K macs?

Fujitsu MCP3064SS
Fujitsu MCC3064SS

Can't tell what the difference is.

According to the specifications, one notable difference:

The MCM3064SS and MCP3064SS rotate disks at 5,455 revolutions per minute, while the MCC3064 model rotates disks at only 3600 rpm.

pdf1.alldatasheet.com

MCC3064SS PDF

Part #: MCC3064SS. Description: Magneto-Optical Drives. File Size: 40.24 Kbytes. Manufacturer: fujitsu semiconductor.
pdf1.alldatasheet.com

www.manualsbase.com

Fujitsu MCP3064SS user manual

User manual for the device Fujitsu MCP3064SS. Online user manual database
www.manualsbase.com www.manualsbase.com
(page 21)

Additionally, transfer rates are quoted as 2.3-3.9 MB/s for the MCC model, and 3.52 to 5.87 MB/s for the MCP model.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-19 17:53:12
Thanks @MrFahrenheit, guess I will go for the faster one if I choose to get another. Was considering picking up a 640MB for another machine to copy files back and forth.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-25 11:06:03
Hmm, having some issues trying to use 2.3GB disks. This is on my Fujitsu MCR-3230SS.

I got a 230 LaserByte, 230 Sony, and 640 Sony from @olePigeon and those work great. No issues.

Picked up five 2.3GB Fujitsu branded disks from eBay. I am having issues with those. When I insert the disk, there's drive activity (LED is lit) and it's doing something for a long time, minutes. It finally gets to an error saying it cannot read the disk and asks me if I want to initialize. I then choose yes, and then it does more stuff for a long time, but then says it cannot initialize the disk and says to try the formatter. The Fujitsu formatter won't even see the disk. The Pinnacle formatter sees the disk and tries to format it. But after it finishes, complains of an error and says the disk is bad. Note even with the Pinnacle formatter, when I insert a disk, it takes a few minutes for the tool to see it. I have tried 2 of the 5 disks and both have the same issue. I guess I can try the other three but thought I'd check here first if I'm missing something.

I've tried the MO Extension from Fujitsu (2.3.8) and the Pinnacle (3.3.0). Also tried the Fujitsu formatter as well as the Pinnacle one.
Posted by: zefrenchtoon on 2023-11-25 12:57:55
Hmm, having some issues trying to use 2.3GB disks. This is on my Fujitsu MCR-3230SS.

I got a 230 LaserByte, 230 Sony, and 640 Sony from @olePigeon and those work great. No issues.

Picked up five 2.3GB Fujitsu branded disks from eBay. I am having issues with those. When I insert the disk, there's drive activity (LED is lit) and it's doing something for a long time, minutes. It finally gets to an error saying it cannot read the disk and asks me if I want to initialize. I then choose yes, and then it does more stuff for a long time, but then says it cannot initialize the disk and says to try the formatter. The Fujitsu formatter won't even see the disk. The Pinnacle formatter sees the disk and tries to format it. But after it finishes, complains of an error and says the disk is bad. Note even with the Pinnacle formatter, when I insert a disk, it takes a few minutes for the tool to see it. I have tried 2 of the 5 disks and both have the same issue. I guess I can try the other three but thought I'd check here first if I'm missing something.

I've tried the MO Extension from Fujitsu (2.3.8) and the Pinnacle (3.3.0). Also tried the Fujitsu formatter as well as the Pinnacle one.
Which OS version do you use ? 🤔
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-25 13:02:00
Which OS version do you use ? 🤔

Using System 7.5.5. This is on a IIfx. I believe 7.5+ can handle up to 4GB?
Posted by: zefrenchtoon on 2023-11-25 13:19:02
Using System 7.5.5. This is on a IIfx. I believe 7.5+ can handle up to 4GB?
Using my BlueSCSI, I had problem while trying initializing a fake 2GB drive. I had to change the size to 2000 MB. If you read a specific doc, it’s written that it supports only 2000 MB.
Posted by: zefrenchtoon on 2023-11-25 13:28:45
Check these posts here:
Post in thread '6100/66 DOS resurection'
https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/6100-66-dos-resurection.40694/post-440463
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-25 18:09:17
Hmm, multiple places seem to suggest that 7.5.5 supports 4GB HFS partitions. But also found a couple places that seem to say > 2GB is only supported for 68040 and higher. I was going to try to create a < 2GB partition but I'm having major stability issues when attempting to use this 2.3GB MO disk, I've had a few crashes already and both the Fujitsu and Pinnacle formatters are erroring out. Going to try DDTU next.

If I can't get it working, I'll try the drive on both a IIci and a Quadra 700 to see if perhaps I still have gremlins inside my IIfx that might be causing the issue.

EDIT: can't use DDTU (disk drive tune up) since it requires MacOS 8.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-25 19:10:02
Tried the drive out on my Quadra 800, same issues, same errors, same crashes. It's also running System 7.5.5. Going to try installing Mac OS 8 on the Quadra 800 and see if that helps at all. If not, hmm, maybe I need to buy another brand 2.3GB disk to rule out the disks.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-25 20:19:27
No luck with Mac OS 8 either, and no luck with Disk Drive Tune Up. Same error across the board:

Format Error
Sense Key: 3
Sense Code: 49
Additional Sense: 1
(bad disk)

So either my drive has an issue with 2.3GB disks (it's a MCR-3230SS which is a 2.3GB MO Drive) or I have a bad batch of disks.
Posted by: olePigeon on 2023-11-25 22:43:00
@jmacz Once I've recovered from COVID, I'd be happy to lend you one of my 2.3GB disks. Or I can try one of yours in my drive. Rule out the drive or disk as the issue.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-25 22:44:28
@olePigeon hope you recover soon!

Cool, I can drop off these disks with you to try after you get better. thanks!
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-11-26 05:16:35
@jmacz Once I've recovered from COVID, I'd be happy to lend you one of my 2.3GB disks. Or I can try one of yours in my drive. Rule out the drive or disk as the issue.
I hope you get better soon @olePigeon !

@jmacz I didn’t have any issues with 2.3GB MO disks in the Fujitsu drive with the 2.3.8 MO Extension.

However I was using a 68040 Mac when I tried them, and perhaps that’s one issue.

System software prior to 7.6 on 68000-68030 Macs require the disk driver and first partition to be WITHIN the first 1.99GB of a disk.

I’ve posted about this before regarding hard drives but it never occurred to me that these MO disks are seen by the system as just another hard drive, but removable.

With hard drives, the trick is to make a small 10MB first partition which holds the hidden disk driver, and then partition(s) for the remaining free space.

Use FWB Hard Disk Toolkit version 3.0.2 with your IIfx on a disk that you tried formatting to see what it can see for how the disk was setup by the tools. FWB will allow you to delete all of the hidden partitions and driver, effectively wiping the disk. You could use it to format the disk, and I’d recommend a 400MB first partition followed by the remaining space as a second. FWB allows you to specify that you’re using a removable disk.

I wouldn’t try any more of the new ones for now just in case something has been messing them up, making it difficult to work around after.
Posted by: jmacz on 2023-11-26 07:41:52
@MrFahrenheit ok will try but I had the same issue on a 68040 quadra 800 running macos 8. But perhaps the IIfx already messed them up?
Posted by: MrFahrenheit on 2023-11-26 11:43:15
@MrFahrenheit ok will try but I had the same issue on a 68040 quadra 800 running macos 8. But perhaps the IIfx already messed them up?
It is possible that partitions got messed up.

You’ll need to use the drive on a 68040 Mac, using FWB HDT 3.0.2 with 7.6.1 if you can, and delete all partitions that were made including any drivers the software installed on the root hidden partition.
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