Solve : Old Quantum ProDrive?

1.	Solve : Old Quantum ProDrive?
Answer» I have an OLD computer with a hard drive labeled 'Quantum ProDrive ELS'. That's it -- no model no. or any other INFORMATION on the label that would indicate which size it is. The computer it's installed in, a Leading Edge model DC-2510 doesn't recognize the hard drive. It allows you to select the type of drive from 48 choices, such as 'Type 1 (10 MB), ... Type 9 (112MB)', etc. But I don't remember the size so I don't know which option to select. The computer will start with a MS-Dos floppy boot disk but will not recognize the hard drive. BTW, would this old antique computer be of value to anyone or should I just trash it?Re: your last question: How old is it? Tell us about it's specs: processor, memory, hard drive size, etc.Additional information: The computer is a Leading Edge D2 Plus, purchased 3/17/1992, Phoenix 80286, ROM BIOS Plus vers. 3.10 02, 640K memory. The hard drive is 170MB, purchased 3/15/1995 (for $183 ). The BIOS setting options do not include 170MB hard drive -- 160MB, 199MB, 202MB, etc. but not 170MB. There is no jumper plug at the back of the HD -- should there be? When I run FDISK info. it lists HD 1 as non-DOS. Could I use FDISK to set up a DOS partition? What would it do if I had the wrong size option in the BIOS setting?Well, you do have an OLD one there. lol I had a 286 back in the days ... but I can't recall much of the details of BIOS settings for the hard drive. The only advice I can give you is to do some Internet searching (Google, MSN, etc.) for info on installing a hard drive in a 286. Also, I just discovered a forum called The Vintage Computer Forums. Might be worth your time to register and post your question. If you don't know the CORRECT head and cylinder info this will never work correctly. That is where to start your search.Quote The BIOS setting options do not include 170MB hard drive -- 160MB, 199MB, 202MB, etc. but not 170MB. I don't recall that BIOS settings ever included specific hard drive sizes. Rather, it's a matter of setting the head and cylinder specs, that GX1_MAN mentioned, in the BIOS. But, I could be wrong about the overall hard drive size not being a specific setting in the BIOS. Take a look on the hard drive. The head and cylinder specs may be printed right on it. I've got a 4GB hard drive that I just looked at; it says 7752 cyl and 16 heads on the drive. Quote There is no jumper plug at the back of the HD -- should there be? I believe so. Again, look at the drive; it may have a master/slave configuration diagram shown on the drive. Maybe it originally had a jumper and it just got lost. If so, stop at a computer shop and ask for one. They may just give one to you for free. Thanks for your help! I did get the HD to work -- I had to remove it completely in order to read all the numbers. then I finally found the C,H,S specs. Now, after inserting those into the BIOS table it boots from the HD. However, if I try to boot it from my floppy MSDOS 3.30 disk, it still won't detect the HD. That's not really a problem now but kind of strange. :-/ Anyway, thanks again for your help.

Answer»

I have an OLD computer with a hard drive labeled 'Quantum ProDrive ELS'. That's it -- no model no. or any other INFORMATION on the label that would indicate which size it is. The computer it's installed in, a Leading Edge model DC-2510 doesn't recognize the hard drive. It allows you to select the type of drive from 48 choices, such as 'Type 1 (10 MB), ... Type 9 (112MB)', etc. But I don't remember the size so I don't know which option to select. The computer will start with a MS-Dos floppy boot disk but will not recognize the hard drive.
BTW, would this old antique computer be of value to anyone or should I just trash it?Re: your last question:

How old is it? Tell us about it's specs: processor, memory, hard drive size, etc.Additional information:
The computer is a Leading Edge D2 Plus, purchased 3/17/1992, Phoenix 80286, ROM BIOS Plus vers. 3.10 02, 640K memory. The hard drive is 170MB, purchased 3/15/1995 (for $183 ). The BIOS setting options do not include 170MB hard drive -- 160MB, 199MB, 202MB, etc. but not 170MB.
There is no jumper plug at the back of the HD -- should there be? When I run FDISK info. it lists HD 1 as non-DOS. Could I use FDISK to set up a DOS partition? What would it do if I had the wrong size option in the BIOS setting?Well, you do have an OLD one there. lol I had a 286 back in the days ... but I can't recall much of the details of BIOS settings for the hard drive. The only advice I can give you is to do some Internet searching (Google, MSN, etc.) for info on installing a hard drive in a 286. Also, I just discovered a forum called The Vintage Computer Forums. Might be worth your time to register and post your question. If you don't know the CORRECT head and cylinder info this will never work correctly. That is where to start your search.Quote

The BIOS setting options do not include 170MB hard drive -- 160MB, 199MB, 202MB, etc. but not 170MB.

I don't recall that BIOS settings ever included specific hard drive sizes. Rather, it's a matter of setting the head and cylinder specs, that GX1_MAN mentioned, in the BIOS. But, I could be wrong about the overall hard drive size not being a specific setting in the BIOS. Take a look on the hard drive. The head and cylinder specs may be printed right on it. I've got a 4GB hard drive that I just looked at; it says 7752 cyl and 16 heads on the drive.

Quote

There is no jumper plug at the back of the HD -- should there be?

I believe so. Again, look at the drive; it may have a master/slave configuration diagram shown on the drive. Maybe it originally had a jumper and it just got lost. If so, stop at a computer shop and ask for one. They may just give one to you for free.

Thanks for your help!
I did get the HD to work -- I had to remove it completely in order to read all the numbers. then I finally found the C,H,S specs. Now, after inserting those into the BIOS table it boots from the HD.
However, if I try to boot it from my floppy MSDOS 3.30 disk, it still won't detect the HD. That's not really a problem now but kind of strange. :-/
Anyway, thanks again for your help.

Solve : Old Quantum ProDrive?

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