Adding a hard drive to Mega STE?

[ggn]

Hi all,

 

Like I wrote in another post, I got one Mega STE for free recently! Its previous owner has mentioned the following shortcomings of it:

 

- TOS 2.05

- No 1.44mb floppy and no AJAX chip, so this needs to be replaced

- No hard drive

- 2mb of RAM

 

I can fix the last one by addind 2mb from my STE, and the first two are not a big problem to me atm. So, that leaves me #3.

 

My wish is to add an internal hdd for it. I have a couple of scsi disks. My current problem is that I can't understand how I should proceed. I opened up the case but I couldn't find any socket or cable for inserting a hard disk inside my mste.

 

Can anyone assist? I'd like to have at least a hdd installed, so I can test future D-Bug releases and generally test my stuff on it. Also, I plan to use it as my imaging machine.

 

Cheers fo any advice!

[Zeptari1]

I think you need some kind of mounting kit or something.

 

How about a picture of the inside of your machine?

 

My MSTE has a little board that's plugged into the main motherboard...

 

maybe a ASCI to SCSI converter thing-a-bob...

 

All I know right now is that it works....

 

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, I'm a newbie to the MSTE too!

 

BTW what's a AJAX chip? Special chip for HD floppy support?

 

-rick

 

 

 

Hi all,

 

Like I wrote in another post, I got one Mega STE for free recently! Its previous owner has mentioned the following shortcomings of it:

 

- TOS 2.05

- No 1.44mb floppy and no AJAX chip, so this needs to be replaced

- No hard drive

- 2mb of RAM

 

I can fix the last one by addind 2mb from my STE, and the first two are not a big problem to me atm. So, that leaves me #3.

 

My wish is to add an internal hdd for it. I have a couple of scsi disks. My current problem is that I can't understand how I should proceed. I opened up the case but I couldn't find any socket or cable for inserting a hard disk inside my mste.

 

Can anyone assist? I'd like to have at least a hdd installed, so I can test future D-Bug releases and generally test my stuff on it. Also, I plan to use it as my imaging machine.

 

Cheers fo any advice!

[jens]

There were Mega/STes without Scsi controller board.

They also have a thicker cover where the hard drive usually is sitting, so there is hardly place for it.

Best to do would be to connect an external hard drive, or finding a Scsi controller card and another cover.

 

Good luck for either way of upgrading.

 

P.S.: I did not need an Ajax chip in my Mega/STe, just a hd floppy drive.

[ijor]

P.S.: I did not need an Ajax chip in my Mega/STe, just a hd floppy drive.

 

Depending on your definition of "need", you never actually need an Ajax. The Ajax is just the same standard FDC, but guaranteed to work at 16 MHz. Many (perhaps most) standard ones can be overclocked and they work just fine.

 

Good luck for either way of upgrading.

 

Yeah, good luck. I wasn't aware there were MSTe without host adapter

[stevens]

Hi,

 

Nick at 16/32 Systems has recently aquired some new stock including a MegaSTE Hard Drive Kit...

 

http://www.1632-sales.zenwebhosting.com/ac..._Solutions.html

 

That looks like it should contain everything you need (including the host adapter).

 

Hope that helps,

 

Richard.

[ggn]

Hi,

 

Nick at 16/32 Systems has recently aquired some new stock including a MegaSTE Hard Drive Kit...

 

http://www.1632-sales.zenwebhosting.com/ac..._Solutions.html

 

That looks like it should contain everything you need (including the host adapter).

 

Hope that helps,

 

Richard.

 

Erm, 100 euros?

 

I got the mste for free

 

Anyways, maybe I'll connect the jaz drive (1gb) I use for my falcons as an external hard drive...

 

I'll try to post a pic of the motherboard when I can.

 

EDIT: I just uploaded some pics, so have a look if you want!

 

Full motherboard

Left half (bigger)

Right half (bigger)

Edited December 5, 2006 by ggn

[+DarkLord]

Hi,

 

Nick at 16/32 Systems has recently aquired some new stock including a MegaSTE Hard Drive Kit...

 

http://www.1632-sales.zenwebhosting.com/ac..._Solutions.html

 

That looks like it should contain everything you need (including the host adapter).

 

Hope that helps,

 

Richard.

 

Erm, 100 euros?

 

I got the mste for free

 

Anyways, maybe I'll connect the jaz drive (1gb) I use for my falcons as an external hard drive...

 

I'll try to post a pic of the motherboard when I can.

 

EDIT: I just uploaded some pics, so have a look if you want!

 

Full motherboard

Left half (bigger)

Right half (bigger)

 

Hmm, I when I try to view the last 2 pics, I get the same (left) half.

 

Also, Brad at Best Electroics may have one of those Mega STe HD

kits. I'm not sure if it would be any better than the price at 16/32, but

you never know.

 

HTHs.

[+Guitarman]

try this

 

Right Half Bigger

 

 

Best Electronics Hard Drive Page

MegaSTe Hard Drive Installation Kit Atari Kit includes, Plug in small Interface PCB board, New Hard drive Gray top cover with hard disk drive bracket attached, SCSI 50 pin cable assembly and Miscellaneous screws / washers, Hard Drive shield, Installation Manual and Atari Hard Drive Utilities Disk. Kit allows you to install an internal 3 1/2 inch Hard Drive inside your MegaSTe and also allows you to access external hard drives. CB102116 $125.00

Edited December 5, 2006 by Guitarman

[ggn]

Oops, link corrected. Sorry

 

Anway, thanks for the links, but I think that both are way to expensive for me. And if I were to add the shipping costs, I think it would be more expensive than any of my 2 falcons! Finally, considering that there is a new project that is compatible with the Phantom accelerator for Falcons for about 35 euros makes both upgrade kits bloody expensive in my humble opinion.

 

Like I said above, I got that mste as a sort of donation, mainly to have a machine for testing D-Bug stuff, not for my collection. So call me cheap, but I think I'll pass.

 

So, my current thought for it is to use my external JAZ drive I have for my falcons.

[Zeptari1]

There were Mega/STes without Scsi controller board.

They also have a thicker cover where the hard drive usually is sitting, so there is hardly place for it.

Best to do would be to connect an external hard drive, or finding a Scsi controller card and another cover.

 

Good luck for either way of upgrading.

 

P.S.: I did not need an Ajax chip in my Mega/STe, just a hd floppy drive.

 

 

Really!! Can I use an old HD froppy from my PC?

 

I wonder if it'll work with my TOS 2.02 machine.... But the format option in GEM doesn't have a

format HD option...

 

 

-Rick

 

If I try an HD floppy drive is it possible to damage my mega?

[tjlazer]

Yeah the HD drive kits are expensive because of the ASCI to SCSI adaptor and all the other parts. Remember SCSI on Atari is gonna cost you!

 

Get a Epson SMD-300/304 and it will fit perfectly in the Mega STE case! There is a jumper (#7?) to set for enabling HD formatting in TOS 2.x

[Zeptari1]

Yeah the HD drive kits are expensive because of the ASCI to SCSI adaptor and all the other parts. Remember SCSI on Atari is gonna cost you!

 

Get a Epson SMD-300/304 and it will fit perfectly in the Mega STE case! There is a jumper (#7?) to set for enabling HD formatting in TOS 2.x

 

 

 

I'm gonna have to have ALOT of luck finding that Epson floppy.

 

Is the jumper on the Mega's motherboard or on the floppy itself?

 

-Rick

[jens]

zeptari, I'm not sure about TOS 2.02, but it is worth a try.

 

ggn, get a SatanDisk for the Mega/STe. I think it's the best way to upgrade it.

[tjlazer]

I have an extra EPSON SMD 300 drive. Jumper is on MB. $25 + S/H.

[Zeptari1]

zeptari, I'm not sure about TOS 2.02, but it is worth a try.

 

ggn, get a SatanDisk for the Mega/STe. I think it's the best way to upgrade it.

 

 

 

SatanDisk?

 

Link... Review.. who sells? What the heck is it?

 

-Rick

 

 

P.S. Thanks tjlaser ,but i'm gonna have to hold out on that one till I get all my options figured out.

[Christos]

 

SatanDisk?

 

Link... Review.. who sells? What the heck is it?

 

-Rick

 

 

 

http://joo.kie.sk/satandisk/

http://ihrisko.org/~mikro/sd_preorder/

[jens]

Thanks for dropping in, Christos.

[Tempest]

I didn't realize the Mega STE didn't come with a HD. I assumed it was standard. I've never seen one without.

 

BTW is there a cheap place to get a replacement HD cover? Mine is cracked and I'd like to get a new one, but I don't want to spend a ton of money on it since the crack is really small.

 

Tempest

[tjlazer]

The Mega STE 1 came with TOS 2.05, a 720k drive and no SCSI card or mounting kit for the HD. THe place where the HD goes is just a plastic cover with no LED, etc. It also came with 4 256k SIMMs for 1MB. I got one recently NIB on ebay. I upraded the TOS to 2.06, added a Mega STE HD kit and next is a HD drive (Epson SMD 340) I hope I do not need a Ajax chip, we shall see.

 

Here is a pic of my Mega STE 1 w/o a HD!

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...st&id=67481

Edited January 4, 2007 by tjlazer