Floppy drive type for North Star controller? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

26 Jun 1997

...
  Anybody know what type of drive I can connect to the
popular North Star
 MDS-AD3 S-100 disk controller board? 
Sugart sa400l or similar. The MDS-AD3 was a dual density controller that 
aslo did two sided.  Any of the 360 PC half height drives will work as will
many of the older full height.

Your limited to 5.25 as the media must be for ten sector hard sectoring.

I have one here but it was given to me dead.  I still run a MDS-A2 single 
density controller. 

FYI the are hard sector 10 sectors per track 256 or 512 bytes a sector.

...
  dual density (FM vs. MFM) is determined by the
controller, and soft vs. 
FM single density, MFM double density.

...
  What bothers me is single vs. double sided and all of
those jumpers on 5
 1/4" drives.  Will dual sided drives work on single sided controllers, 
Yes.

...
  with only one side operating?  Do those jumpers need
to be set
 differently for different controllers, and how would I find
 documentation for the various brands (I'm sure I wouldn't!) 
Yes.   The controller you identified is two sided capable and double density 
capable but the OS can be configured for various combinations.

Allison