CompuServe Messages

The short answer is "yes" the 3.5" IDE can be used… with a little re-working. The 2.5" IDE's the A1200 was designed to accept were designed for laptop (IBM/compatible) machines. These computers often run on batterys. The 2.5" IDE's have very low-power consumption compared to the 3.5" IDE drives. If you use a 3.5" with the A1200 it is highly advised that you upgrade the A1200 powersupply or use a separate powersupply to power the 3.5" IDE. The A1200 has a bracket for holding a 2.5" IDE. The bracket also doubles as a support for keyboard. If you try to install the 3.5" internally there will be problems in fitting the drive — you will have to do some hacking. If you mount the 3.5" IDE externally in its own case, with it own powersupply, you should have few problems. There are cable that extend the IDE-interface through the breakout connector, just for this purpose. — Since your keeping the A500, you might consider a ParNET cable. My A1200 doesn't have its own harddrive, instead it uses the AdIDE harddrive that is installed inside my A500. The ParNET uses a custom parallel cable to connect the parallel port of both machine together. A driver is then run on both machines that allows them to access the other Amiga's drives as storage devices. The ParNET software creates a "NET:" device, with icon. The Floppy, Hard, and RAM drives of the other Amiga appear as "drawers" (or partitions) inside the "NET:". I boot the A1200 from a stripped floppy, which mounts the "NET:" then re-assigns the system to a subdirectory on the A500's HD's "DH2:" partition. I can then run all the the software located on the harddrive. from both systems. Accessing the HD (and other devices) over the Parnet is slower than directly accessing an internal HD, but the Parnet is almost free. The software can be downloaded, or copied from a Amiga dealer. The software package contains info on how to make the parnet cable (I paid someone to make one for me.) Ron. – ap'ing with AP. (Eagles may fly, but weasels aren't sucked into jet engines.)