How to successfully remove the HD from an EII+HD

[tomc]

for those that want to know. If you have a dead HD, then best option is to remove and fit a floppy emulator.

You can just remove the power plug from the back of the HD and the floppy will still function. However, if you wish to remove the SCSI hardware, or fit a second floppy drive/floppy emulator you must do the following (because it wont boot if you just pull out the SCSI hardware)....

Disconnect from mains.
Take cover off.
Disconnect power and data cables from HD.
Disconnect power and 2 data cables from Adaptec SCSI board (top right PCB - the one above the memory ICs)
Unscrew HD daughter board. This is plugged into IC socket IC128.
In this empty socket (IC128), place a Zilog Z80ASIO-2 chip. I got mine off Ebay (note; this IC is different from the one on the daughter board!).
Replace Scanner and Main CPUs with non-HD versions (I got mine off a russian eBay seller).

You'll need a non  HD version of the floppy OS (eg 3.1, not 3.1HD)

I did all this and mine boots just fine off the floppy drive.

*use this info at your own risk! It worked for me. There may be other or better ways to do this*

I have fitted a HxC floppy emulator now. I may just use that, but probably I will leave the normal floppy drive in their too

Once you are happy all is working, then you can remove the unused hardware and cables (disconnect from mains first!!). You an either keep all this,
or sell it on eBay!




Dont physically remove any of the old hardware/cables, until all tested OK, incase you want to replace it all!

[seamonkey]

thanks tom c for sharing this great information.