RPi Pico HDD (WIP) case

[alexh]

The Megafile is totally impractical as a HDD today. It only supports MFM/RLL drives (and it's very picky about which ones). You can't replace the drive because no one makes them, not even adapters for other protocols. It's only purpose is to recover an existing Megafile drive. You'd be mad to store anything of any significance on one today (and if you've got any data on one not backed up you'd be mad not to back up ASAP)

[chronicthehedgehog]

The Megafile is totally impractical as a HDD today. It only supports MFM/RLL drives (and it's very picky about which ones). You can't replace the drive because no one makes them, not even adapters for other protocols. It's only purpose is to recover an existing Megafile drive. You'd be mad to store anything of any significance on one today (and if you've got any data on one not backed up you'd be mad not to back up up ASAP)

I think that's a solid argument for replacing its innards and maintaining that Atari look

[alexh]

I've found that there are industrial MFM drive replacements available that *might* work in the Megafile. They retail around the $300 mark.

https://www.drem.info/buy
https://decromancer.ca/mfm-emulator/
http://www.pdp8online.com/mfm/

[mrbombermillzy]

The Megafile is totally impractical as a HDD today. It only supports MFM/RLL drives (and it's very picky about which ones). You can't replace the drive because no one makes them, not even adapters for other protocols. It's only purpose is to recover an existing Megafile drive. You'd be mad to store anything of any significance on one today (and if you've got any data on one not backed up you'd be mad not to back up ASAP)

We may all be mad here for using failing/obsolete machines that could die at any minute. Nevertheless, we will still use them. ;)

Anyway, IIRC, (at least in the Megafile I had) dont the internals have a convoluted ACSI>SCSI interface, which then interfaces to another board with the MFM/RLL inerface, then the actual drive?

If I have remebered it correctly, the chain can be severed at the SCSI board and a modern SCSI drive implementation can be used (possibly SCSI2SD or BluSCSI). That would make it a far more practical proposition.

If you dont want to hang on till October @alexh , send me the internals and I will test. I can pay for any postage and whatever you want for the bits if you like?

Ironically, that would be easier for me to run than my 2 Satandisk drives that need to have a nonstandard 9v miniUSB connector PSU, which I cant seem to find or buy online. :lol:

[alexh]

dont the internals have a convoluted ACSI>SCSI interface, which then interfaces to another board with the MFM/RLL inerface, then the actual drive?

Not in mine. It's a single board that connects directly to the MFM/RLL drive. I think you're thinking of the Megafile 44. Megafile 20 and 30 I *think* are just ACSI->MFM/RLL

If you dont want to hang on till October @alexh , send me the internals and I will test.

Thanks but I'm not concerned if it works or doesn't work.

[mrbombermillzy]

Thanks but I'm not concerned if it works or doesn't work.

Well, I was actually offering to buy the internals from you, rather than you deciding to bin them, unless you want to keep hold, then that's fine. :D