Apple IIgs and 3.5 floppies

Punkyclown wrote:

 Hi All, Does anyone know if the 3.5 floppy model no. M0131 will run on an Apple IIgs?

Much appreciated,

Brad Hansen

Not with the built in smart port. To run that drive on a II, you'll need a UDC.

Apple Universal Disk Controller.   About $300.00 on eBay when they come up. 

http://wiki.apple2.org/index.php?title=A2_Floppy_Controllers#UDC_.2F_Universal_Disk_Controller

Reactive Micro has a 3.5 controller that also supports it for $100.00 less. 

https://www.reactivemicro.com/product/apple-ii-3-5-drive-controller-card/

Thanks,

Jay 

The SuperDrive controller won't work with the M0130 or M0131 3.5" drives.

It works with the 3.5" Unidisk, the A9M0106 & the G7287. Also with a couple of AE drives.

May not matter much as Reactive Micro doesn't have them in stock. Last time they were out of stock it was years before any showed up again

jwg1962 wrote:

Reactive Micro has a 3.5 controller that also supports it for $100.00 less. 

 

https://www.reactivemicro.com/product/apple-ii-3-5-drive-controller-card/

 

Wayne, 

Good catch.  I didn't read the original post and just responded to the question "What is the UDC?".  The M0130 and M0131 won't work perfectly as they do not have eject buttons.  However, the article below states they will work with the UDC. I suspect you are not able to eject the disk without a paperclip though so it is not an ideal situation. 

Here's a couple of resources: 

https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/Apple%20II%20Documentation%20Project/Reference/Articles/aplus0187-apple2_drives.pdf

https://apple2online.com/web_documents/apple_floppy_disk_drives.pdf

As for the Rective Micro Controller - Henry did have some of these at KansasFest last year for sale so I know they are making them again.  I would send a message to check availability before ordering. 

J

I was refering to the superdrive controller.

With the UDC cards it seems to be problematical whether the eject button works with any drive. I used the A9M0106 with one and the eject buttons didn't work so I connected the eject button directly to the eject motor.

That's a possible mod for the M0131. Run a couple of small wires in with an external button.

That drive is really intended for Macs.  It will work on an Apple II with the VTech/Central Point/Laser "Universal Disk Controller" (not to be confused with the similarly named card from Apple).  For DOS 3.3 support there is AmDOS or UniDOS, which can be found on Asimov, etc.  Nobody makes a clone of the VTech card, but occasionally they can be found on eBay fairly reasonably.

Oh, and yes, Mac specific drives without an eject button are a PITA on an Apple II.  Keep the paper clip handy.