2500XL/2 (250-4075) Installing a SmartDrive Faxback Doc. # 1490 A SmartDrive (IDE hard disk drive) is a hard disk drive with a built-in controller. Because a hard disk controller usually occupies one of the expansion slots in a computer, using a SmartDrive frees one of your expansion slots for some other use and saves you the cost of a separate controller. The SmartDrive is designed to work with its built-in controller, providing maximum performance and guaranteed compatibility at a lower cost than with other drive/controller combinations. To install a SmartDrive: * Install the drive in your computer. For instructions, refer to "Installing a 3 1/2" Drive" or "Installing a 5 1/4" Drive." * Connect a SmartDrive data/controller cable between the SmartDrive and the 40-Pin SmartDrive connector on the main logic board. The data/controller cable supports up to two SmartDrive. NOTE: You can also install a 3 1/2" SmartDrive in the 5 1/4" bay. To do so, you must purchase a 3 1/2" to 5 1/4" mounting adapter kit from a Radio Shack store. To help you connect the SmartDrive cable correctly, the SmartDrive connector on the main logic board the `keyed`; it has one hole fewer than an unkeyed connector, and again, the empty area on the connector is called the key. To connect a keyed SmartDrive cable, simply align the keys on the two connectors and then firmly press the cable connector onto the main logic board connector. If your cable connector is not keyed connector, you must locate Pin 1 on the cable connector and on the main logic board connector. Some cables have a stripe on one side. This stripe indicates Pin 1 on the cable connector. One the main logic board, a dot or the number 1 is printed next to Pin 1 of the main logic board connector. To connect an unkeyed IDE cable, align Pin 1 of the cable connector with Pin 1 of the main logic board connector and then press the cable connector onto the main logic board connector. After installing a SmartDrive (or any hard disk drive), run the Setup utility to update your system configuration. To run Setup, insert the Startup and Operating Diskette into Drive A and turn on the computer. NOTE: In the Tandy 2500XL2 setup when the Hard Drive 1 option is selected the User Defined Box does not appear on your screen. There are 47 drive types and the none option that you may choose from, therefore when you install a secondary (slave) smart drive into the unit you must choose one of the available drive types in order to make it operable. Also you need to install the Master drive on the center of the cable and the slave drive on the end of the cable when using 52MB smart drives. After you reset the computer, use the FDISK, FORMAT, and COPY commands to define the hard drive partitions, high-level format each partition, and copy data and programs to the hard disk. A brief description of FDISK, FORMAT, and COPY is included here for your convenience. If you want more information about these commands, refer to an MS-DOS reference from Radio Shack. THE FDISK COMMAND The FDISK command enables you to partition a physical hard disk into two or more logical drives. Using FDISK, you can: * create a primary DOS partition * create an extended DOS partition * change the active partition * delete a DOS partition * display partition information To prepare the hard disk for the MS-DOS operating system, you must create a primary DOS partition. The primary DOS partition is the disk area in which MS-DOS stores operating system files. CAUTION: Configuring a hard disk with the FDISK utility destroys any information on the disk. If you want to keep any data on the hard disk, be sure to make a copy of the appropriate files before running the FDISK utility. To use FDISK, insert the Startup and Operating Diskette into Drive A and the start the computer. At the A> prompt, type: FDISK and press FDISK displays a series of menus to guide you through partitioning your hard disk drive. NOTE: If your hard disk drive is larger than 31MB and you are using MS-DOS Version 3.xx, you must run FDISK twice -- once to create a primary partition and one to create an extended partition. An extended partition enables you to access the full capacity of the hard disk. THE FORMAT COMMAND After you partition the hard disk, use the FORMAT command to prepare each partition for use by MS-DOS. The FORMAT command prepares each partition for use by MS-DOS files by creating the disk directory and file allocation tables. All new hard disks and diskettes must be formatted before MS-DOS can use them. CAUTION: Formatting a hard disk or diskette destroys any data on the disk. To format Drive C (the primary partition) as the startup disk, type: FORMAT C: /S and press ENTER. The following message is displayed: WARNING, ALL DATA ON THE NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE X: WILL BE LOST! PROCEED WITH FORMAT (Y/N)? Type Y (for Yes) and press ENTER. When formatting is complete, FORMAT displays a message that reports the total space available, the amount of defective disk space, the space used by the operating system, and the space available for your files. NOTE: To format an extended partition, type: FORMAT X: where X is the logical drive letter, such as D. Then, press ENTER. THE COPY COMMAND After a disk (or partition) is correctly formatted, use the copy command to move files and programs to the disk. Most users want to copy the MS-DOS commands to a hard disk. To copy the MS-DOS commands to your hard disk, insert the Startup and Operating Diskette into Drive A. Then, type: COPY A:*.* C: and press ENTER. The COPY command transfers files from the diskette to the hard disk, one at a time, and displays the name of each file copied. After copying the requested files, the COPY command displays the number of files copied and the system prompt returns. NOTE: Use subdirectories to organize your files on the hard disk. For more information on organizing a hard disk, see the CHDIR, MKDIR, and RMDIR commands in an MS-DOS reference. After you copy the MS-DOS commands to your Smart/Drive, remove the Startup and Operating Diskette from Drive A and reset the computer, press CTRL + ALT + DEL or the reset button.