====================================================================== Replacement of Hard Drives on the SupersPORT-286 and SupersPORT-SX. ====================================================================== Last Revision 26 November 1993: Modifications of revision -02 or earlier motherboards. SS286 and SS286e power connections added. Replacement of a hard drive on the SupersPORT-286 or -SX is a straight forward operation requiring only the skills of a Phillip's-head screw driver mechanic. The drives in these units are common, everyday IDE drives. Replacing a broken drive, or adding disk capacity takes only about 30 minutes of screw driver time and about the same amount of time to prepare the new disk for use by the computer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTE: Very early Conner IDE drives were not true IDE specification and ZDS accounted for this on some desktops with a jumper. ZDS accounted for this on the SupersPORT-286 in the motherboard circuitry. A jumper is not present in the SupersPORT-286. If you have a very old SupersPORT-286 you should insure you can get a refund on any drive you purchase that won't work! It has been reported that this conversion or upgrade may not work on very early SS-286 motherboards (revision -02 or less). These computers are apparently serial numbered 000001 through 031981. * It is possible to add a "hardware patch" to the motherboard and * allow the newer Conner drives to work. See NOTE at end of this * article for hardware modifications for early series motherboards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. TYPES OF DRIVES. The SupersPORT-286 and -SX series of computer, to include the Heathkit H-286x series, are factory equipped with either the Conner CP-3xx series IDE hard drive, which has it's integral controller mounted on a separate card; or the Conner CP-30xx series IDE hard drive which is totally self contained. Both are IDE drives. The older (separate controller) CP-3xx series drive mounts directly into the computer. The newer series drive is mounted on a bracket. There is nothing special about either type drive and both 20M and 40M versions were supplied. To replace a bad drive it is only necessary to buy a new drive and possibly a new data cable, bracket, and power cable; and just install them in the computer. See if the data cable is removable from your drive. On some CP-302x models the cable is permanently mounted to the drive; on others it pops right off. To install a hard drive in the Heathkit H-286x series that doesn't currently have a hard drive you only need to add a hard drive in the left drive bay pretending you originally had the older series Conner (you need all the parts if you threw away the Winchester bracket that was standard with the H-2862). [To determine what drive you have in your SupersPORT without disassembling it, run the program IDEDIAG included as part of this package. If you have the Conner CP-3023/3024 or CP-3043/3044 series drive you have the new type and don't need anything other than a new drive and maybe the data cable. If you a CP-3xx (three digit model number) you have an older drive and will need the new bracket and power cable as well. If you have the older type drive, also check your motherboard revision number. See the NOTE above.] 2. PICKING A LARGER DRIVE. Other than money(!), there are only two considerations in choosing a larger drive: (1) It's gotta be an IDE drive, and (2) it has to fit inside the computer. ZDS dealer claims to the contrary, there are no "special" drives or controllers required by this computer. Any new IDE drive that will physically fit inside the computer should work. The interior room limits drive height to 1" (one inch) high drives. "Half height" drives will not fit. Although in THEORY any IDE drive should work, only Conner and Western Digital "Caviar" drives have worked successfully in this conversion. An attempt to install a Quantum did NOT work! Drives known to install inside the computer are (drives less than 40M not shown): Conner ROM Model No. Capacity Drive Type CP-344 42M (factory installed old models) 44 CP-3044 42M (factory installed new models) 44 CP-3000 42M (new model number for 3044) 44 CP-30104 122M (some factory -SX units) 61 WD Caviar Model No. AC-280 80M 56 AC-2120 120M 61 3. ZENITH PARTS REQUIRED. For ALL installations: 969-1917 Cable, Hard Drive, Data, SS286e (40 conductor) (Optional, but highly recommended) * Only required if your old cable is permanently attached to the drive. For "older" series SS-286, and H-2860: 969-1814 Bracket, Hard Drive, SS286e or 969-181-D (old model number, same bracket) or 232-183-1 (even older model number!) or use 3" x 5" pad of Velcro and secure the drive to the case! 969-2345 Cable, 4C, Power, SS286 (4-pin to 3-pin) or 969-1812 Cable, Power, SS286e (if converting H-2862) (3-pin to 3-pin) NOTE: See the Note at the end of this document for details on the Caviar HD power connector! If you're installing the the CP-30104 or AC-2120 in the standard video SupersPORT-286 (or H-2860) and Type 61 isn't in your ROM: 444-671-05 (As of Sep 90. The -05 is the revision number 444-672-05 and the version you get may be higher.) For the SS-SX the ROM part numbers are: 444-808-xx and 444-809-xx. 4. SOURCE FOR HARD DRIVES AND PARTS. There are several sources for hard drives. Check PC-Magazine or Computer Shopper for prices and compare to the Zuni (Western Imaging) prices posted in the Library. I've purchased a number from Hard Drives International which ships FedEx so you'll have the drive in only a couple of days. You only need the "bare drive" and the 40 conductor cable. If you have to order a ZDS mounting bracket, or ROMs, go with the ZDS data cable listed above as it simplifies installation. Otherwise you can rework the 40 conductor data cable that comes with the drive. ZDS parts can be obtained at a ZDS dealer, or service center. 5. INSTALLATION. Once you've assembled all the parts it's time to put them inside the computer. You'll need a special tool: a Phillip's screw driver. If your current hard drive is still working you can simplify reinstallation of the software by performing a BACKUP. Don't try to use an old version of FastBack. Earlier versions don't work on the SS-286 due to DMA conflicts. FastBack assures me that it's made a verified Backup. but Restores always fail. If your current hard drive is dead you'll have to rely on your last backup..... a. Gather all parts and special tools. Set aside about 90 minutes for the project. Remove small hands and cats from the area. b. Close the computer cover and unplug the battery case and power connectors. Tape the cover closed so it doesn't pop opened unexpectedly and damage the case (don't tape over the lower half of the bottom case as you're going to remove that part). c. Invert the unit on a towel to keep from scratching the cases and remove the seven (7) screws holding the lower case together. Keeping the cases together, rotate the unit upright. Lift slightly and rotate the top half of the lower case and the screen to the rear and lay it flat. There is enough slack in the video cables to allow you to leave them connected. Examine the video connector where it plugs into the main unit. If it's not held in place with a bracket or clip, get one from your dealer. d. Remove keyboard (2 screws). Just move it slightly out of the way, don't disconnect the cable unless you're also installing new ROMs. To remove the keyboard cable lift up both ends of the bracket on the motherboard until it pops up enough to free the cable. When you replace it just stick the cable in the slot and snap the connector back down. e. Remove the hard drive (3 screws). If the hard drive is connected to another circuit card you've got the CP-3xx series with the separate controller. Remove the controller. Disconnect the drive or controller from the motherboard 40 pin connector. Disconnect the power cable from the drive noting the position of the wires. Some of the screws are hard to see, so take your time! You MAY have to remove the video power supply to get at the screw beneath it. f. If you're installing new ROMs in the non-VGA versions, and there is only one two access hatch on the bottom of the computer for the 80287 chip, you'll also need to remove the floppy drive (3 screws), the power supply, and motherboard. The ROMS are on the bottom of the motherboard. (If you've got two hatches don't disassemble further, just remove/replace the ROMs thru the bottom hatch!) ROMs on the SupersPORT-286e (VGA version) are on the TOP of the motherboard, under the keyboard. Remove the old ROMS and replace. Insure all pins go into the sockets. Reassemble the motherboard, floppy drive, and power supply. g. Mount the data cable to the drive. The ZDS data cable is optional, but highly recommended. You can use the cable that comes with your new drive with a little care and modification. My cable came with two connectors on the disk drive end so I cut one off. Also separate the flat cable into pairs to increase it's flexibility. Do this carefully so you don't disturb any connections or break any wires. h. Install the new drive on the bracket with four screws (first removing the old drive if necessary!). i. Install the (new) power connector to the power supply, if necessary, and drive. The brown wire goes toward the center of the drive. See the NOTE at the end of the document regarding the Caviar drive power connector. j. Connect the 40-pin cable from the drive to the motherboard. k. Find a piece of cardboard and place it under the drive approximately over the hard drive bay. We want to pre-test the installation before we reassemble the computer and the cardboard will insulate the drive from the computer innards so we don't get exciting sparks and blue smoke. l. With the drive safely isolated from the computer, plug the power cable in the rear panel and switch on the computer. The floppy should wind up and buzz, and you should hear the drive motor on the hard drive running. If you don't hear both drives running POWER OFF and check your work! The screen will probably display a error to the effect that you can't boot this drive. Turn everything back off and unplug the power cord. 6. REASSEMBLY is the reverse of disassembly: a. Install the drive. Neatly fold the 40 conductor drive cable in such a manner that it exits the bottom of the drive and then comes between the two bracket feet. Place the drive/bracket assembly into the computer and arrange the cable so it isn't pinched or under the bracket. There's plenty of room under the keyboard for any excess. Keep the cable out of the modem compartment. Secure the drive bracket with three (3) screws. The screw in the back left corner has a black ground wire connected from the keyboard. Run this wire where it won't be pinched. The screw hole nearest the modem compartment is left open as a case-screw will go through here. Neatly run the power cable between the floppy and hard drive. If the drive and bracket won't fit you'll have to move the drive on the bracket (the mounting holes are slotted). It's tight, but it all fits. b. Replace the keyboard, making sure all the drive cable is folded neatly underneath. If you removed the keyboard cable from the motherboard, be sure to snap the bracket back down to secure the cable. Be sure the lugs at the top of the keyboard go into the slots and secure with the two small screws. c. Replace the top half of the case (and screen). Don't forget to put the hard drive hole blanking plate in place. The case takes a little jiggling sometimes. Make sure no wires are sticking out. Replace the seven screws in the bottom of the case. 7. TESTING AND SOFTWARE INSTALLATION. Power up the computer listening for the drive motors and watching the LEDs. If your computer is set to boot from the hard drive you'll either get the message "Not a bootable partition" or nothing at all. Either is normal, the first is more common. a. Hit Ctrl-Alt-Ins and enter the monitor ROM. Select the proper Hard Disk Drive Type. If your drive type isn't there, and you didn't put in new ROMs select Drive Type 1. If you installed new ROMs set the other areas to your own settings. Save your SETUP. b. If you were able to set the right drive type in SETUP, reboot the computer from the floppy. I recommend you use your MS-DOS Disk #1. This will run the setup program (various names depending on your version). Go to the hard drive part of the menu and see if the format option is there. If the format option is there you can proceed if you want the drive to be all one partition. If you've installed the CP-30104 or AC-2120 I recommend you PARTition it into two 60M partitions. To do this you need to run PART before you FORMAT. I further recommend that when you run PART you set both partitions as BOOTABLE. This is a safety device in case your C: drive becomes unbootable for some reason (try a messed up CONFIG.SYS file!). You can boot from the second partition with the command BW0:2. Note this may NOT be possible under MS-DOS 6. After running PART, go back and FORMAT /S your partition(s). You can now restore your software. c. If the right drive type was NOT in SETUP you MAY be able to run PREP /Q to get the drive properly setup. Try PART first. If you can PARTition the drive you're home free and can go from there to FORMAT as above. If PREP /Q does not work you need the new ROMs with Drive Type 61. Most SS-286e's will already have them. If you're PREPping the Conner CP-30104 or the AC-2120 and drive type 61 is lacking in your ROM use PREP /Q and supply the following information when prompted. Installation of the proper ROM is highly recommended. CP-30104 AC-2120 Cylinders 761 872 Heads 8 8 Sectors 39 35 Ship Zone 761 872 Precomp Off or 0 Off or 0 Once PREP/Q is complete you can run PART it into two 60M partitions and FORMAT /S both as above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTES ON CAVIAR DRIVES: 1. Recent developments in the IDE drive area have resulted in the Western Digital Caviar series. While these drives are new (October 1992) they appear to be a better choice than the Conner drives for a number of reasons: they're less expensive; easier to find; and much more quiet! I've had an 80M version in daily operation for over a year without any problems of any sort. You should NOT have to use PREP or anything similar on one of these new drives. 2. The Caviar drives do NOT come with a mini-power plug as standard, it's a factory option. If you select one of the Caviars try to get the small power plug. I have NOT seen this plug, but hope it will fit the standard connector. I installed the Caviar drive by modifying the standard big Molex connector. This entails removing the handle on the connector, splicing it into the existing power cable, and insulating the connectors with shrink wrap tubing. The wires can then be bent to fit between the hard drives. Use a voltmeter to determine the power wires from your power supply. They differ between the '286 and '286e (see note at end). 3. If you can't find the ZDS mounting brackets you can safely mount the drive directly to the bottom of the case using a 3" x 5" piece of Velcro. Really! Position it where you want it carefully as it's a bear to remove once you install it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ADDITIONAL NOTES ON OLD MOTHERBOARDS: Fm: John Barnes [70421,617] Hi Chuck, I have cracked the SS286 / CP343 Mystery !!! I sucessfully installed a standard Conner HDD in a supersport that previously had a cp343 in it. The board was marked 3RE4B13500030C in the silkscreen under the FDD. I presume that this is a rev C motherboard. I begged some schematics from the authorized service centre. On schematic 11 they show a set of links marked "JVC" near an undesignated HC08 chip. I determined that the Interupt requests from the drive were not being serviced by the microprocessor. The signal on pin 39, drive BUSY -active low, was being ANDED with the IRQ request line hence NO interrupts by removing the AND gate everything works o.k. (Pin 39 on the CP343 must be HIGH if BUSY). The mods are not too bad. But you have to work on the surface mount devices. No components are required, just about 10 inches of wire wrap wire. 1) Remove the Motherboard from the case. 2) Locate the Connector CN15 cut the track leaving pin 25. Count the pins very carefully. Solder a piece of wire wrap wire to pin 25. Feed the wire the hole beteen the legs of Q2. Solder the wire to pin 1 of the IC12DB. (I don't know the reason for this mod. I found it on a rev D motherboard). 3) Locate the IC 14F. This is an HC08. Lift pin 6 of the ic while heating it with a fine soldering iron. Solder a piece of wire wrap wire to pin 4 of 14F. Solder the other end of this wire to CN18 pin 14. 4) Insert Jumper JP28 if it is missing. (Again I don't know the reason - I found it on a rev D.) Mounting. It took the diecast frame of the original CP343 drive apart with a junior hacksaw and a file. By removing the end pieces and drilling holes in the sides I was able to mount the new drive. I had to make a short 40 pin cable from a normal IDE cable. Then using a pocket knife split the cable into pairs to make it more flexible. For the power connections. There was no room for the four pin socket. I took the power cable that was used with the CP343 removed the drive end and carefully soldered the wires directly to the HDD. I used a meter to sort them out. Software. [Firmware] If the drive being inserted is bigger than those in ROMs then a new BIOS will be required. I used version 5. (444 671 - 5 & 444 672 - 5) I also tried a Conner CP2024 20MB 2 1/2 drive with rev 1 BIOS using drive type 6. Works fines no problems. A small adapter board is required to match the connector on the drive to the standard 40 pin IDE format. The smaller 2 1/2 drives are really easy to mount. Remove the guts from the the Cp343 and drill a couple of holes in the side of the diecast frame to match the drive and viola ! I ran FDISK (from DOS 6) followed by FORMAT. Acknowledgements Thanks for the info provided in SS286D.ZIP, this gave me the confidence to proceed ! The info provided in CONHIDE.ZIP (Conner HDD manuals) was also very useful. I have been working with Richard Hagley in England on a CP343 to regular IDE conversion. I mention that link JP30 should be made. That was incorrect the link JP28 should be made, the board is very ambiguous it that region. I will keep you informed as to how he does. Bye for now ... John ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SUPERSPORT POWER CONNECTORS: SuperSPORT-286 HARD DRIVE Power Connectors on Power Supply: SS286 Connector SS-286e Connector +5v Top Ground Ground . +12v Ground . +5v +12v Bottom Standard Hard Drive and Floppy Drive Molex power connector (big, standard sized connector): Molex Plug 1 +5v 2 Ground 3 Ground 4 +12v ------------------------------------------------------------------------ End of File Information provided from the personal experiences of Chuck Santose, Tom Looker, Charlie Ojserkis, Kevin Cooney and John Barnes of the Zenith Forum on Compuserve, none of whom is responsible if you screw this up! PLease send your comments to: Chuck Santose 76711,775 Asst Sysop ZDS Forum on CompuServe Original: 21 August 1991 Revised: 29 August 1991 cfs Revised: 25 September 1991 cfs Revised: 14 October 1991 cfs Revised: 19 October 1991 cfs Revised: 13 January 1992 cfs Revised: 9 September 1992 cfs Revised: 1 November 1992 cfs Revised: 1 May 1993 cfs Revised: 26 November 1993 cfs