> > Again, I have never been successful (nor do I think anyone has) in
> > replacing the 10M mechanism. If the Z8 microcontroller is a
> > "piggyback" ROM version, you can replace the firmware with the 5M
> > EPROM and format an ST412 to 5MB (wasting every other track). I've
> > ressurrected a couple of 5M drives, so I know it works. If the Z8 is
> > a masked-ROM variant, pickup a piggyback version on eBay and give a
> > yell. Someone may know where the software is.
>
> Thanks. Just to make absolutely sure I understand what you're saying.
> When you say "Format an ST415" you mean just a regular 10MB ST415 right?
> As you say, every second track would be wasted but ..no worries.
It doesn't matter which mechanism you are dealing with. In order to
use a hard disk in a ProFile, it must be (a) equipped with the Apple
electronics board (and easy swap) and (b) formatted with Apple's low-
level scheme (may be GCR, not sure).
> > Until recently, it possible to low-level format only on an Apple ///,
> > but Al Kossow put a bunch of new software on bitsavers that includes
> > (I think) the Lisa-based formatter. I have no experience with this,
> > so you'll be blazing new territory :-).
>
> New territory. Now that would be something (-:
>
> I had a look around bitsavers but the software you speak of wasn't obvious
> (I do have a Widget I could try this on too, if I found such software).
> One thing I'm still not sure about. If a standard ST415 was used as above
> with the "trick" of formatting every second track so you have a 5MB drive,
> is it necessary for this (conventional) drive to be low level formatted in
> an Apple III (or Lisa). Or can it be done in a PC?
Regardless of whether you re-format an OEM Apple disk assembly or a
cobbled-up replacement (using the Seagate mechanism and Apple
electronics), the format must be done on the A3 or Lisa. It is
specific to the Apple controller.