On 9/7/20 2:22 PM, Jules Richardson via cctalk wrote:
And, even if it were somehow "compatible" with a completely different
hard disk controller, "COMMAND ERROR" doesn't sound like anybody's error
message for a wiped drive. More likely to be a generic "READ ERROR"
I agree "read error" would seem more sensible, but this thing's quirky
enough that I wouldn't rule anything out right now.
Progress! I started looking everything over again, picking stuff apart,
reassembling etc. - eventually happening to notice quite by chance how
rough the very end of the hard disk control cable felt as I pushed the
connector back onto the drive. Out with the loupe, and sure enough - the
cable cut wasn't particularly clean across the entire width, and there was
a single strand of wire just long enough to bridge across two of the
conductors.
Now I'm getting "system file not found or disk read error", which although
disappointing is at least far more sane. I'll have to rustle up a floppy
boot disk and see if I can get any access that way.
I have no idea of this machine's history - I don't even know where I got
it. Maybe those are factory cables, maybe not. Maybe previous owners goofed
around with the system over the years, maybe the drive itself is
non-original even (and contains nothing relevant to the video board, even
if it was bootable). After doing an initial PSU test the other day, I did
strip it down to bare minimum - just system board and video - so it's
possible the drive cable wasn't shorted prior to my disturbing things.
cheers
Jules
