HP Tape drive

[craqon]

I have this HP c4446a Colorada tapedrive. It takes 20G Travans, so it could be useful. Only problem is that it have a folppy interface. This is not listed on any searches I've made. Apparently you connect the drive to the floppy interface, but what do you set the BIOS up as??? I've tried all from 320kb to 2.88Mb, on both channels A & B. Even disabled it. I've heard that I may try "Other" but only PCs Pentium 2 (?) and older have that setting. I've got an AMD Epox 8RDA. Any comments and help will be appreciated.

 

[lunitic]

Check www.hp.com, click on "support & drivers", select "download drivers and software" and enter "Colorado c4446a tape drive" in the search box and click the "begin your search" button. Voila

 

[craqon]

Thanks, but not quite. They only have the IDE interface install instructions. Which is , like really too easy. It's the floppy interface I can't seem to make work.

 

[lunitic]

Sorry, you're right. The c4446a seems to be the internal/IDE version of the HP Colorado 20GB tape drive.

Makes me wonder, why do you think its to be connected to a floppy controller?

 

[craqon]

The drive have one of those 30 pin (or is that now 32?) enclosures for the cable. Only one size cable will fit into that, which is a floppy cable, going in one side only.

I've spoken to HP (actually they sub-contract another company as a callcentre in this country, which are more than useless) They have acknowledged the floppy interface, but could be of not much more help.

 

[lunitic]

I checked the HP website, nothing about a floppy version of your tape drive. However, there is a parallel (external) version - maybe someone took the drive out of its case, installed it internally and hooked it up with an internal LPT port?

I searched the HP web site for a tape drive with a floppy interface (T3000) and found a couple of troubleshooting tips concerning floppy controllers, did you see those?

I think that in order to work properly the BIOS should be set at no device. Not disabled: the whole floppy controller would be disabled, but also not any type of floppy drive. I believe the floppy interface doesn't support PNP, so the drive attached to the interface doesn't trigger the new hardware wizard. Just start the HP Colorado Tape Drive setup program: it should find the drive (maybe you'll have to tell it the drive is at the floppy controller). Try removing the floppy disk drive - it may conflict. Try -if possible- both positions on the FDD cable. Check the LEDs on the drive; do they light, blink, what color? Do you get any errors?

 

[craqon]

I'll try the BIOS settings. The drive definately spins up. It is actually not in a casing It's got the 5"25' plastic front cover. But that's it. The connection at the rear is definately a floppy connection.

I'll repost when I get some progress. Thanks.

 

[craqon]

Bummer. Windows 2000 and XP stopped supporting Travan SR3. The drive will never work. Unless I install Win98...

Thanks guys.