Fast and Inexpensive - Promise's FastTrak66 IDE RAID-Controller

Make Your Own FastTrak66 Out Of An Ultra66

If we take a close look at the FastTrak66 and the Ultra66, we find that the cards are physically identical except for one well hidden little detail. Underneath the EPROM-chip there are two special places for SMD-resistors. The location of the resistor decides if the card will be an Ultra66 or a FastTrak66.

You can see the SMD-resistor underneath the EPROM chip. If it's close to the lower row of pins of the EPROM chip, you've got an Ultra66.

The FastTrack66 is carrying the resistor close to the upper row of pins of the EPROM, as you can see in the picture above.

This little difference and the BIOS that's stored/flashed inside the EPROM can make a FastTrak66 out of an Ultra66 for a third of its price. However, you will certainly agree that it's a bit tough to solder this SMD into the other place, because you'd have to remove the EPROM from the card as well.