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Question

Help With AOS + ATAPI Zip Drive

Jul 15, 2019 10:57AM PDT

Hello All,

I'm working in a company which uses a very old Test Machine and thereby works on old Data General Computers. Somehow they have DOS and AOS OS installed and can be switched alternatevely. The device drivers for Test machines are on AOS Operating System and communicate directly with the Test machines. The issue is the everytime we need to type a new test program, it must on the same old system. There is a Zip Atapi 100 drive  and can be accessed only through DOS and not AOS.
Could you please help me with the below two
1. How do i access the zip drive on my AOS operating system
2. How to replace the old Zip drive with a USB port. Like using some ZIP-USB converted Bus or similar.

Any help would be greatly appretiated

Thanking you

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Dead end I fear.
Jul 15, 2019 11:20AM PDT

Try http://hddguru.com/software/2006.02.09-USBASPI-MS-DOS-Driver/ for the DOS side.

As AOS, that appears to be 1981 and only the newest would not be making plans to move away from that old a machine. I guess you could seek out source code and find a way to add support but that would be your job for a few years.

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Alternate Solution
Jul 15, 2019 11:27AM PDT

Thank you for the reply.
Resource and time is not a constraint. I can dedicate both for this project.
Do you think Using a raspberry pi to emulate ZIP Atapi driver and fooling the System would be a wise choice?

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That much effort
Jul 15, 2019 11:43AM PDT

Sounds like you could use that time and effort to update the test machines and more. But this is your choice and the company.

Me? Over the years I've written so many ATE (automatic test equipment) code and worked out so many testers that I understand how companies end up with very old setups. They are usually like old mules about replacement with something current. I have some Pi machines on my desk and have considered such but went back to PCs and now smart phones for the test code.

The hardware interfaces could be a challenge to new grads as many either are software only or hardware only. My schoolwork had both electronic design and code. I was there for the embedded revolution.