Beige G3 RAM and PSU questions:

[finkmac]

So, auto-eject MFM drives exist, but sounds like it could be an optional feature here.

yup, sparcstation floppy drives have auto-eject.

Right, so the Mac is looking for a Disk In Place signal - you can see that on the Gossamer schematics labelled MFDC_DIP_I. But regular PC drives do not output anything on pin 6.

hmm why not try a gotek floppy emulator? those are configurable depending on which firmware you have installed, and should support those two signals.

other than that you'd have to find an mfm floppy drive that has the complete shugart pinout... I think E-mu Emax samplers had this sort.

 

[croissantking]

I grounded the Disk In Place and Media Density Select pins so that the Mac thinks theres always a high density disk inserted, but this didn't change anything.

Interestingly those pins (4+6) do go back to the controller IC on the floppy drive. Pin 4 is connected through a solder jumper labelled DNS, and is open by default.

TattleTech reports no drive, so it may be as @joevt says that the Heathrow is still looking for a GCR (Mac) drive and a register needs to be changed in OF.

 

[Phipli]

TattleTech reports no drive, so it may be as @joevt says that the Heathrow is still looking for a GCR (Mac) drive and a register needs to be changed in OF.

I couldn't see any straps on the pages with pull-ups, Heathrow or floppy ports.

 

[croissantking]

dev / ls in OF lists the swim3 controller, not the mfdc... interesting