Question:
What can you tell me about 3.5" drives for the Apple IIc?
Answer:
The IIc comes essentially in two models: White (original IIc) and Platinum
(IIc+). They are different as to the 3.5 drives they can use.
White IIc: can only use the white 800k "Unidisk 3.5". This drive has a 65C02
chip inside to handle the slow speed of the IIc's ability to process disk
I/O. Additionally, the mother board needed a special update that involved a
chip replacement and solder pad cut (most of these were done early on and all
the service stock boards were done.)
Platinum IIc+: Has a regular 800k Apple 3.5 drive built-in. The same one as
the platinum "Apple 3.5" drive sold with the IIgs. You can externally connect
*either* drive to the IIc+. The I/O speed problem was reportedly solved by
licensing Zip Technology's caching process to result in a IIc+ that ran at 4
mHz, rather than the original's 1 mHz.
Cable: both drives come with an attached cable that has a DB-19M connector to
mate with either IIc's built-in DB-19F external socket.
Sources to buy one: Pre-Owned Electronics (800-274-5343); Shreve Systems
(800-227-3971); Alltech Electronics (760-724-2404 or 760-721-0093); Sun
Remarketing (800-786-0999); The Apple Resource Center (800-753-0114).
Diskettes: generally only use 800k DSDD 3.5's. 720k PC diskettes will work.
These have only a write-protect hole in them. If you are forced to use 1440k
HD's, I'd advise covering both sides of the extra hole with some cellophane
tape, since if they ever get put into a Mac's HD drive, the extra hole will
make the Mac think it's not an 800k diskette and the Mac will ask to
initialize it (bad).
Formatting them: use the Apple System Disk 3.1 or better, which has the
ability to initialize 800k diskettes. Copy II+ version 9.0 or 9.1 will also
do this.
