ZIP Drives no longer working for me?

FatRakoon · 30 Apr 2023 at 00:26

Ok, I have NOT used the drives for some time. I have in the past used them to transfer my files to and from my old Atari computers and my PCs
I have decided to connect one back up into a PC, and the BIOS Sees it just fine, but when I get to the Desktop, I cannot for the life of me find it.

Now, just in case you are missing something, it is doing this in Windows 10, and Windows 11 and also Linux Mint, Linux Cinnamon, and Suse KDE.
I have used the Disk Manager, Partition Manager, and also KDEPART and GParted and NONE of them see the drive.

I have then used different drives... I have 4 ZIP100 Drives, and one ZIP250, they are all IDE and on the Atari I have a ZIP250 that is SCSI.

Is the support for these drives now over?
Why can the BIOS see them just fine but new O/Ses cannot even use them?
I did try XP onto a test PC but it failed to install ( LOL ) and so I am going to throw Vista or 7 onto it tonight just to see...

FatRakoon · 30 Apr 2023 at 01:00

Sod it.
I just chucked Windows 7 onto a PC and it worked the drive just fine.
Tried a few other drives, just for kickers, and they all worked just fine.

Did a Ridiculously stupid ( but bugger, it why not ) thing and they are all working as a single SPANNED disk.
Yeah, sure, ZIP 100 Drives are not the quickest, but I am only piddling so sue me.

So hm... Time to look for a Windows 10+ and a Linux Driver for them I recon.

FatRakoon · 30 Apr 2023 at 02:25

Yeah, that seems to be the way.

It, or rather they, are IDE, and I use a SATA to IDE device to read them, and thats never been an issue.
I just threw Windows 7 onto a spare PC and it worked just fine until I did some updates and then it stopped working again... I am for the moment, assuming its the SATA Driver.
So, I tried XP but that seems to be a bit iffy obn that PC, only cos I used an old USB Drive and not a CD... I might try that, but I have stuffed in a VISTA Stick and see how that plays!
Its not for anything vital or anything even remotely important, its just that I fancied doign it again... I mean... My Atari TT has a DVD and the Falcon has BlueRay drive, so I could simply do things that way, ( and I have been doing ) but I got the drives and so I want to use them you know!

FatRakoon · 30 Apr 2023 at 10:57

Has it been THAT long?
You know... the Y2K fiacso happened 23 years go, so sure... Time flies like a rocket

FatRakoon · 2 May 2023 at 00:00

demonix said:
You are aware that update was done because older DRM systems like Securom are considered a security risk (although certain anti-cheat programs could be considered a security risk since they give themselves ring 0 access without approval).

As for getting zip disks working on modern operating systems it might be better for the OP to obtain a USB zip drive that won't have to rely on "conversion technology" to get it working (although there are PCI-E IDE cards available that might get around the issue).

Hmm... Ok, well I have USB adapters that I can use IDE drivers with... I might give it a shot.

PCI Cards?
Oh, maybe thats an option yes, Certainly Windows 7 worked until the update, so as long as the drivers on the ATA Controler supports it... Sure why not?
Would that then also work with Win 10/11?

To be honest, I have given up the idea, but now I am thinking I might give it a shot.
Only thing is, that the test PC is an ITX with a PCIE Slot and the IDE Cards that I have are PCI. This means that I will have to use an older Mobo to test these out!

Not to worry... I have tons of older gear.
So there Bledd... Reasons to NOT throw away old stuff... You might just need it... or want it... Or just be a plebb hoarder like me.