So I recently got a NEC PC-9821 Cr13 (all in one - screen/touchpad/keyboard/computer etc) which has a 3 1/2" floppy drive and cd drive, but I have a load of 5" floppies i've had lying around for a while that I wouldn't mind playing. So I'd like to purchase a 5" external floppy drive but I was wondering, whats the best way to connect it? The computer doesn't have the port for the usual 5" floppy drives on YJ. I'm no expert with computers so you'll have to bear with me. Options I can think of are: 25 pin (D?) serial port. 'Printer' port (I noticed its the same type of connection as I have on an external DVD drive for my laptop - probably just a wild shot) Laptop style card port - ie for Sram cards etc C bus slot - be able to get an adapter card? Will be able to put up pictures if it helps. Cheers
Theoretically, you should be able to find a parallel port floppy disk drive that'll support it - external drives pre-USB tended to be parallel or SCSI.
there used to be external 5" FDD unit hooked via the parallel port under DOS way back... That's how I transferred all my 5" FDD to 3.5" disc way back... now come to think of I haven't seen mine for years... -__-;;
So I should be able to connect a 5" FDD to the 25 pin 'serial' port - I take it that is the parallel port? Would I have to buy a PC-98 specific drive or any? Will it be 'plug and play' or will I have to do some configuring (bearing in mind I'm not too good with computers and have little Japanese knowledge!)
You will need a 25pin parallel port 5inch external floppy drive or a 9pin Serial external 5inch drive. You can't use a serial on a parallel.
I've never heard of a serial port floppy, I don't think such a thing exists. You probably won't be able to get any external floppy working unless you can find a PC-98 model! They all require drivers/loaders so you also can't expect an external drive to be compatible at all with games. Your best bet is to open the system up and replace the 3.5" floppy ribbon with a dual 3.5" and 5.25" ribbon and test the 5.25" functionality. MAYBE you can transfer game files to 3.5" disks and the games will still work. I doubt it though. Are you sure this PC-98 can even play the older games? This sounds Windows 95 class.
from memory 5" floppy was for PC-9801 series... have you verified that this PC-9821 CR13 can and does play PC-9801 series games?
Ah so the the 9801 and 9821 are different types of computer, they're not backwards compatable? I was under the impression that all PC-98s were compatable bar ones with an 'NX' or something like that in the name, which were regular PCs. I haven't a clue if it can play older games - as you can probably tell I'm no expert in the area. It is Win 95 btw.
DOS/V was introduced in 1990 I think? Therefore as PC-9801s were introduced in 1982 then they use another OS?
The PC9821 is more or less compatable with the PC9801 and should run most things, you might struggle with old software, esp ones written in BASIC but anything late 80s onwards should be fine, although good luck trying to get them working, getting DOS games was hard enough, trying to get DOS/V games working in a different language will be more fun. The PC98xx has a unique feature of having the 3.5" and 5.25" discs having the same format (77 Tracks, 8 Sectors, 1024 bytes per sector) so transfering discs on a PC with a decent disc copying program and a 5.25" HD drive and a Type 3 compatable 3.5" drive should work well for everything not copy protected. What ports does the CR13 have? Most units either have a 36 Pin floppy connector or a 50 pin SCSI connector which you can hook a floppy drive to.
Thats the main bunch of ports. The only other way of connecting a drive that I can think ofother than those are the pc card ports on the side. So from what your saying from the sounds of it if I did have a 5" drive hooked up I'd have to go into dos from windows and type a command in? In other words the games wouldn't boot after starting the computer up? Do all PC-98s do this? The 'printer' port has 36 contacts in it, that it?
I think your "printer" is actually SCSI and your "serial" is a printer port. I would not spend anymore money on this computer, you need a mid 80's PC-9801.
try to find one of PC-9801 series laptop - and I meant LapTop with emphasis on Lap. You will need huge lap to put one of those... ^ ^
Yeah the 36 pin port is a SCSI port and you can connect a 36pin external floppy drive to here. The CR-13 is a nice looking machine, a bit ahead of it's time with a LCD screen and detachable keyboard but with a great look.
The ports are deffo labeled correctly - the printer that came with it hooks up to the 36 pin 'printer' port. Uses this cable which looks like the connector for a external drive on the device end of it: It is indeed a very nice machine, lcd scrren, 4 cd multi changer, keyboard & touchpad and folds away nicely (good as I have no space for an rgb monitor) Just noticed there is a Logitech SCSI application on the computer so I presume your right about the 'printer' port.
yep i buy the old oliver cr-13 and i looking for a external floppy drive 5'14 and 3'5 cause i would like play with original games and the cr-13 have just one 3'5 floppy drive if you have one of this drive let me know with your price thank you in advance
They aren't easy to find, I've been looking for a complete one on Yahoo Japan for a while and most are either the bare drives or lack cables that will work for most PC-9821 machines. I'll start a hunt again when I am back in Japan.
ok let me know if you see that did you think can i make a homemake?? finally i think it's just a cable and a powersupply no?
