# Jumper settings on EPSON SMD-300 floppy drive



## Jancargle (Jul 16, 2003)

I wanted to replace a 5 1/2" EPSON SD-600 floppy disc with a used 3 1/4" EPSON SMD-300 floppy drive in an old Gateway computer for my grangchildren. When the computer starts up, it gives a message "diskette drive error".
I want to use it as a secondary master. I suspect the problem is in the jumper settings. The online diagram shows 14 pins but my drive has 16 pins with 3 connectors. Can any one tell me where the connectors should be? 
Thanks


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## Cosmic (May 5, 2003)

Lots of luck, that Epson documentation is worse than horrible.

I have an old Epson point of sale computer brought new but without a floppy drive. Talk about a hassle finding the right one.

Your best bet is get something like Computer Shopper magazine, look for a vendor who sells a lot of Epson gear. Call them and maybe there is an older timer who will know or has enough docs to figure it out. Usually have to find a tech type.

That was how I finally tracked down the right floppy and got a used one. Paid way too much. Once I knew the correct one found a couple more on ebay.

Same with their printers. Hardware doesn't match the documentation, model numbers are vague and confusing, nice gear but a bear to figure out the paper work angles or know if you are getting the right replacement parts without putting your eyeballs on it.


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## Lurker1 (Jan 30, 2001)

Just a comment here. Is your gateway a laptop? I have only found the SMD-300 listed as being in laptops. It may not be compatable with desktops. http://www.baber.com/drives/floppy_drives/internal_laptop_minor.htm

You can find a jumper configuration setting for the SMD-300 listed in this manual on page 16. Its in PDF format so you wil need acrobat reader to view it.

http://www.alphamicroproducts.com/pdi00/21900A01.pdf


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## Jancargle (Jul 16, 2003)

Thanks for your suggestions. The computer is a desktop Gateway. The manual in alphamicroproducts reference shows 14 pins but mine has 16 pins. I stied another 3 1/2" floppy drive in the the computer and it woks fine so I think that I'll buy a used drive .
Thanks again.


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## psudo (Jun 15, 2008)

Wow, how crazy is it that I had the same problem 5 years later!? The manual is obviously a misprint. The same misprint can be seen in this much smaller .pdf (276k vs. 735k)
http://www.alphamicroproducts.com/dss10/40200A03.pdf

I removed the outer case of the floppy drive and found some writing there. Imagine this is the back of the drive
[mini power] :::::::: [floppy ribbon cable]

The writing associates these letters to the different pins:

GAATI0#1
H#LS#2#3

I suspect this means the 1st/0th floppy drive selector is a horizontally placed jumper either in the upper-right corner (#1) or one pin left of that (0#). The documentation seems to have placed that jumper's data correctly relative to the right side while the information for the others is correct relative to the left side. Otherwise, the documentation in the smaller .pdf seems to cover it.

I'm sure a helpful guy to have around five years after an emergency, eh?


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