Macintosh 400K (M0130)800K External Drive (M0131)
The Macintosh 400K external disk drive was introduced in 1984 with the original Macintosh. It is capable of using 3.5-inch 400K SSDD (Single-Sided/Double Density) disks. It can also use 800K DSDD (Double-Sided/Double Density), but will only record to one of the 400K sides of the disk. In other words, you can use an 800K DSDD disk with one 400K side formatted by this drive, but you cannot use DSDD-formatted disks. This drive will work with all first generation Macs, but Apple advises against using it with later Macs that use FDHD (Floppy Drive, High Density) controllers. The case is beige colored to match the color of the original Macintosh.
Disk Medium:
- 3.5-inch floppy disks, 400K SSDD
Compatible Apple Cards:
- None
Compatible Apple Computers:
- Macintosh 128K, Macintosh 512K, Macintosh 512Ke, Macintosh SE, Macintosh Plus
800K External Drive (M0131)
Apple introduced the 800K External Drive about the same time as the Macintosh Plus in 1986. The drive can use 800K DSDD (Double-Sided/Double Density) or 400K SSDD (Single-Sided/Double Density), but it was designed explicitly to take advantage of the higher capacity 800K disks compatible with the Plus and 512Ke. The drive can be used with any Macintosh that doesn’t have an FDHD controller, which includes the Macintosh Plus, Macintosh SE, and Macintosh 512Ke. The drive will work with a Macintosh 512K, but in order to use it, you have to use the drive as a second drive with the HD20 INIT installed on the internal 400K boot floppy. This drive cannot be used with the original Macintosh because it lacks enough memory to support it. The 800K External Drive is not intended to be used with Apple II computers. The 800K External Drive does not have a manual eject button. Inject and eject are automatic. This drive originally shipped with a beige case to match the original Macintosh Plus and Macintosh 512Ke. Later versions shipped with a platinum (blue-gray) case.
Apple 3.5 Drive (A9M0106)
The Apple 3.5 Drive is an 800K drive that is compatible with any Macintosh with an external 19-pin floppy disk drive connector. It is also compatible with the built-in drive port on the Apple IIgs. This drive will work with an Apple IIe Enhanced, Apple IIe Platinum, or Apple IIgs with an Apple SuperDrive Controller Card. The Apple 3.5 Drive has a daisy chain connector that can be used to daisy chain another Apple 3.5 Drive or 5.25-inch Drive. You should only daisy chain this drive when it is connected to the Apple IIgs’ drive port. For the Apple IIgs only, the Apple 3.5 Drive provides flexibility by allowing connection of up to three extra drives (3.5-inch or 5.25-inch) to the first drive; users can mix a 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch drive in the same system. 3.5 drives must come first in the chain. The Apple 3.5 Drive has a platinum (blue-gray) finish that matches the Apple IIgs, later versions of the Macintosh Plus, the SE, the SE FDHD, the SE/30, the Classic, and the Classic II.
Disk Medium:
- 3.5-inch floppy disks, 800K DSDD (can use 400K SSDD, but this drive does not have automatic formatting to correct disk capacity)
Compatible Apple Cards:
- SuperDrive Controller Card (also called Apple II 3.5 Controller Card)
Compatible Apple Computers:
- All Macs with a 19-pin drive port, Apple IIgs (built-in drive port or Apple SuperDrive Controller Card), Apple IIe Enhanced (Apple SuperDrive Controller Card), Apple IIe Platinum (Apple SuperDrive Controller Card)
Macintosh HDI-20 External 1.4 MB Floppy Disk Drive (M8061)
Released along with the PowerBook 100 in 1991, the Macintosh HDI-20 external drive is a 1.4 MB disk drive designed to use an HDI-20 floppy disk port. The PowerBook 100 is one of Apple’s original PowerBooks and it does not have a built-in floppy disk drive. Subsequent PowerBooks of the era shipped with an internal floppy drive and without an HDI-20 port except for the PowerBook Duo line of subnotebooks. The Duos have few ports and that includes the lack of an HDI-20 port, but they can be configured to use the drive by attaching a PowerBook Duo Floppy Disk Adapter or a PowerBook Duo MiniDock. Both Duo attachments have an HDI-20 port. The HDI-20 external drive is the same gray color as the earlier PowerBooks. It has a cover over its disk slot that doubles as a means to angle it. The cover also serves to protect the disk drive mechanism during transport for those busy early 1990s executives on the go. The drive mechanism is similar to the 1.4 MB FDHD “SuperDrive” and like that drive it can use (read and write) 400K (SSDS), 800K (DSDD), and 1.4 MB (FDHD) 3.5-inch floppy disks. It can format 800K and 1.4 MB floppies. Unlike the SuperDrive, inject is manual.
Disk Medium:
3.5-inch floppy disks, 400K SSDD, 800K DSDD, 1.4 MB FDHD
Compatible Apple Cards:
None
Compatible Apple Computers:
All PowerBook Duo subnotebooks with a MiniDock or PowerBook Duo Floppy Disk Adapter, PowerBook 100
