The Killer Instinct Project

Imaging Your Killer Instinct Hard Drive - Now to ANY IDE Drive!

This web site is a quick 'how-to' for copying the hard drive that shipped with Killer Instinct.
Using the the boot disk on this page will allow you to create images that will run 100% in your
Killer Instinct machine and pass ALL built in KI diagnostics as well.

If you feel that this is beyond your capabilities or you don't have the hardware necessary to perform the copy, I will image (and test) 1 hard drive for $20 and up to 3 hard drives for $30 (includes return shipping via USPS 2-3 day Priority Mail). You MUST supply at least one original Killer Instinct hard drive (dead or alive) so that I am performing a 'service' and not selling you Midway/Nintendo/Rare's game image. Under NO circumstances will I copy or distribute this image if I do not have in my possession an original Killer Instinct hard drive. This is done to prove ownership - no exceptions. I understand that you may be hesitant to ship your working drive, but please know I will not even power it on - I will use an image from one of my personal drives. My turnaround on this service is generally one day, so you will have your hardware back quickly.

Please read the Killer Instinct boot ROM disclaimer

What you will need:

** NOTE ** - If you are imaging to an identical ST9150AG drive just connect your drives as mentioned below, download the boot disk, and go.

Your original working Killer Instinct ST9150AG hard drive - no bad sectors, etc.
A 100% working laptop hard drive with no bad sectors and larger than 131MB. (Using a laptop drive will eliminate the need to buy an adapter to install a desktop drive in your KI machine.)
(2) 2.5" to 3.5" IDE hard drive adapters (Search for "2.5 3.5" on eBay)
(2) Standard 40 pin IDE cables - one for each laptop drive
A PC with a motherboard that can auto-detect these hard drives properly (or identically)
KI-BSD boot disk - Provided here: KIBSD.exe (Only hard drives 3.2GB or smaller are supported)
Updated KI Boot ROM v.1.5d - Provided here: Boot ROM v1.5d
Ability to burn the supplied binary to the actual KI boot EEPROM (part = M27C4001)
A good understanding of PC hardware as well as familiarity with the BIOS of your particular motherboard
Hard drives connected to your PC must both be set/jumpered to "master". Drives installed as 'slaves' are not supported by the boot disk. Laptop drives generally do not have this setting so if you're using (2) laptop drives this can be ignored.

Here we go:

To use ANY IDE drive, first program your boot ROM with the supplied binary file. I highly suggest buying a new EEPROM so you have a 'backup' but you can erase your existing one and burn over it as well. For those of you without access to an EEPROM programmer, I will burn and ship a new ROM for $15.
(Click here for an image of where the boot ROM is located on a Killer Instinct PCB.)
Download the specially created KI-BSD boot disk and image your floppy. It is a self-extracting .EXE file and is "dummy proof" - just have a spare floppy handy.
Connect the original KI hard drive (source) to the primary IDE channel (IDE #1) on your motherboard as 'master'.
Connect the spare ST9150AG or alternate laptop IDE drive to the secondary IDE (IDE #2) channel as 'master'.
**NOTE** If your current hard drive(s) has/have been set up without auto-detection in your BIOS, you will need to make note of ALL the settings (and return them to the original ones after the copy) or your system will not boot.
Allow the BIOS to auto-detect the hard drives. (On most modern PCs, you will not have enter the BIOS to do this (you'll see the drives detected at POST) but if not, enter the BIOS and have it auto-detect the drives.)
If applicable - save the settings and exit the BIOS.
When the system reboots, make sure you have your boot disk in the drive and follow the on-screen instructions - it's that easy!
The drive imaging process is "sector by sector" so it can take a while (generally around 20 minutes) so please be patient. The boot disk will notify you with an on-screen message when it has completed.
Press CTRL-ALT-DEL at the end of the process otherwise the filesystem on your floppy will need to be repaired (or re-imaged).

Install your newly imaged drive into your Killer Instinct machine and enjoy!
(If using a desktop IDE drive, please continue on to the next section.)

Installing a desktop IDE drive in your Killer Instinct (before you begin):

These are "simplified" instructions and there are *many* ways to achieve the same end result. For the best results possible, plan ahead and buy a long IDE and PC power extension cable (or (2) 14" extensions) so that your desktop drive can be mounted (or sit) at the rear of the wooden coin box (which makes it accessible through the front coin door). When selecting a desktop IDE cooling fan, try to find one that has a connector that will allow you to connect another PC power cable "in-line". Otherwise, you will need to make (2) power extension cables (see image in step #10 below). If you choose to allow your hard drive to "sit" in the bottom of your cabinet, make sure you do not set it on anything that would allow for heat to be absorbed. Heat is your enemy - although I listed the cooling fan as optional, I would never never do this job myself without one. The cooling fan will also allow you to be able to disconnect that horribly loud fan that is installed for the laptop drive. You will not believe how much quieter this game will be with that fan disconnected. All the parts required for this job can be found at any reputable PC parts retailer with a good selection.
What you will need:

Laptop to desktop IDE adapter - see examples - (the "preferred" adapter is the cheaper/easier one to find)
Desktop IDE 40-pin ribbon cable - see examples - (do NOT use newer Ultra ATA IDE cables!)
PC-style 4 pin power cable extension - see example
(3) "open ended" connectors to create your new power cable
Wire crimping pliers
Optional: Desktop IDE cooling fan - see example

Here we go:

Clip one end (all 4 wires) off near the 'male' end connector on your PC power extension cable.
Crimp (3) "open ended" wire connectors onto wires (twist black wires together) as shown in this example. (Yellow = +12V, Red = +5V, Black = Ground)
Your finished product should look something like this.
Connect your new cable to your Killer Instinct power supply as shown here.
DOUBLE CHECK YOUR WORK in the above step - make sure you have the wires connected properly!
Attach your IDE cable to your laptop to desktop IDE adapter shown here. (NOTE: Make sure red stripe on cable corresponds to pin 1 on the adapter!)
Attach your laptop to desktop IDE adapter to your Killer Instinct PCB as shown here. (See why I "prefer" this style of adapter? It looks nice installed!)
** NEVER ** connect power wires to this adapter when installed on your PCB. Desolder or clip the wires if you will not use it again for any other purpose!
Connect PC power cable and IDE cable to hard drive. Your completed project should look something like this. (NOTE: Pin 1 (red stripe) on IDE cable is always closest to the 4 pin power connector)
Install optional IDE desktop drive cooling fan and place up front on wooden coin box - as shown here.
If you installed a hard drive cooling fan, disconnect and THROW AWAY that obnoxiously loud fan installed in your cabinet and enjoy!

FAQs and General Information:

The number one question I receive is "Where can I find a replacement ST9150AG hard drive?".
Search the web, or buy/burn a new boot ROM and you will never need to find one of these drives again. :)
I will not be held responsible for any damage or accidental data loss due to your using this page to duplicate your hard drive. There are many things that can go wrong with the above process (having the drives backwards would be devastating), but if something goes wrong, I assure you - it WAS your fault.
People seem to be familiar with programs like "Ghost" these days, but software like Ghost will NOT copy these drives. It needs to recognize the file format to work properly, and there is no partition or FAT table on Killer Instinct hard drives.
This was 'my' game while I was in college, and this page is my way of helping other people that truly love this game to preserve it as long as possible. I am not a real fan of Killer Instinct 2 as they removed Riptor, and I can beat anyone with that dinosaur. :)

Questions about anything on this site? E-mail me: Webmaster