mjg@ecsvax.UUCP (Michael Gingell) (07/22/86)
I just received a 30 Meg CMI drive from BCE Liquidators for
$349 + shipping. After extensive testing with HTEST/HFORMAT
from Kolod Research I am satisfied that it works for now.
However I am upset with BCE who have played a switcharoo on
the warranty. The June issue of Computer Shopper has a full
page ad for the drive in which they offer a 15 MONTH
warranty from Leading Edge who originaly bought them. Now
they send me a 6 month warranty and a copy of the July ad
where they have changed from 15 to 6. No letter, no
explanation, no apology - nothing. I doubt that there is
much that I can do apart from complain - and I intend to do
that.
Maybe Leading Edge has got cold feet because the latest
issue of InfoWorld carries a story that dealers are
reporting trouble (eg crashes) with Model D drives which
just happen to be the 30 Meg CMI jobs.
While I am on line I would like to compliment Kolod Research
on an excellent diagnostic and format utility for hard
disks. This is far superior to the Hard (sorry IBM - Fixed)
disk section of the IBM advanced diagnostics. One program
covers PC/XT and AT and controllers from Adaptec, DTC, Xebec
Western Digital, Scientific Micro (OMPTI) and of course,
genuine IBM originals. It works with any number of cylinders
and surfaces. Features include:
HFORMAT to do low level formatting. Performs extensive
read write testing at the same time.
HTEST a really versatile tester of your drive.
Options include Read only, Write/Read, Quick,
Accordion and Stagger testing.
HOPTIMUM allows you to determine the optimum sector
interleave for your drive and system.
RELOCATE a disk parking program.
GETSEC and PUTSEC - two programs to allow you to save
and restore absolute disk sectors from a file.
I got mine from The Programmers Shop. I have no financial
or other interest in this except as an owner and user I
think it is a good program and everybody should know about
it. Oh - it costs $89.95.
Mike Gingell ....decvax!mcnc!ecsvax!mjg (919) 850-6444
P.S. Oops! by owner I mean owner of a copy of the program not
The Programmers Shop.rdr@inuxh.UUCP (Robert Rindfuss) (07/24/86)
> > > I just received a 30 Meg CMI drive from BCE Liquidators for > $349 + shipping. After extensive testing with HTEST/HFORMAT > from Kolod Research I am satisfied that it works for now. > > However I am upset with BCE who have played a switcharoo on > the warranty. The June issue of Computer Shopper has a full > page ad for the drive in which they offer a 15 MONTH > warranty from Leading Edge who originaly bought them. Now > they send me a 6 month warranty and a copy of the July ad > where they have changed from 15 to 6. No letter, no > explanation, no apology - nothing. I doubt that there is > much that I can do apart from complain - and I intend to do > that. > The same 30Meg CMI drive is also available for $279 plus shipping from PC Systems in W. Palm Beach, FLA (305) 863-8447. Same 6 mo. warranty, plus a 7 day return-for-any-reason from PC Systems. I got one from them a week or so ago. I later returned it after I got cold feet about CMI drives, based mainly on reading about them. Perhaps my fears were unfounded - I later found out that CMI had substantially redesigned the head positioning servo, substantially enough that it became the basis of a patent infringement suit by another HD mfgr. Part of the settlement was that CMI agreed not to produce any more drives with that design. CMI has subsequently decided not to produce any more drive at all. (Who will buy a CMI drive.) I eventually settled on a 20Meg ST-225. On the plus side, the drive was about the quietest I've ever heard, it seemed to function just fine, and PC Systems was quite friendly to do business with, including the return. Bob Rindfuss ihnp4!inuxh!rdr