strianta@killer.UUCP (11/27/87)
Help! The following problem started happening after I moved my AT&T 6300 PC from Michigan to Indiana (Shipdisked it and drove it at 55mph :-) in its original carton/packing) Initially I got 3 hard disk errors in a period of 2 months, and light use. Message was in all cases (either read or write) Drive C not ready, abort, retry etc. Diagnostics (customer) showed no problem. Then one day it really hit the fan. Could not do anyththing with drive C, without getting TONS of said errors. Diagnostics said DISK & DRIVE CONTROLLER TIME OUT (?). I low- and high- level formatted the drive with no avail. Format went thrui once and said not ready, immediately after said OK. Still same problem. Now that I use the system from floppyu only, after half an hour or so of use the system (drive) makes funny seeking noises, but without me referencing it. The seek light does not come on. The noises are similar to the ones done while tryiotrying to reboot. A friendly technician said that probably the controller is shot. What is your opinion, Oh Net? AT&T won't sell me the advanced diagnostics, at least the few authorized dealers in the Indy area won't. I would like some opinions or educated guesses before taking the box to service. Any help will be appreciated, and as usual, I will summarize if interesting facts arise. Remember, it is an AT&T 6300 with its original 20 MB hard disk and controller from AT&T. I think the controller is an RLL western digital, while the drive is a seagate. Thanks much! Spiros -- Spiros Trianta ...!ihnp4!killer!strianta
jec@nesac2.UUCP (John Carter ATLN SADM) (11/30/87)
In article <2225@killer.UUCP>, strianta@killer.UUCP (Spiros Trianta) writes:
] Help! The following problem started happening after I moved my AT&T 6300 PC
] from Michigan to Indiana (Shipdisked it and drove it at 55mph :-) in its
] original carton/packing)
]
] Initially I got 3 hard disk errors in a period of 2 months, and light use.
] Message was in all cases (either read or write) Drive C not ready, abort, retry
] etc. Diagnostics (customer) showed no problem.
]
] Then one day it really hit the fan. Could not do anyththing with drive C,
] without getting TONS of said errors. Diagnostics said DISK & DRIVE CONTROLLER
] TIME OUT (?). I low- and high- level formatted the drive with no avail.
] Format went thrui once and said not ready, immediately after said OK. Still
] same problem.
]
] Now that I use the system from floppyu only, after half an hour or so of use the
] system (drive) makes funny seeking noises, but without me referencing it. The
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sounds more like a controller (or bus) problem than a drive.
] seek light does not come on. The noises are similar to the ones done while tryiotrying to reboot.
]
] A friendly technician said that probably the controller is shot. What is
] your opinion, Oh Net? AT&T won't sell me the advanced diagnostics,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Have you tried the 800 number? There's very little that they won't
sell - dealers are sometimes more interested in doing the work....
as they said in TV repair - "Captive service is a captive buck"
Seriously though, try ordering the 6300 Service Manual - it has the
diagnostic disks in the back (including low level format, read/write
tests, etc).
There are some good PD diagnostics for the 6300 - almost as good as
the 'official' ones.
] at least the few authorized dealers in the Indy area won't.
]
] I would like some opinions or educated guesses before taking the box to service.
] Any help will be appreciated, and as usual, I will summarize if interesting
] facts arise. Remember, it is an AT&T 6300 with its original 20 MB hard disk
] and controller from AT&T. I think the controller is an RLL western digital,
^^^
No RLL on a 20 meg Seagate drive - the original ST225's are not that
level of media (and I have one that's gone thru two Seagate drives
in less than 90 days - it sits on a table and the drive still ate
itself).
] while the drive is a seagate.
^^^^^^^
See comments above.
--
USnail: John Carter, AT&T, Atlanta RWC, 3001 Cobb Parkway, Atlanta GA 30339
Video: ...ihnp4!cuea2!ltuxa!ll1!nesac2!jec Voice: 404+951-4642
(The above views are my very own. How dare you question them? :-)rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) (11/30/87)
In article <2225@killer.UUCP>, strianta@killer.UUCP (Spiros Trianta) writes: ... > Then one day it really hit the fan. Could not do anyththing with drive C, > without getting TONS of said errors. Diagnostics said DISK & DRIVE CONTROLLER > TIME OUT (?). I low- and high- level formatted the drive with no avail. > Format went thrui once and said not ready, immediately after said OK. Still > same problem. > > Now that I use the system from floppyu only, after half an hour or so of use the > system (drive) makes funny seeking noises, but without me referencing it. The > seek light does not come on. The noises are similar to the ones done while tryiotrying to reboot. > > A friendly technician said that probably the controller is shot. What is > your opinion, Oh Net? AT&T won't sell me the advanced diagnostics, at least the few authorized dealers in the Indy area won't. > > I would like some opinions or educated guesses before taking the box to service. > Any help will be appreciated, and as usual, I will summarize if interesting > facts arise. Remember, it is an AT&T 6300 with its original 20 MB hard disk > and controller from AT&T. I think the controller is an RLL western digital, > while the drive is a seagate. > > Thanks much! > > Spiros > -- > > Spiros Trianta > ...!ihnp4!killer!strianta It is probably not an RLL controller, just your basic Western Digital PCXT controller. I would call the hotline about the diagnostic disk (800-922-0354) they have sent me several disks of specialized software to solve various problems. Second, I would try swapping the controller with one from work, assuming that someone at work has a PC6300 and wouldn't mind you borrowing the controller overnight. If that doesn't fix it, try your controller with a known good harddisk (after backing it up!). Russ Sharples homxc!rps NOTE: The above in NO WAY reflects the opinions of AT&T. These opinions are my own and the results of un-scientific and highly irregular analysis methods.
gardner@kodak.UUCP (dick gardner) (12/01/87)
In article <2306@homxc.UUCP> rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) writes: >In article <2225@killer.UUCP>, strianta@killer.UUCP (Spiros Trianta) writes: >... >> Then one day it really hit the fan. Could not do anyththing with drive C, >> without getting TONS of said errors. ............ [ deleted a few lines ] [ and a few suggestions ] >Second, I would try swapping the controller with one from work, assuming that >someone at work has a PC6300 and wouldn't mind you borrowing the >controller overnight. If that doesn't fix it, try your controller with >a known good harddisk (after backing it up!). \____________/ | I'd be VERY careful with this! ----| My advice is : Don't EVEN THINK about trying this if the controllers are different!! Controllers are married to the hard disk. The only way to get a disk to work properly when changing to DIFFERENT disk controller is to do a low- level format. I'm speaking from (limited) experience on this. I don't know what to expect if both controllers are the same type and brand, however. This might work OK. If I could amend the advice above: try another controller IF its the same type and brand. If it doesn't work, MAYBE you have a bad controller. If you can find a friend with a hard disk controller of the same type and brand, (and you can sweet-talk him into allowing it) try READING his disk using your controller. If you can't read, you MIGHT have a bad controller. If all else fails, since you have everthing backed up 8-) 8-), you might try a low-level format with your original controller. If none of this works, you probably need to hire some good technical help. Good luck, =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# Dick Gardner -- Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14650 Phone: (716) 477-1002 UUCP: {allegra,rutgers}!rochester!kodak!gardner "Oh yeah?!? Well, MY computer is SOOOOO FAST, it executes an infinite loop in 6 seconds!!!" =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#
ugweinst@sunybcs.uucp (Michael Weinstein) (12/01/87)
In reference to AT&T Hard drives, I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to use a legit 86 Meg AT&T Hard Drive with an IBM PC. I doubt if there is a way, but I have one available to me, and if possible, I would like to utilize it. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. ugweinst@sunybcs <Michael S. Weinstein> -----------------------------------------------------------
brian@sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU (Brian Kantor) (12/02/87)
In article <6913@sunybcs.UUCP> ugweinst@joey.UUCP (Michael Weinstein) writes: > > In reference to AT&T Hard drives, I was wondering if anyone > knew of a way to use a legit 86 Meg AT&T Hard Drive with an > IBM PC. I doubt if there is a way, but I have one available > to me, and if possible, I would like to utilize it. Any help > would be GREATLY appreciated. > ugweinst@sunybcs <Michael S. Weinstein> > ----------------------------------------------------------- To use ANY hard drive with an IBM PC or PC/XT, you just have to set up the tables that are used to describe the drive to the system. This varies from controller to controller in its exact details, but this example may help you do it to yours. In the DTC 5150BX controller, there is a table in the ROM contained on the controller card that is accessable to the BIOS when the machine boots. There is also a switch. The switch is set to point to the proper table entry to use for each of the two possible drives on that controller. I assume that other XT compatable controllers work similarly. In the ROM table there are entries for 4 items of importance that change from drive to drive. These are 1) the number of cylinders, 2) the number of heads, 3) the cylinder upon which to reduce write current, and 4) the cylinder on which to change write precompensation. There are other things in there that you can change, but you probably won't have to. If you know or can find out these for your drive, you can configure your controller to accept the drive. All you have to do is burn a new rom. Since you can read the old rom without pulling it out of the board (it's memory mapped into c800:0000 [I think that's the right address], you can just move a copy of it with DEBUG, make the changes, save them on disk, and then fire up your ROM burner. After you've got the new rom, disconnect your good disk, stick in the new rom and drive, and go for it. Most controllers have an entry specifically reserved for use with "custom" or nonstandard drives, so you can use that if you're not already using it for your existing hard drive. I've done this with several different drives - in fact, it's so easy, that this is how I test surplus drives, since I have little other use for an IBM PC, and it takes only a few minutes. Enjoy. Try not to break anything. Brian Kantor UC San Diego "There is more harmony in films than in life." - Francois Truffaut
enchant@oliveb.UUCP (Dan Crocker) (12/03/87)
In article <1048@kodak.UUCP>, gardner@kodak.UUCP (dick gardner) writes: > In article <2306@homxc.UUCP> rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) writes: > >In article <2225@killer.UUCP>, strianta@killer.UUCP (Spiros Trianta) writes: > >... > >> Then one day it really hit the fan. Could not do anyththing with drive C, > >> without getting TONS of said errors. ............ > [ deleted a few lines ] > [ and a few suggestions ] > >Second, I would try swapping the controller with one from work, assuming that > >someone at work has a PC6300 and wouldn't mind you borrowing the > >controller overnight. If that doesn't fix it, try your controller with > >a known good harddisk (after backing it up!). \____________/ > | > I'd be VERY careful with this! ----| > > My advice is : Don't EVEN THINK about trying this if the controllers are > different!! ... > I'm speaking from (limited) experience on this. I don't > know what to expect if both controllers are the same type and brand, however. I swap controllers of the same type all the time with no problems at all. The only reason to be careful is that, with XT-type machines, there is no real consistency in track formats (with AT compatibles, the situation is a lot better). But if you find the same model controller and you can't read your disk with it either, it's most likely a disk problem. dan