sunesen@iesd.dk (Peter Sunesen) (05/14/89)
I have resievde some mail, about test resoults and here thay are: The test have ben done on a Redstone 80386 20 MHz from: Taiwan Redstone industries LTD. A computer that not have made any incompability things in tests before. And we have in the tests used Dos 3.3 and 4.0 Western Digital WD7000-fast: It is easy to install, and is formating the Harddisk real fast. To install Dos you most use SSTSETUP, witch is a setup program included with the controler. SSTSETUP was a fine program if it was able to recornise a DOS 4.0, when it is arsking, about if you have a DOS 3.31 or higher (and that is 4.0) bouth it will not recournice it as a dos disk. After SSTSETUP you have done FDISK and FORMAT and is at that reson not able to secure you future with neue DOS releases. When you then installet you harddisk complite, you will see that you not can use copy, becouse there in SSTSETUP is included a security check. This check have the resoult that copy not will copy a file to another subdiretory if ther is a file of same name. But if that was not all the printers was not able to print unless you used Print screen. When you have in maind that the WD controler is the most expansive, it is a shame that its dip switcs not is dokumented, and the importer not is having the also. Besouse that mabe code have solvde at leass the printer problem. Seagate ST-01 / ST-02: The controler is not expencive, and is working werry fine with Seagate harddisk witch is also was made to. It will not format the Rodime RO3128T. This is not correct it will format it but it take about 15 hours and it will not work with DOS afher. The Seagate contoler is not to blame, it is not a standard controler but a special controler to seagate were I not have sean problems. Rodime: I have not the type on this contoler, but it will not format the harddisk to more than 70 MB, and will not boot from the disk (there most be a floppy in A:). This contoler is not the right one to the Harddisk, there will come a neue one when thay make it to the harddisk. The harddisk was released before the controller to controle it. Adaptec AHA-1542A: It is a fine contoler, witch have a on board lowlevel format program like seagate and rodime. To format the harddisk you most run FDISK and FORMAT and it is at that reson DOS independent. The controler have a fine installation guide witch describe all the dip switcs. The controler do not have a cache on (I beleave). But when you as on the test mashine was having 4Mb software cache, it will not make any diffrent. The only troble I have sean with the controler is when you was using a special Graphic-card driver. The driver was using the same address, but if you was using a Cachedrive to the harddisk there was no troble ??? Without cache and graphic driver the controler worked fine, and with cache and graphic driver if worked fine. Speed: Fore speed, the only to I have tested was WD7000 and Adaptec. WD7000-fast is in the tests the fastes, but if you thake it in real it is slower than the adaptec becouse it most swap in and out from the inside 128 Kb cache. The programs users is using today is a lot bigger than 128 Kb, and it is my beleave that a software cache at 1-2 Mb will run a lot faster becouse you can have the hole program inside. The 128 Kb is a fine solution to less expensive computers like AT-286 clones but the WD7000 is not a less expensive contoler card. The user will be in a better position to use the monny to RAM instead. The adaptec is not having a cache but is guiding the signal right tru, at a kvik way. In fact I think the controler can manege harddisks faster than the rodime becouse I in the test also used a Seagate ST296N, and it was not getting more transport speed DMA to Harddisk and back with the adaptec. The seagate was having the max speed used of its own contoler. The rodime instead was able to use more transport speed. If some of the manyfactures, not is meaning I have testet it right I hope thay can explayn what was wrong, so other neue coustermers not most the same troue ( I maybe have done somthing wrong, I have only installet /worked with PC clones about 4 years). Peter Sunesen Heimdalsgade 42 9000 Aalborg Denmark