[comp.sys.amiga] Supra interface and Miniscribe 8425 controller

rchampe@hubcap.UUCP (Richard Champeaux) (03/14/89)

In article <976@cs.rit.edu>, msl5864%ritcv@cs.rit.edu writes:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have my sixth 20Mb Supradrive from the Supra Corporation.  The other 5
> have died and have been replaced over the past 2 years.  I don't want to deal
> with Supra corp anymore.  My current Supra 20Mb drive is dead, and I absolutely
> need to make a backup of part of a partition.  Could I borrow or buy a new
> interface card and a Miniscribe 8425 controller from somebody?
> 
> Michael S. Leibow
> UUCP:		rochester!ritcv!msl5864
> BITNET:		MSL5864@RITVAX

     My Supradrive controller and 20Mb drive for my 1000 became unreliable,
so I ordered an Amiga 2000, a GVP Impact 2000 controller, and a seagate 80Mb
drive.  While I was waiting for my 80Mb drive to arrive, I decided to use
my Miniscribe 8425 drive.  When I took it out of it's case, I discovered that
it's mounted with the circuit board up.  Maybe it doesn't matter with 
Miniscribe drives, but I know for a fact that Seagate drives can't be mounted
that way.  In fact they say that it a prohibited orientation, and mounting it
that way will void the warrenty.  I was having trouble with my GVP controller
and while talking to GVP's tech guy, I mentioned how Supra mounted my 
Miniscribe.  He was rather suprised, and told me that Miniscribe drives aren't
supposed to mounted that way either, because the bearings aren't designed to
support weight in that direction.  My Supradrive lasted a year and a half
before it became flakey.  I originally assumed that it was the controller that
went bad, because the clock stopped working a month after I bought it, but
now I think that maybe it's the drive that was flakey.


Rich Champeaux
Clemson Universiy