[comp.sys.amiga] Help on hard disks

atheybey@PTT.LCS.MIT.EDU (08/25/88)

I am thinking of buying a hard disk, and have some questions.
Setup:  Amiga 1000 with ASDG Mini Rack C, ASDG 8M/2 memory board.
	(The Mini Rack C is an expansion chassis that contains two
	 "Zorro I subset" slots, for those who don't know).

I would like to get a controller that fits in the empty slot in the
M-R-C.  I would prefer a SCSI and/or DMA controller, though budget and
availability may prevail.

The big problem seems to be finding any sort of controller for a Zorro
I slot.  All the ones that I have seen are either SOTS or Zorro II.  I
would prefer not to buy an expansion chassis with Z II slots because
of $$ and the fact that I don't want to throw away my memory board.
$800 for ASDG's 2000-and-1 (which has both Z I and Z II) is a also a
bit much for my wallet.

I believe that someone posted something about an ASDG ST-506
controller that fit in a M-R-C recently.  I thought I had saved it,
but I can't find it, so maybe the poster could E-Mail me the details.

I also thought of hacking the Wedge or Palomax onto a Z I proto board.
I do not have any qualms about soldering irons, but that still may be
too kludgy for my tastes.

So anyway, does anyone have any suggestions and/or experiences on the
right way to go?  What other Z I controllers are available?  Does
there exists a SCSI Z I controller?

Finally, a seperate question.  I have seen ads for controllers that
state "supports the new FFS", and I think that someone has commented
that the Wedge won't support the FFS.  Such statements confuse me.  I
thought that the disk controller and its low-level drivers are
responsible for reading and writing disk blocks only, and so should
support any sort of file system.  Any comments?

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Andrew Heybey, atheybey@ptt.lcs.mit.edu     Room 509, 545 Technology Square
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