karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (05/24/89)
We are in the process of evaluating Novell and others for a network. The problem I'm having right now is that Novell won't tell me what their requirements are for disk controllers and drives! This question came about because their earlier releases (2.0a) required that your BIOS have an EXACT entry for the disk drive type you wished to use. The reason for this requirement was that they would go directly to the ROM BIOS looking for the drive parameters -- in violation of IBMs guidelines for determining disk geometry (IBM recommends that you look at the DPT after boot; Novell ignored this recommendation and went directly to the CMOS and ROM tables). I wish to use Novell with an ESDI controller and drive. These controllers build a disk parameter block during the POST sequence, effectively "overriding" the disk type set in the ROM (you set the ROM type to "1" in all cases). For example, you may end up with a "virtual" disk configuration of 630 cylinders, 15 heads, and 63 sectors per track. The controllers are register compatible with the WD1003 (specifically, a WD1007A-WA2 with Maxstor XT4380E drive). Will Novell V2.15 (Advanced netware and SFT netware) run under these circumstances? Or am I still screwed? Note: I am NOT IMPRESSED with Novell. They refused to answer this question unless we would cough up $50 per QUARTER HOUR for their technician's time! All they would tell me is that "the drive you wish to use is not specifically listed as supported", and told me to go talk to Storage Dimensions. Storage Dimensions has the drives all right, but they're 50-100% over market price. Not nice when you want to put together a system with FIVE fileservers! I greatly dislike dealing with any company that either can't or won't answer your simple compatibility questions before you make your purchase, and wants $200 per hour to answer them after the sale! Hell, I could buy a high-priced lawyer for less money! It seems as though Novell deserves to lose this sale (and it's a sizable one). Answers are appreciated. Please email or post. -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 312 566-8911], Voice: [+1 312 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"
wdw@aucs.UUCP (Bill Wilder) (05/25/89)
In article <3510@ddsw1.MCS.COM: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) writes:
:We are in the process of evaluating Novell and others for a network.
:
:I wish to use Novell with an ESDI controller and drive. These controllers
:build a disk parameter block during the POST sequence, effectively
:"overriding" the disk type set in the ROM (you set the ROM type to "1" in
:all cases). For example, you may end up with a "virtual" disk configuration
:of 630 cylinders, 15 heads, and 63 sectors per track. The controllers are
:register compatible with the WD1003 (specifically, a WD1007A-WA2 with
:Maxstor XT4380E drive).
:
:Will Novell V2.15 (Advanced netware and SFT netware) run under these
:circumstances? Or am I still screwed?
We use WD1007A-WA2 controllers with Micropolis 1558 drives on SFT Netware
2.11 through SFT 2.15 with no problems.
--
BITNET/Internet: WDW@AcadiaU.CA (for hosts that understand .CA domain)
UUCP: {uunet|watmath|utai|garfield}!dalcs!aucs!wdw
BITNET: WDW@Acadia
Internet: WDW%Acadia.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDUgeorge@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Stephanie George) (05/26/89)
In article <3510@ddsw1.MCS.COM> karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) writes: > >I wish to use Novell with an ESDI controller and drive. These controllers >build a disk parameter block during the POST sequence, effectively >"overriding" the disk type set in the ROM (you set the ROM type to "1" in >all cases). For example, you may end up with a "virtual" disk configuration >of 630 cylinders, 15 heads, and 63 sectors per track. The controllers are >register compatible with the WD1003 (specifically, a WD1007A-WA2 with >Maxstor XT4380E drive). > >Will Novell V2.15 (Advanced netware and SFT netware) run under these >circumstances? Or am I still screwed? >-- >Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Yes, it will work, eventually, sort of. I have a WD1007A-WA2-F001 with a Priam 638 300Mb ESDI drive and am running Netware 286 2.12 with no problems yet. Getting there was no piece of cake, though. First, make sure that the ROMs on your WD-1007 are NOT: 62-002069-030 on the (40 pin) 8757 and 62-000217-031 on the 2764. These numbers are on stickers on the chips (which, you hope, are socketed). I got some upgraded ROMs from a Novell reseller who knew a guy who worked for Western Digital, so I can't say how anyone else might get upgraded ROMs. Calling WD tech support is usually a good place to start. The numbers I have that DO work are: 62-002069-802 on the 8757 and 62-000217-802 on the 2764. (The number that I have for WD tech support is 800-777-4787 in Irvine, CA.) Also make sure that sector translation is ENABLED (jumper W14 open). Second, after assembling the controllers, disks and computers, boot with DOS, run DEBUG and execute the WDFMT format program from ROM by typing "g=c800:5". If your disk has more than 1024 cylinders, you must use 63 SPT (sectors per track) when you set the type of the disk. Otherwise use the ESDI standard of 34 SPT. Do the surface analysis and low level format from ROM (this takes a while). This is the only surface analysis you will do, so let it take as long as necessary. Third, use the Novell COMPSURF only to format the drive for Novell. DO NOT let COMPSURF do its own surface analysis. It will go ok for a while and then when you're not looking will mysteriously choke. Cross your fingers, do whatever is needed to apease your favorite deity and install the Novell NOS. And you're on your way to a happy network. MAKE FREQUENT BACKUPS just in case (good advice in any case). It's worked for me for about 4 months now with nary a problem, but there were a few times that I was really sweating it out (like the times I thought I had a perfectly useless $2300 300Mb disk...). Good luck! Stephanie George george@beach.cis.ufl.edu