Anthony_Mak_Fiorentino@cup.portal.com (02/01/90)
I asked for an upgrade of hard disk from some 65MB to 110MB on my last purcha of an 386 computer; only to find out when I looked closely that the hard disk was formatted up to 110 with an RLL controller. I should think that it si false advertising to say you are selling a 30MB disk when it is actually a 20MB disk formatted to 30MB capacity. I take it that the 95 adde cost on my bill was actually for the us of the RLL technology. I need tyo look at whether I paid for anything new at all. My other concern is what effect RLL can have on running SCO Xenix. The literature refers to some legal use of some RLL disks by Xenix. Should I return it for another type of disk? Any help appreciated. As an non-engineer I am giving up on understanding all these hardware particulars.
jim@bahamut.fsc.com (James O'Connor) (02/02/90)
In article <26483@cup.portal.com>, Anthony_Mak_Fiorentino@cup.portal.com writes: > I asked for an upgrade of hard disk from some 65MB to 110MB on my last purcha > of an 386 computer; only to find out when I looked closely that > the hard disk was formatted up to 110 with an RLL controller. I should think > .... > look at whether I paid for anything new at all. My other concern is what > effect RLL can have on running SCO Xenix. The literature refers to some > legal use of some RLL disks by Xenix. Should I return it for another type We have two machines running SCO Xenix using RLL controllers. Both machines have Western Digitial WD1006V-SR2 controllers, which are 1:1 interleave, track buffered, RLL format controllers. One system has a Seagate 4096 80MB drive formatted out to ~110MB (space report by fdisk), and the other system has one Micropolis 1335 72MB drive and one Miniscribe something-or-other 72MB drive, both formatting out to ~105MB of useable space. One system has been running for over a year, and the other for 2 months, without a single disk drive related problem on either. As far as Xenix is concerned, the WD1006V-SR2 looks like any other ST-506 controller. Despite the bad press it seems to have received lately, I think there are several people (my self included) who would recommend the WD1006V-SR2. So, if you don't have one, you may want to ask your vendor to supply one for you. I have no directo experience with other RLL controllers, but have been told the WD1006 is the best of the bunch. (Karl Denniger, would you agree?) ------------- James B. O'Connor Work: jim@tiamat.fsc.com Data Processing Manager Play: jim@bahamut.fsc.com Ahlstrom Filtration, Inc. UUCP: uunet!tiamat!jim
karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (02/05/90)
In article <26483@cup.portal.com> Anthony_Mak_Fiorentino@cup.portal.com writes: >I asked for an upgrade of hard disk from some 65MB to 110MB on my last purcha >of an 386 computer; only to find out when I looked closely that >the hard disk was formatted up to 110 with an RLL controller. I should think >that it si false advertising to say you are selling a 30MB disk when it is >actually a 20MB disk formatted to 30MB capacity. I take it that the 95 adde >cost on my bill was actually for the us of the RLL technology. I need tyo >look at whether I paid for anything new at all. My other concern is what >effect RLL can have on running SCO Xenix. The literature refers to some >legal use of some RLL disks by Xenix. Should I return it for another type >of disk? Any help appreciated. As an non-engineer I am giving up on >understanding all these hardware particulars. There's nothing wrong with 2,7RLL disk drives and controllers. Providing, of course, that they work reliably. Before people start hooting, let me explain (again, this has been rehashed several times). There's nothing magical about 2,7RLL encoding. It cannot trash a drive, contrary to several people's exhortations. If you are using a certified drive (one which the manufacturer says will work) then your reliability should be no worse that that of a MFM drive. In fact, if you have a track-cache controller, the RLL drive will usually be faster! We use 4 RLL drives off 2 controllers in "ddsw1"; works great. -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 566-8911], Voice: [+1 708 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"
karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (02/06/90)
In article <272@bahamut.fsc.com> jim@bahamut.fsc.com (James O'Connor) writes: > >One system has been running for over a year, and the other for 2 months, >without a single disk drive related problem on either. As far as Xenix is >concerned, the WD1006V-SR2 looks like any other ST-506 controller. Despite >the bad press it seems to have received lately, I think there are several >people (my self included) who would recommend the WD1006V-SR2. So, if you >don't have one, you may want to ask your vendor to supply one for you. I have >no directo experience with other RLL controllers, but have been told the >WD1006 is the best of the bunch. (Karl Denniger, would you agree?) You bet. It has only one real weakness; it can't be jumpered for a secondary address. For that we use the 2370B; it does have the jumpers. The WD1006 is faster under Xenix. Under ISC I don't have the numbers on them both, although I guess I should do the tests -- we do have both boards here. :-) -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 566-8911], Voice: [+1 708 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"
mark.levy@canremote.uucp (MARK LEVY) (02/06/90)
Au>From: Anthony_Mak_Fiorentino@cup.portal.com Au>Orga: The Portal System (TM) Au>I asked for an upgrade of hard disk from some 65MB to 110MB on my Au>last purcha of an 386 computer; only to find out when I looked Au>closely that the hard disk was formatted up to 110 with an RLL Au>controller. I should think that it si false advertising to say you Au>are selling a 30MB disk when it is actually a 20MB disk formatted to Au>30MB capacity. I take it that the 95 adde cost on my bill was Au>actually for the us of the RLL technology. I need tyo look at Au>whether I paid for anything new at all. My other concern is what Au>effect RLL can have on running SCO Xenix. The literature refers to Au>some legal use of some RLL disks by Xenix. Should I return it for Au>another type of disk? Any help appreciated. As an non-engineer I am Au>giving up on understanding all these hardware particulars. I have had no problems since I installed an RLL controller in my XENIX system. It's been almost a year now, and not a hiccup. I am using a Mitsubishi MR-535, which is RLL cretified, and a Priam ID-130, which isn't. I don't want to start any wars on this subject, but I have a high degree of confidence in the Priam drive. My controller is a WD 1006V-SR2 Mark --- ~ DeLuxe 1.11a18 #3019 ~ QNet 2.04a:NorthAmeriNet: Sound Advice BBS ~ Gladstone ~ MO
terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us (Terry Hull) (02/07/90)
mark.levy@canremote.uucp (MARK LEVY) writes: > I have had no problems since I installed an RLL controller in my >XENIX system. It's been almost a year now, and not a hiccup. I >am using a Mitsubishi MR-535, which is RLL cretified, and a Priam >ID-130, which isn't. I don't want to start any wars on this subject, >but I have a high degree of confidence in the Priam drive. I was told by PGI, who used to be Priam distributors, that the only difference between an ID/130 and an ID/230 was the 230 came with a RLL controller and the 130 did not come with a controller. They claimed that Priam certified both drives for use with RLL controllers. The stopped selling Priam stuff because the company was hard to work with, and not because the drives were unreliable. -- Terry Hull Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kansas State University Work: terry@eecea.eece.ksu.edu, rutgers!ksuvax1!eecea!terry Play: terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us, rutgers!ksuvax1!eecea!tah386!terry
larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (02/07/90)
In article <1990Feb7.041139.28042@tah386.manhattan.ks.us>, terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us (Terry Hull) writes:
Last week I came across a deal on a pair of Priam 519's that I couldn't
pass up - and after calling Priam was informed that these same drives are
packaged in different configurations - and are available as ID-230s with
a controller. I'm currently running these drives with a 2372B under 386/ix
and the machines flies - really flies. I have NBUF set to 1200 and the
write behind set to 120 seconds - wow!
I called Priam and asked for a manual. They told me that they would
drop one in the mail. The next day Federal Express dropped off
a 519 manual along with an invoice for $25 + $5 for shipping. They
never mentioned the charge for manuals on the phone!
--
Larry Snyder, Northern Star Communications, Notre Dame, IN USA
uucp: larry@nstar -or- ...!iuvax!ndmath!nstar!larry
4 inbound dialup high speed line public access systemkarl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger) (02/08/90)
In article <90020606211487@masnet.uucp> mark.levy@canremote.uucp (MARK LEVY) writes: >Au>From: Anthony_Mak_Fiorentino@cup.portal.com >Au>Orga: The Portal System (TM) > >Au>I asked for an upgrade of hard disk from some 65MB to 110MB on my >Au>last purcha of an 386 computer; only to find out when I looked >Au>closely that the hard disk was formatted up to 110 with an RLL >Au>controller. I should think that it si false advertising to say you >Au>are selling a 30MB disk when it is actually a 20MB disk formatted to >Au>30MB capacity. I take it that the 95 adde cost on my bill was >Au>actually for the us of the RLL technology. I need tyo look at >Au>whether I paid for anything new at all. Those are strong words -- false advertising. Did you get 110MB of disk storage? Then you did indeed get what you were told you would. Absent any claim of the technology used to get that storage before the sale, you don't have a point or a complaint. If you were/are concerned with the interface details, you should >ask< before placing your order. The $95 may have covered a better controller and/or a certified RLL disk drive. I don't know, since you didn't quote model numbers off the parts. If you had, someone (myself included) might have been able to tell you. >Au>My other concern is what >Au>effect RLL can have on running SCO Xenix. The literature refers to >Au>some legal use of some RLL disks by Xenix. Should I return it for >Au>another type of disk? Any help appreciated. As an non-engineer I am >Au>giving up on understanding all these hardware particulars. > > I have had no problems since I installed an RLL controller in my >XENIX system. It's been almost a year now, and not a hiccup. I >am using a Mitsubishi MR-535, which is RLL cretified, and a Priam >ID-130, which isn't. I don't want to start any wars on this subject, >but I have a high degree of confidence in the Priam drive. My controller >is a WD 1006V-SR2 Ditto. We use the WD1006 series here, and the Adaptec ACB2372. Both work just fine. The WD1006 is faster under Xenix, there is less difference under MSDOS or ISC Unix. -- Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl) Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 566-8911], Voice: [+1 708 566-8910] Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"
brad@microm.UUCP (Bradley W. Fisher) (02/10/90)
In article <1990Feb7.041139.28042@tah386.manhattan.ks.us>, terry@tah386.manhattan.ks.us (Terry Hull) writes: > > I was told by PGI, who used to be Priam distributors, that the only > difference between an ID/130 and an ID/230 was the 230 came with a RLL > controller and the 130 did not come with a controller. They claimed > that Priam certified both drives for use with RLL controllers. Close. Both drives are identical but during production they are tested as RLL, and if they pass they get an ID/230 sticker and marketed as an RLL drive in the catalog. If not ID/130 goes on and it is marketed as an ID/130. (Look in any catalog that used to carry Priam). The key point on these drives is the quality of the media (chromium instead of iron oxide). I've got many ID/130's running RLL ok and a few with a bad sector popping up every few month's. BTW, I can just about throw a stone from here to PGI, and many of the Priam installs I see were from there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm just a wanna be UNIX guru (IJWBUG) | Micro Maintenance, Inc. | 2465 W. 12th St. #6 -== Brad Fisher ==- | Tempe, Arizona 85281 ...!asuvax!mcdphx!hrc!microm | 602/894-5526 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------