lin@cdin-1.UUCP (Lin Chen ) (01/16/90)
Hi Netters:
We have a problem that we need some help with :
First our system configuration :
AMI386/25 running SCO XENIX2.3.1 and we have tried SCO XENIX 2.3.2 GT and AT
with a MICROPOLIS Model 1568 which is 660 MB HD. Some drive specifics :
Cylinder : 1630; Head : 15; Sector : 54. The hard drive controller is
(ADAPTEC) ACB-2322B-8.
The drive gets through Debug ( using G=C800:5 ) with no problems. It only
when we go to install SCO XENIX that we can not get through the bad track
routine with either destructive or non-destructive using thorough or quick
options.
We have talked to MICROPOLIS, ADAPTEC and SCO and have been unsuccessful with
their suggestions. We would appreciate any ideas and passed experiences with
this configuration.
We will summarize if there is enough interest.
--
Lin Chen {uunet,bpa}!cdin-1!lin
lin@cdin-1.uu.net
CompuData Inc., Philadelphia PAfred@cdin-1.UUCP (Fred Rump) (01/18/90)
In article <436@cdin-1.UUCP> lin@cdin-1.UUCP (Lin Chen ) writes: > >AMI386/25 running SCO XENIX2.3.1 and we have tried SCO XENIX 2.3.2 GT and AT >with a MICROPOLIS Model 1568 which is 660 MB HD. Some drive specifics : >Cylinder : 1630; Head : 15; Sector : 54. The hard drive controller is >(ADAPTEC) ACB-2322B-8. Hmm, no response yet. Is there anybody out there using 600-700 MB drives with SCO Xenix, GT version or otherwise? Be very interested in hearing from anyone out there who is successfully using large ESDI drives. fred -- Fred Rump | UUCP: {uunet bpa dsinc}!cdin-1!fred CompuData, Inc. | or ...{allegra killer gatech!uflorida decvax!ucf-cs} 10501 Drummond Rd. | !ki4pv!cdis-1!cdin-1!fred Philadelphia, Pa. 19154| Internet: fred@cdin-1.uu.net (215-824-3000)
brad@microm.UUCP (Bradley W. Fisher) (02/01/90)
In article <21800004@adaptex>, neese@adaptex.UUCP writes: >>We finally gave up on the Adaptec ACB-2322B-8 under Xenix 2.3.2 GT. We were OK >>with SCO Unix, things worked. But we needed this to run under Xenix. SCO sent >>a Beta copy of another formatter. Still no good. The drive kept reporting bad >>tracks after the hard format found none. > >I never heard, but did you try disabling the read ahead on the 2322? Did you >also obtain the "xnx133" ESDI driver fix from SCO? > > Roy Neese > Adaptec Central Field Applications Engineer > UUCP @ {texbell,attctc}!cpe!adaptex!neese > merch!adaptex!neese > uunet!swbatl!texbell!merch!adaptex!neese The "xnx133" ESDI driver fix from SCO is ONLY for the Western Digital WD1007A ESDI controller card. I think the original poster is leaving out part of the picture here, because I, along with others that have posted on this subject are using the 2322B with great success. I think it's the best solution for SCO 386 and ESDI drives (I mostly install Priam and Maxtor drives). Every one of my installations (about a dozen now) has the read ahead cache enabled as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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!brad | 602/894-5526 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
neese@adaptex.UUCP (02/01/90)
>The "xnx133" ESDI driver fix from SCO is ONLY for the Western Digital >WD1007A ESDI controller card. >I think the original poster is leaving out part of the picture here, >because I, along with others that have posted on this subject are using >the 2322B with great success. I think it's the best solution for SCO 386 >and ESDI drives (I mostly install Priam and Maxtor drives). Every one of >my installations (about a dozen now) has the read ahead cache enabled as well. As the 2322B is a WD look alike the xnx133 fix applies. I know of several sites who have had troubles and this has corrected them. We have found in certain CPU's (I can;t mention whose, as the companies have us under non- disclosure), the read ahead will have problems under SCO and ISC. If you do not have any problems, then you are safe to use it. As the original poster was having the types of troubles that are indicated when read ahead is enabled, I suggested he disable the read ahead and see if that cured his problems. After the installation, then install the xnx133 fix and re- enable the read ahead and it will probably work fine. Roy Neese Adaptec Central Field Applications Engineer UUCP @ {texbell,attctc}!cpe!adaptex!neese merch!adaptex!neese uunet!swbatl!texbell!merch!adaptex!neese
fred@cdin-1.UUCP (Fred Rump) (02/02/90)
In article <21800004@adaptex> neese@adaptex.UUCP writes: > ->>We finally gave up on the Adaptec ACB-2322B-8 under Xenix 2.3.2 GT. We were OK ->>with SCO Unix, things worked. But we needed this to run under Xenix. SCO sent ->>a Beta copy of another formatter. Still no good. The drive kept reporting bad ->>tracks after the hard format found none. -> ->I never heard, but did you try disabling the read ahead on the 2322? Did you ->also obtain the "xnx133" ESDI driver fix from SCO? -> -> -> Roy Neese -> Adaptec Central Field Applications Engineer -> UUCP @ {texbell,attctc}!cpe!adaptex!neese -> merch!adaptex!neese -> uunet!swbatl!texbell!merch!adaptex!neese Roy, we tried. Several phone calls were placed to you and none returned. Between SCO and Micropolis there was "well, it should work" but we could not get any help from Adaptec to make it work. In the meantime, when time is of essence, one has to look for other alternatives. The advice from technical support at Adaptec was to try a variety of other things, but disabling the cache (I guess that is the read-ahead) was not mentioned. After several days of format attempts it becomes cheaper to go to another vendor that guarantees his controller to work and offers more documentation than the meager handout from Adaptec. Even to this day, no one on the net has that drive with that controller working. At least no one has come forward. Some SCSI controllers, yes. Other drives, yes. Even lots of smaller 330MB drives. I suppose the old lesson about never assuming anything to work until proven otherwise has stood the test of time again. One of these days when we have more time, we'll give it another shot. fred rump -- Fred Rump | UUCP: {uunet bpa dsinc}!cdin-1!fred CompuData, Inc. | or ...{allegra killer gatech!uflorida decvax!ucf-cs} 10501 Drummond Rd. | !ki4pv!cdis-1!cdin-1!fred Philadelphia, Pa. 19154| Internet: fred@cdin-1.uu.net (215-824-3000)
ghost@robecdc.UUCP (William.A.Sneed) (02/03/90)
>>The "xnx133" ESDI driver fix from SCO is ONLY for the Western Digital >>WD1007A ESDI controller card. Roy Neese replies: >As the 2322B is a WD look alike the xnx133 fix applies. I know of several >sites who have had troubles and this has corrected them. We have found in >certain CPU's (I can;t mention whose, as the companies have us under non- >disclosure), the read ahead will have problems under SCO and ISC. If you >do not have any problems, then you are safe to use it. As the original >poster was having the types of troubles that are indicated when read ahead >is enabled, I suggested he disable the read ahead and see if that cured >his problems. After the installation, then install the xnx133 fix and re- >enable the read ahead and it will probably work fine. My comments: Roy is correct in so far as he goes. We sell the WD1007, however not all "look-alikes" suffer from this malady. Our experience w/ the DTC-6280 (6180) has been excellent. I haven't had one go south in the last two years. They also offer some nifty features like a working bad-track function, and sector-sparing. For my money this is the ticket.
ghost@robecdc.UUCP (William.A.Sneed) (02/03/90)
In article <66@robecdc.UUCP>, ghost@robecdc.UUCP (William.A.Sneed) writes: > >>The "xnx133" ESDI driver fix from SCO is ONLY for the Western Digital > >>WD1007A ESDI controller card. > Roy Neese replies: > >As the 2322B is a WD look alike the xnx133 fix applies. I know of several > >sites who have had troubles and this has corrected them. We have found in > >certain CPU's (I can;t mention whose, as the companies have us under non- > >disclosure), the read ahead will have problems under SCO and ISC. If you > My comments: > Roy is correct in so far as he goes. We sell the WD1007, however > not all "look-alikes" suffer from this malady. Our experience w/ > the DTC-6280 (6180) has been excellent. I haven't had one go > south in the last two years. They also offer some nifty features > like a working bad-track function, and sector-sparing. For my > money this is the ticket. > OOOOOOPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! forgot to sign it one must take responsibility for one's own big mouth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -William A. Sneed uucp: ...!pyrdc!robecdc!ghost -Robec Dist. voice: (703) 631-4800 -Manassas, Va fax: (703) 631-4806 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Brain fried -- Core dumped ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The words you have just read are strictly my own and no one else's. They in no way should be construed as anything but my own personal opinion. Besides no one else would lay claim to them. :-) :-) :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------