jcd@pitt.UUCP (Jim Durham) (10/05/90)
Would anyone care to hazard a guess as to this fault in a TK-50 controller card? : It works as long as the DECQNA is not 'ifconfigged'. Substitution of cards reveals that the fault is indeed on the TK-50 controller and not the DECQNA. Changing chips that have leads going to interrupt and dma control bus lines didn't fix it. Oh yes.... card position on the bus has no effect on the problem. The TK50 still fails when the Ethernet controller is fired up. Second question: Does anyone know exactly what goes on with an RQDX2 controller and non-DEC drives. I have received several answers. One is that DEC writes a "descriptor block" out to the drive to tell the controller what kind of drive it is. Without this, according to this scenario, the formatter won't format the drive. The other answer is that I need to change the mysterious 'R7'. What is 'R7' ? A jumper? A resistor. I need to know what it actually *does*, because, since I'm interested in using a non-DEC drive, it won't have 'R7' and I'll have to fudge a substitute. Does this have anything to do with tying write protect high thru a 1k resistor? Any answers or guesses greatly appreciated ! Thanks, Jim Durham
terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) (10/06/90)
In article <8791@pitt.UUCP>, jcd@pitt.UUCP (Jim Durham) writes: > Second question: Does anyone know exactly what goes on with > an RQDX2 controller and non-DEC drives. I have received several > answers. One is that DEC writes a "descriptor block" out to the > drive to tell the controller what kind of drive it is. Without > this, according to this scenario, the formatter won't format > the drive. Not on a '2, it doesn't. The RQDX1 and 2 write out (in addition to the MSCP-defined stuff) the ROM version that formatted the drive and the date. Period. These controllers rely on certain responses from the drive in order to guess what drive type it is. You could certain- ly change the drive tables in the ROM to do what you want, but that's non-trivial. The '3, on the other hand, writes the complete geometry info onto the disk. > The other answer is that I need to change the > mysterious 'R7'. What is 'R7' ? A jumper? A resistor. I need > to know what it actually *does*, because, since I'm interested > in using a non-DEC drive, it won't have 'R7' and I'll have to > fudge a substitute. Does this have anything to do with tying > write protect high thru a 1k resistor? Hmmm. You probably heard that from me, but it got garbled. R7 is an empty position on a Micropolis 1325/1335 disk drive logic card. If it was a real DEC RD53, it would have a zero-ohm resistor soldered in there (instead of the nothing that's there [or is that isn't there 8-] now). That only applies to RD53's. RD51's (Seagate ST-412's), RD52's (Quantum Q540's or Atasi 3046's) don't need any changes. Note that the RD53 is only supported on the RQDX2, but that RQDX2 ROMs work in an RQDX1 (shhh... Don't tell anyone or the RQDX1 prices will go back up at the used dealers 8-). The RD54 (Maxtor XT-2190), RD31 (Seagate ST- 225) and RD32 (Seagate ST251-1) are only supported on the RQDX3. If anybody wants to hear more about this, please followup here so everybody else can see it - every time I post one of these I get *del- uged* with mailed requests... Terry Kennedy Operations Manager, Academic Computing terry@spcvxa.bitnet St. Peter's College, US terry@spcvxa.spc.edu (201) 915-9381
don@zl2tnm.gp.govt.nz (Don Stokes) (10/07/90)
terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) writes: > Hmmm. You probably heard that from me, but it got garbled. R7 is an > empty position on a Micropolis 1325/1335 disk drive logic card. If it > was a real DEC RD53, it would have a zero-ohm resistor soldered in > there (instead of the nothing that's there [or is that isn't there 8-] > now). That only applies to RD53's. RD51's (Seagate ST-412's), RD52's > (Quantum Q540's or Atasi 3046's) don't need any changes. Note that the > RD53 is only supported on the RQDX2, but that RQDX2 ROMs work in an > RQDX1 (shhh... Don't tell anyone or the RQDX1 prices will go back up > at the used dealers 8-). The RD54 (Maxtor XT-2190), RD31 (Seagate ST- > 225) and RD32 (Seagate ST251-1) are only supported on the RQDX3. OK, that said, a couple of questions: Does this apply to the inbuilt controller on the MicroVAX 2000, ie if I get my grubby paws on a Maxtor XT-2190, can I just plug it into the 2000? Secondly, can I put any other drive type into the 2000? Is there any magic required to format the thing? We've got this white elephant (ok, white mouse) with no Ethernet and an RD32. We'd like to do *something* with it, but cash is tight. Don Stokes, ZL2TNM / / Home: don@zl2tnm.gp.govt.nz Systems Programmer /GP/ Government Printing Office Work: don@gp.govt.nz __________________/ /__Wellington, New Zealand_____or:_PSI%(5301)47000028::DON
mike@raven.uss.tek.com (Mike Ewan) (10/07/90)
In article <1990Oct6.023655.585@spcvxb.spc.edu> terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) writes: [...] >at the used dealers 8-). The RD54 (Maxtor XT-2190), RD31 (Seagate ST- >225) and RD32 (Seagate ST251-1) are only supported on the RQDX3. Okay. I have a Maxtor XT-2190 out of a non-DEC system, and would like to use it in my uVAX-II. However, our hardware guys say it needs a factory format. Is this true? I currently have an RQDX2 controller but could scrounge up an RQDX3. Thanks. -- Michael Ewan (503)627-6468 Internet: mike@raven.USS.TEK.COM Unix Systems Support UUCP: ...!tektronix!puffin!raven!mike Tektronix, Inc. Compuserve: 73747,2304 "Fig Newton: The force required to accelerate a fig 39.37 inches/sec."--J. Hart
rainer@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Rainer Malzbender) (10/08/90)
In article <6670@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM> mike@raven.uss.tek.com (Mike Ewan) writes: >In article <1990Oct6.023655.585@spcvxb.spc.edu> terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) writes: >[...] >>at the used dealers 8-). The RD54 (Maxtor XT-2190), RD31 (Seagate ST- >>225) and RD32 (Seagate ST251-1) are only supported on the RQDX3. > >Okay. I have a Maxtor XT-2190 out of a non-DEC system, and would >like to use it in my uVAX-II. However, our hardware guys say it >needs a factory format. Is this true? I currently have an RQDX2 >controller but could scrounge up an RQDX3. > ... I am currently dealing with this very issue. Here's the scoop as I know it: an RQDX3 can handle the Maxtor 2190 (RD54), but it has to be a later revision controller. I was told it has to be rev F3 or later (ours is C3). I tried to do the format with our controller, with no success. By the way, you have to get your hands on a special diagnostic tape to do the formatting. You can upgrade an existing RQDX3 by replacing two chips: calling DEC will result in them telling you this has to be done by a field service guy or by sending in the board. After much calling I found out you can order the parts from Dec Direct, but you have to tell them they are unlisted parts. The part numbers are 23-339E5-00 and 23-340E5-00. You can call Part Number Assistance at 603-884-5000 to verify this, that's how I found out. We just placed the order and haven't actually done the upgrade, so I can't comment on how it works. -- Rainer Malzbender "Ben, where are the hickory sticks?" Dept. of Physics -T.P. U. of Colorado, Boulder
terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) (10/08/90)
In article <Vuaoq1w163w@zl2tnm.gp.govt.nz>, don@zl2tnm.gp.govt.nz (Don Stokes) writes: > Does this apply to the inbuilt controller on the MicroVAX 2000, > ie if I get my grubby paws on a Maxtor XT-2190, can I just plug > it into the 2000? Yes. You may need updated ROMs if your 2000 is *real* old, but it is pos- sible. You need to get it formatted, either by formatting it on an RQDX3 beforehand, or using the 2000's TEST <something-or-other> command. > Secondly, can I put any other drive type into the 2000? Is > there any magic required to format the thing? It's possible, but it isn't a straightforward case of saying N heads, X cylinders, etc. You have to describe the disk in terms of the MSCP spec, which is hard to get a hold of. Best to use a standard drive. > We've got this white elephant (ok, white mouse) with no Ethernet and an > RD32. We'd like to do *something* with it, but cash is tight. Well, if it has a '32, it has new ROMs. Get a 2190. Terry Kennedy Operations Manager, Academic Computing terry@spcvxa.bitnet St. Peter's College, US terry@spcvxa.spc.edu (201) 915-9381
terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr) (10/09/90)
In article <27699@boulder.Colorado.EDU>, rainer@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Rainer Malzbender) writes: > I am currently dealing with this very issue. Here's the scoop as I know it: > an RQDX3 can handle the Maxtor 2190 (RD54), but it has to be a later > revision controller. I was told it has to be rev F3 or later (ours is C3). > I tried to do the format with our controller, with no success. By the way, > you have to get your hands on a special diagnostic tape to do the formatting. Ok. To clear the confusion up, just about any RQDX3 is capable of working with an RD54 to some extent. There are two problems - some controller bugs prevented a successful format if there were bad spots in the MSCP control areas on disk. The symptom is an apparently successful format which ends with an error after the disk is fully formatted, during the bad block mark- ing phase. The second problem is that there is only one data line in the data cable for reduced write current or head select 8. Earlier RQDX3's shipped with this set to the RWC position, which caused head selection prob- lems with the RD54, since it has 15 heads. Diagnostics are another issue. Both the PDP-11 formatter (ZRQC) and the MicroVAX 2000 formatter should format an RD54 without problems (provided the ROMs are up to rev). If you have a MicroVAX with an RQDX3, the custo- mer diagnostics won't work. My advice is to find a friendly PDP-11 and format it there... Terry Kennedy Operations Manager, Academic Computing terry@spcvxa.bitnet St. Peter's College, US terry@spcvxa.spc.edu (201) 915-9381