rainer@hibachi.colorado.edu (Rainer Malzbender) (09/02/90)
Anyone know why I can't format a Maxtor 2190 (RD54) using the DEC diagnostics? It came formatted from Midwest and worked for a while, but we had some power failures which probably lunched the disk. I know it works, though, because I can format it on my PC and it runs just fine. The first time I tried to format it I left our two RD53s in the box and turned their write protects on. The format program just ran forever. Then I removed the RD53s and set the Maxtor to be drive 1 and tried again. This time it gave me some incredibly useful message like "there has been an error formatting the drive" and told me to check the write protect switch! There are some other jumpers on the drive but I presume they're set correctly since this was sold by Midwest as an RD54 (and it worked before). If it matters, we have a rev C1 RQDX3 controller. Has anyone written a public domain disk utility program that can do the format? I'm borrowing DEC's stupid proprietary diagnostic tape from someone. BTW, the short answer to the first sentence is probably "Because DEC wants you to buy their drives", but I'm looking for others. -- Rainer M. Malzbender Technology recapitulates biology. Dept. of Physics (303)492-6829 rainer@hibachi.colorado.edu U. of Colorado, Boulder, USA malzbender%opus@vaxf.colorado.edu
murphy@ufp.dco.dec.com (Rick Murphy) (09/03/90)
In article <25545@boulder.Colorado.EDU>, rainer@hibachi.colorado.edu (Rainer Malzbender) writes: |> Anyone know why I can't format a Maxtor 2190 (RD54) using the DEC |> diagnostics? This is usually caused by old-rev RQDX3 microcode. Have a look at the error log for the rev level; I seem to recall this problem with rev 3 (the drive would work fine, just couldn't format - the infinite format time is exactly what happened to me..) My controllers are rev 5 code, as I recall. -Rick -- Rick Murphy, WA1SPT/4 Digital Customer Center, Landover, MD Domain: murphy@ufp.dco.dec.com -or- murphy@ufp.enet.dec.com Bang: decwrl!ufp.enet!murphy Ding: (301) 306-2985 Disclaimer: This nonsense came from an AI program written in TECO. Ignore it.