fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) (07/26/88)
Anyone have any information on using a Colorado Memory Systems
tape backup on either Microport or XENIX? This is a QIC-40 compatible
tape drive that, I think, plugs into the floppy disk controller.
Inexpensive (<$300) and seems to be popular for DOS.
Phil Hughes, SSC, Inc. P.O. Box 55549, Seattle, WA 98155 (206)FOR-UNIX
uw-beaver!tikal!ssc!fyl or uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl or attmail!ssc!fyl
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Phil uunet!pilchuck!ssc!fyl karl@ddsw1.UUCP (Karl Denninger) (07/27/88)
In article <1377@ssc.UUCP> fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) writes: >Anyone have any information on using a Colorado Memory Systems >tape backup on either Microport or XENIX? This is a QIC-40 compatible >tape drive that, I think, plugs into the floppy disk controller. >Inexpensive (<$300) and seems to be popular for DOS. Well, popular for DOS it is, but here's the pitfall: There is no driver for SCO /386 or Microport ANYTHING. Worse yet -- they are unwilling to release *ANY* technical data on the device. That's right -- NOTHING. I tried in vain with their earlier product (the XR4) and was told that it was: 1) Proprietary -- forget technical specs. They're "not available", even if we were willing to sign a non-disclosure on the data! 2) They were working on a Xenix driver, but had NO IDEA when it would be ready. This was many months ago; I have not heard from them since. My sources tell me that the '386 driver is STILL not out (and probably never will be). 3) They would not release what they had ('286 Xenix driver) to me in source form to hack on and convert to the '386 -- EVEN WHEN WE OFFERED TO GIVE IT BACK TO THEM WHEN WE WERE DONE, and even under a non-disclosure here as well. I went all the way to their VP, and got nowhere. I have a feeling you will run into the same problem. Worse yet, I have heard reports that their Xenix/286 driver (for the XR4) is very buggy. Earlier we had tried the XR4 drive w/DOS -- some controllers barfed on it, and other times we got a "Noisy tape" error message for no apparent reason (which blows the current operation). Not nice. Since I'm not a glutton for punishment, I didn't bother with this drive -- we bought an Irwin. Buy something else -- from someone who will at least give you some idea of how the $%#@@ thing works! -- Karl Denninger (ddsw1!karl) Data: (312) 566-8912, Voice: (312) 566-8910 Macro Computer Solutions, Inc. "Quality solutions at a fair price"
hwh@cup.portal.com (07/29/88)
In article <1377@ssc.UUCP> fyl@ssc.UUCP (Phil Hughes) writes: >Anyone have any information on using a Colorado Memory Systems >tape backup on either Microport or XENIX? This is a QIC-40 compatible >tape drive that, I think, plugs into the floppy disk controller. >Inexpensive (<$300) and seems to be popular for DOS. I've been checking on use of their "Jumbo" (thats the QIC-40 drive) since May. Status : 6 May 88 Xenix driver not debugged yet, will be done in about 30 days. 6 Jun 88 Still not ready, about 2 - 4 weeks more. 28 Jul 88 waiting for SCO to fix "problems with kernal", should be ready in 30 - 60 days. I'm not holding my breath waiting. Harold Hankins hwh@cup.portal.com