cyliao@hardy.u.washington.edu (Chun-Yao Liao) (10/06/90)
Hi, I am trying to install a CDC-Imprimis Wren IV, and have some interesting
problems.
This is the info from scsimodes
Candy# scsimodes /dev/rsd0a
SCSI information for /dev/rsd0a
Drive type: CDC 94171-9
512 bytes per sector <=== notice this
47 sectors per track
9 tracks per cylinder
1409 cylinder per volume (including spare cylinders)
1 spare sectors per track <==== and this
18 alternate tracks per volume <==== and this
586763 usable sectors on volume <==== and this...
I talked to technitian at place I purchased the drive. He told me that these
are caused by SCSI host. The drive IS 1024 byte/sector.
The SCSI host on NeXT uses LOTS memories for reallocaion of bad sectors which
are 1 spare sector/track, 18 alt tracks per volume. So at 512b/sector, it
yields 299 megs. Then because part of 299megs is used by these spare sectors,
so the actual usable sectors = 586763, about 286 megs. If the SCSI host on
NeXT can deal the drive as 1024 b/s, then it will yield 307 megs - spares.
Now, my question is, how can I make NeXT's SCSI host to recognize the drive as
1024 b/s (the manufacture had confirmed me that the drive IS formatted at
1024b/s before it was sent out from them, the manufacture.) and to use less
alternate tracks per volume?
more problem is comming NeXT.
My current disktab:
# Wren IV 320 mb 5.25" drive full height with 1024 byte sectors
MN94171-307|CDC 94171-9:\
:ty=fixed_rw_scsi:nc#1409:nt#9:ns#47:ss#1024:rm#3600:\
:fp#160:bp#0:ng#0:gs#0:ga#0:a0#0:\
:os=sdmach:zo#32:z1#96:hn=Candy:ro=a:\
:pa#0:sa#233066:ba#8192:fa#1024:ca#32:da#4096:ra#10:oa=time:\
:ia:ta=4.3BSD:\
:pb#233066:sb#63016:bb#8192:fb#1024:cb#32:db#4096:rb#10:ob=time:\
:ib:tb=4.3BSD:\
I tried to change ss to 512 because of the info I obtained from scsimodes, but
then when I tried run builddisk, it tells me that the sector size in disktab
does not match the drive's DEV-Block's size. So the followings are what
happend when I used this disktab to build the disk. (ps, funny that now it
says the drive is 1024 b/sector! the sector # in partitions are based on
1024b/sector! I tried to have ss#1024 and sector # in partitions based on
512b/s, but it didn't work, got error messages)
/usr/etc/builddisk -l "HardDisk" -t "MN94171-307" -s "sd330" sd0
builddisk destroys previous contents of /dev/sd0, ok? y
disk name: MN94171-307
disk type: fixed_rw_scsi
writing disk label
creating new filesystem on /dev/rsd0a
/usr/etc/newfs -n -v /dev/rsd0a
/etc/mkfs /dev/rsd0a 233066 47 9 8192 1024 32 10 60 4096 t
Warning: 7 sector(s) in last cylinder unallocated <===Mmm...I don't understand this.
/dev/rsd0a: 233066 sectors in 551 cylinders of 9 tracks, 47 sectors
238.7Mb in 18 cyl groups (32 c/g, 13.86Mb/g, 2048 i/g)
super-block backups (for fsck -b#) at:
16, 13600, 27184, 40768, 54352, 67936, 81520, 95104, 108688, 122272,
135856, 149440, 163024, 176608, 190192, 203776, 216592, 230176,
creating new filesystem on /dev/rsd0b
/usr/etc/newfs -n -v /dev/rsd0b
/etc/mkfs /dev/rsd0b 63016 47 9 8192 1024 32 10 60 4096 t
write error: 63015
wtfs: I/O error
/usr/etc/newfs /dev/rsd0b failed (status 1)
builddisk: Disk initialization failed
Build of /dev/sd0 aborted
In partition a, I allocated 233066 sectors, so I expect to get # in mb of less
than 233mb, but it says there are 238.7Mb in 18 cyl groups.......
ok, partition a seems to be fine, but why partition b does not?
BTW, instead of 63015, the same error resulted when I use 63014.
But again, the most important thing now is to make NeXT's SCSI host to deal
with the driver with 1024b/sector so to gain more storage on the drive.
Anyone? any idea? anyone from NeXT?
(ps, I called NeXT, and they refered me to a local NeXT representative,
however, the technitian won't be there till next Monday, i CAN'T WAIT!)
Thanx a 10^6 to whoever replied me!
cyliao@wam.umd.edu o NeXT : I put main frame power on two chips.
@epsl.umd.edu o people: We put main flame power on two guys.
@bagend.eng.umd.edu o ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xxx (reserved) o RC + Apple // + Classic Music + NeXT = cyliao