iverson@xstor.com (Tim Iverson) (06/04/91)
From: nelson_p@apollo.com
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 91 09:40:17 EST
Subject: SCSI integration
To: iverson@xstor.xstor.COM
[ I saw your posting to comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware on
" Re: How much faster is a 16 bit SCSI Card than the ST02?".
I can read Usenet, via the spool file, but I don't have it
running here so I can't post. Could you do me the great
favor of posting this for me? Thanks in advance and feel
free to take a shot at an answer if you have any opinions
on it. ]
>SCSI is easier to integrate and (with some drivers) more reliable.
I'm upgrading my hard disk and would like to consider SCSI. One
of my biggest worries is integration. I already have a scanner, a
mouse, a modem, a printer, and a (ATI VGAWonder) VGA card. I
want to choose a strategy that will minimize my risk of conflicts
and maximize the ease with which those conflicts can be resolved.
I've had complaints from Windows and Desqview over DMA-intensive
devices like my scanner and DMA-heavy activities like Fastback
(backup software). Will this be a problem with bus-mastering
SCSI devices? Also on both the Adaptec BBS and on Compuserve
I've seen references to conflicts between the 1542 and VGA cards!
One thing that makes me nervous about Adaptec, despite their good
reputation and market share, is tech support. They have no end-user
tech support; they expect the dealer to do it. But how many hours
and how many long-distance phone calls to their tech-support line
does Adaptec expect a dealer to use for a $300 sale? Anyway,
I can't find any local PC vendors which are familiar enough with
Adaptec products to handle installation problems.
The place I bought my computer prefers W.D. SCSI boards but I know
nothing about W.D. stuff and I heard a rumour this weekend on Compuserve
that W.D. is getting out of the board business. This would be a disaster
for a SCSI board because the board-maker typically supplies the drivers.
Always, as you point out, is problematic because it disables interrupts.
Also, I suspect it would get bogged down in a CPU-intensive or multi-
tasking environment since it does programmed I-O.
Future Domain is another SCSI board maker I know nothing about.
And then, of course, there's the SCSI -vs- SCSI-2 issue. How important
is it that I get a board which is SCSI-2 compliant?
SO -- Is SCSI only a product for pioneers or people who like to
tinker? I want a hassle-free SCSI install and someone to back me up
if I get into trouble. Is this a pipe dream? Comments are welcome
and VERY much appreciated.
---Peterchip@chinacat.unicom.com (Chip Rosenthal) (06/04/91)
In article <1991Jun03.223143.12788@xstor.com> nelson_p@apollo.com writes: > One thing that makes me nervous about Adaptec, despite their good > reputation and market share, is tech support. They have no end-user > tech support; they expect the dealer to do it. But how many hours > and how many long-distance phone calls to their tech-support line > does Adaptec expect a dealer to use for a $300 sale? It's worse than you think. Adaptec does not provide support to the dealers either. They tell us to call the distributor. -- Chip Rosenthal <chip@chinacat.Unicom.COM> | Don't play that Unicom Systems Development 512-482-8260 | loud, Mr. Collins.
iverson@xstor.com (Tim Iverson) (06/04/91)
In article <1991Jun03.223143.12788@xstor.com> nelson_p@apollo.com writes: > >>SCSI is easier to integrate and (with some drivers) more reliable. > I've had complaints from Windows and Desqview over DMA-intensive > devices like my scanner and DMA-heavy activities like Fastback > (backup software). Will this be a problem with bus-mastering > SCSI devices? The only DMA problem I've heard of with the Adaptec board has to do with operating the floppy and transfering from/to the scsi-bus at the same time; if the bus on/off time is not set properly, the floppy will starve for data. [Roy, if you're listening, chime in - I know you know the real story, 'cuz you're the one who told me about it!] > Also on both the Adaptec BBS and on Compuserve > I've seen references to conflicts between the 1542 and VGA cards! I've used both the Adaptec 1542B and the BusTek 540 with the ATI VGA Wonder, the Paradise VGA plus, and the Orchid ProDesigner/2; all work fine. The ATI did seem to have problems when I cranked up the DMA transfer rate, but they all worked at the normal 5MB/s. > One thing that makes me nervous about Adaptec, despite their good > reputation and market share, is tech support. Roy Neese [adaptec SCSI/154x guru] is on the net and is very helpful w.r.t. Adaptec specific questions and problems. Tech-supprt is not his real job, though, so don't pester him needlessly :-). > does Adaptec expect a dealer to use for a $300 sale? Anyway, > I can't find any local PC vendors which are familiar enough with > Adaptec products to handle installation problems. A small plug: the company I work for, Storage Dimensions, markets disk subsystems (board+host adapter+software+support). There is a very big push here to be the "Nordstrom's" of disk subsystms - both support and customer satisfaction are very important us. > The place I bought my computer prefers W.D. SCSI boards but I know > nothing about W.D. stuff and I heard a rumour this weekend on Compuserve > that W.D. is getting out of the board business. This would be a disaster > for a SCSI board because the board-maker typically supplies the drivers. I have a slight bias again the WD7000, mostly because of techinical problems in the early releases. Also, its interface is not as well supported as the 154x interface. > Future Domain is another SCSI board maker I know nothing about. Similar to Always (port i/o driven), but without the interrupt problem. > And then, of course, there's the SCSI -vs- SCSI-2 issue. How important > is it that I get a board which is SCSI-2 compliant? Not very. Most drives and boards that advertise SCSI-2 right now are SCSI-2 in command set only, not in hardware. Real soon now, you will see fast and wide SCSI-2, but at the moment it is not available. > SO -- Is SCSI only a product for pioneers or people who like to > tinker? I want a hassle-free SCSI install and someone to back me up > if I get into trouble. Give us a call: 408/879-0300. > ---Peter - Tim Iverson iverson@xstor.com -/- uunet!xstor!iverson