gwoho@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Gwoho Lio) (10/05/90)
i have a 286 ibmthing which i want to run xenix 386. what would be a good new motherboard to buy? is a 386sx 16mhz fast enough to run xenix well? also i am told that i need a fast caching hd controller. what brand of controller is an inexpensive caching hd controller? gwoho liu.
davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) (10/07/90)
In article <1990Oct4.184100.28476@nntp-server.caltech.edu> gwoho@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Gwoho Lio) writes: | i have a 286 ibmthing which i want to run xenix 386. | what would be a good new motherboard to buy? is a 386sx 16mhz | fast enough to run xenix well? Unless you plan to run X-windows the 16MHz SX will be pretty reasonable. It is cost effective, particularly if you plan to buy a math chip, since the SX part is almost (obviously not quite) as fast as the DX part at the same speed. If you go DX you can find a cheap board with cache for about $1000. | also i am told that i need a fast | caching hd controller. what brand of controller | is an inexpensive caching hd controller? a) you don't need a caching controller, although it will help. Adding more memory will do more for you than a caching controller, I've tried systems from SX to 486. The o/s does it's own caching. These controllers make a lot more sense for DOS. b) there are no good cheap caching controllers. c) the CompuAdd has been very satisfactory, since it handles both 10 and 15Mbit ESDI drives. d) if you don't go ESDI, consider a track buffered RLL controller and 1:1 interleave. I have the WD1006V-RS2 on two systems and it's been great. I've tried other RLL controllers and don't own them anymore. This controller is available MFM *I think*. The track buffering make a big diference with Xenix. -- bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen) sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list "Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me
shwake@raysnec.UUCP (Ray Shwake) (10/12/90)
davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr) writes: > d) if you don't go ESDI, consider a track buffered RLL controller and >1:1 interleave. I have the WD1006V-RS2 on two systems and it's been >great. I've tried other RLL controllers and don't own them anymore. This >controller is available MFM *I think*. The track buffering make a big >diference with Xenix. Indeed, the Western Digital 1006V *is* available in an MFM version. I currently use it on my 386/20. Fine, low-cost controller. Supports Xenix (and ISC) with no problem.