akm@obelix.cs.uoregon.edu (Anant Kartik Mithal) (04/09/91)
I had posted a message requesting information about the feasability of using a scsi controller with an existing mfm controller, to which I got the following replies. My thanks to those who did reply. The message I posted was: >I have an MFM AT controller with two ST-251-1s running off it. I need >to add more disk space, and I don't want to get rid of my old disks. >(We've come a long way together...) So, my question is: can I add SCSI >to my machine? i.e., can I add a SCSI controller which doesn't have a >built-in floppy controller and a SCSI hard disk? My existing MFM >controller has dual floppy control. >If so, how will such a device work (i.e. how will dos and Windows know >about the SCSI disk)a? Will I have to add a device driver (which will >run off my existing drive c), which will then allow dos to access the >SCSI disk? And, will this run under windows? I seem to recall hearing >that there are problems between windows and SCSI disks. What SCSI >disk + controller combinations are recommended? I am looking for ~80 >meg at ~ 20 ms access time. I have a free 1/2 height drive slot, and >this is running on a 20 Mhz 386 motherboard. >Is there any other way of adding disk space to my machine? kartik The replies I got were: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: gp310ad@prism.gatech.edu (ROBERT DUCKWORTH) I have had no trouble running the SCSI host adapter and a MFM typ e controller in the same machine. I don't use windows. I suggest a seagate ST01B (make sure it's the B by looking for the notched corner) and the st296N as an inexpensive <$450 set. Bob --- Bob Duckworth -everything you know is wrong- Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, 30332 uucp: ...!{allegra,amdmhplabs,ut-ngp}!gatech!prism!gp310ad Internet: gp310ad@prism.gatech.edu 404-894-3890(o) 874-5051(h) 313-0095(m) From: gp310ad@prism.gatech.edu (ROBERT DUCKWORTH) kartik The top rear corner of the card has a small notch. _____________________ | | ______| | | | It is an 8 bit but I get a nice 800 k bytes /sec out of it. The 296N is 28ms and looks just like your 251 There is a 3.5" 1096N. About the same price and it is supposed to be faster. I've had very good luck with the 2 296N that I've had for years. Bob From: frank@emx.utexas.edu (Frank Abernathy) To: akm@geriatrix.cs.uoregon.edu Subject: Re: MFM + SCSI I have a Seagate ST-296N and ST-02 SCSI adapter, cost about $350.00 for a SCSI 80mb drive and controller WITH floppy disk control. You can not disable the floppy portion of the ST-02. I could disable the floppy section of my WD-1003 controller and did do that. I use the floppy controller on the ST02. Windows 3.0 sees the MFM 40mb drive as drive C: and the SCSI 80mb as D: In my CMOS setup you must NOT define ANY drive type for the SCSI drive. I've had NO problems running DOS 4.01, Windows 3.0 and the above combination in a '386 clone(Packard-Bell). Hope some of this helps. later frank From: frank%ccmaint.UUCP@emx.utexas.edu Subject: Re: MFM + SCSI No, it is an 8-bit controller. It also appears to have no drivers for CD ROM drives or SCSI Tape Backup and so I'm looking for a 16-bit board that HAS THOSE DRIVERS.... later frank From gyugyi@earthsea.stanford.edu I have 2 MFM drives, and a SCSI, plugged into an IBM PC with an Intel Inboard 386 accellerator card. Works well. Some hints: 1) Don't buy the seagate ST-02 scsi controller that costs about $50. I doesn't come with drivers to let you use both MFM and SCSI disks. It simply makes the SCSI look like a MFM disk controller. 2) I have the future domain SCSI disk controller for the XT. It is an 8 bit card, which I needed. Future Domain drivers will let you use SCSI and MFM disks. Get the full kit, as it has the driver you need. Now, future domain chose to install the scsi disk as a "block device", not an "Int 13 device", which means that smartdrv and hyperdisk won't cache the scsi drives (they won't complain either). Luckily PC Quik Cache will cache block devices, so get that if you get a future domain controller. I wouldn't bother mentioning future domain at all, execpt I hear they have a really fast SCSI-2 controller out (I have no details or hard facts). 3) don't forget about the virtualHardDiskIRQ=false (WARNING: the previous spelling is probably wrong and won't work at all. consult sysini.txt files). Your best bet is to get an Adaptec controller, since that seems to be widely used & supported. -- Paul Gyugyi gyugyi@earthsea.stanford.edu From: Steven Batsford <batsford_s@apollo.com> To: akm@geriatrix.cs.uoregon.edu Subject: Re: MFM + SCSI kartik, I have an Adaptec 1522 SCSI controller and two SCSI disks. I have had no problems with Windows3.0. Adaptec makes a model 1520 SCSI controller that doesn't have a floppy controller. They also have a driver that would let DOS use the SCSI disk as the third disk. I know it works with three SCSI disks because I tried it. The price I paid for the 1522 board was about $150 around a year ago. I hope this helps. Steve Batsford batsford_s@apollo.hp.com From: RCG903@MAINE.BITNET (martti toivakka) If you receive any answers could you please send me a copy, or post a summary on net. I've been trying to find the same info. Seagate said that yes, I can have both my MFM-drive and SCSI-drive on my AT, but I that I would need to let SCSI-adapter to control floppy discs. I would like to know more about WIN3-problems and if any device drivers are needed. Thank you. Martti Toivakka RCG903@MAINE.MAINE.EDU From: schansen@amc.com (Scott Hansen) Organization: Applied Microsystems, Redmond, WA A couple of other ways are: Plus Hard (40, 80 and 105MB) - Very simple to install, just plug-n-play and fast the lastest drives are rated around 9 ms. The 80MB unit currently retails at $495.00. Another solution is to use compression software/hardware (ie: Stacker). The Stacker software (device driver) retails at about $90.00 and their hardware solution (card) for about $200.00. This effectively doubles the capacity of your current drives. I understand, from a couple of my friends, that the card actually speeds up your existing drives... Both methods are fully Windows compatible and cheaper than a SCSI drive and controller. -Scott ============================================================================== Scott Hansen (schansen@amc.com) Sysop...: The Crystal Chip Applied Microsystems Corporation BBS.....: (206) 226-6550 Redmond, Washington 98073 Voice...: (206) 882-5322 -- Anant Kartik Mithal akm@cs.uoregon.edu Research Assistant, (503)346-4408 (msgs) Department of Computer Science, (503)346-3989 (direct) University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1202