chris@asylum.gsfc.nasa.gov (Chris Shenton) (12/15/90)
I've got ISC 2.0.2 on a 386 with a (I think) 70MB disk running of an MFM(?) controller (Western Digital 1:1 interleave -- 2 years ago, best thing going for the money). [tell me if I appear confused!] I need a new disk, and the Connor 200MB seems the way to go. Enlighten me about how to interface it! It comes with SCSI or EDI -- which should I get? Can I use it (with a new SCSI/EDI controller) along with my current 70MB with WD controller, or do I lose my old disk? Performance problems? If I go SCSI -- the way I'm leaning -- can I run my existing floppy off a new SCSI controller? the old WD ctlr? Recommendations on SCSI controllers? What does the `Bus Master' bit (seen in adverts) refer to? Thanks in advance! PS: if you'd prefer, email and I'll summarize. -- chris@asylum.gsfc.nasa.gov, ...!uunet!asylum.gsfc.nasa.gov!chris, PITCH::CHRIS
jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau) (12/17/90)
chris@asylum.gsfc.nasa.gov (Chris Shenton) writes: >I've got ISC 2.0.2 on a 386 with a (I think) 70MB disk running of an MFM(?) >controller (Western Digital 1:1 interleave -- 2 years ago, best thing going >for the money). [tell me if I appear confused!] > >I need a new disk, and the Connor 200MB seems the way to go. Enlighten me >about how to interface it! It comes with SCSI or EDI -- which should I get? >Can I use it (with a new SCSI/EDI controller) along with my current 70MB >with WD controller, or do I lose my old disk? Performance problems? With SCSI, you can keep your old ST412/506 MFM controller. That's the good part about SCSI. You keep all of your old hardware. If you go IDE, you have a problem. IDE uses the same port address (0x1f0) and IRQ 14. What you could do to get IDE to work with your ST412/506 controller is to set it to the secondary port address and use it off of IRQ 15. But I don't know how well your IDE adaptor will get along with your ST412/506 controller, so be forwarned that just changing the port address and IRQ of your ST412/506 controller may not work. >If I go SCSI -- the way I'm leaning -- can I run my existing floppy off a >new SCSI controller? the old WD ctlr? Recommendations on SCSI controllers? >What does the `Bus Master' bit (seen in adverts) refer to? Depends on whether or not your SCSI host adaptor has a floppy port or not. As for recommendations on SCSI host adaptors. I'd lean towards the Adaptec AHA-154x series or the MicroNet SCSI host adaptor. // JCA /* **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* ** Flames : /dev/null | What to buy? ** ARPANET : crash!pnet01!jca@nosc.mil | EISA or MCA? ** INTERNET: jca@pnet01.cts.com | When will the bus wars end? ** UUCP : {nosc ucsd hplabs!hp-sdd}!crash!pnet01!jca **--------------------------------------------------------------------------* */