[comp.unix.xenix.sco] RLL controller with SCO Xenix

michaelb@wshb.csms.com ( WSHB Operations Eng) (03/30/91)

HELP!!

I'm trying to change an SCO XENIX system to some RLL disks and am having
a hell of a time. The system is SCO XENIX 2.3.2 with a Western Digital
WD1006V-SR2 with two Microscience HH-1120 RLL disks. Things keep blowing
up by destroying everything on head 6. I have tried it with a Seagate
4144R with the same results. I also tried the setup with an old Miniscribe
drive with only 4 heads and things fly right. (Except that I can't really
use the system because the drive is so small.) I am about to condemn the 
WD1006V-SR2. I can't find anything wrong with anything else. The system 
runs fine with a DPT cached ESDI card and an ESDI drive. I haven't tried
it with an MFM setup. (Besides, I have these two RLL drives that need to be
doing something useful.) Does anyone have any suggestions (besides abandon
MFM - I alrady have the drives.) I know people have used Xenix with RLL
drives and controllers. What kind of controller works well. What should
I avoid. (WD1006 I already know about - the hard way.)

Thanks for any advice and pointers.


Michael
-- 
Michael Batchelor--Systems/Operations Engineer #compliments and complaints
WSHB - An International Broadcast Station of   #   letterbox@csms.com
 The Christian Science Monitor Syndicate, Inc. #technical questions and reports
michaelb@wshb.csms.com         +1 803 625 4880 #   letterbox-tech@csms.com

jimr@vpnet.chi.il.us (Jim Rendant) (04/07/91)

Micheal,

It sound like your hard drives may have the problem I had been running with the
same HD controller and two SEAGATE RLL DRIVES using Xenix. 
Check all your connections and clean the contact of your controller.
Move your controller into another card slot on the bus.

If all else fails try formating the drives using DOS (I did say if all else fails).

This is a sure fire way of tracking down the problems.
  
GOOD LUCK!
Jim Rendant