ttr1415@helios.TAMU.EDU (Thom Robertson) (06/03/91)
I just downloaded the Speedup utility off of AB20. It appears to simply change the delay times between head steps on your floppies, thus speeding up disk access. I have used this utility just enough to be satisfied that it does work (without crashing or causing read-errors or anything like that). However, that doesn't mean this tool is what I want. Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to whether this is healthful for my drives (old A1000 ones, so you see my concern) and whether such speedup is really worth it? Thanx, Thom Robertson
tony@ais.org (Tony Poole) (06/04/91)
ttr1415@helios.TAMU.EDU (Thom Robertson) writes: >I just downloaded the Speedup utility off of AB20. It appears to simply >change the delay times between head steps on your floppies, thus >speeding up disk access. I have used this utility just enough to be >satisfied that it does work (without crashing or causing read-errors >or anything like that). >However, that doesn't mean this tool is what I want. Does anyone want to >hazard a guess as to whether this is healthful for my drives (old A1000 >ones, so you see my concern) and whether such speedup is really worth it? I have used a similar utility to this for about two years now (can't remem- ber the actual name), and my drives (also old A1000's) have suffered no ill effects, as far as I can tell. The only possible thing I could come up in my mind that would affect the drives was the extra heat being generated by increased step rates (ie less time between steps for the head to cool down - lower duty cycle), but I *seriously* doubt as this would be to any extreme. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tony Poole Traverse City, MI USA EMail:tony@irie.ais.org ____________________________________________________________________________
jc@crosfield.co.uk (jerry cullingford) (06/05/91)
In article <16796@helios.TAMU.EDU> ttr1415@helios.TAMU.EDU (Thom Robertson) writes: >I just downloaded the Speedup utility off of AB20. It appears to simply >change the delay times between head steps on your floppies, thus >speeding up disk access. [deleted] >Does anyone want to >hazard a guess as to whether this is healthful for my drives > and whether such speedup is really worth it? Commodore use drives from several different manufacturers. The specs they use (and give to developers) guarantees that the software will work on any amiga, so if you're developing something, STICK TO THEM! On the other hand, some machines may work happily with a faster step rate, so for your own use, on a specific machine, it could be fine. The trick is recognising how much of a speedup your drive will support _all the time_, and not just some-of-the-time-as-long-as-its-not-too-hot or whatever. Basically, the bottom line is "don't assume that just because you can get away with something on _your_ machine, that it will work on anyone elses". A number of early copy protection schemes fell down that hole, despite pleas from Commodore to stick to the specs... -- +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | Jerry Cullingford #include <std.disclaimer> +44 442 230000 | ,-|-- | jc@crosfield.co.uk (was jc@cel.co.uk) or jc@cel.uucp x3203 | \_|__ +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ \___/
jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) (06/08/91)
In article <16796@helios.TAMU.EDU> ttr1415@helios.TAMU.EDU (Thom Robertson) writes: >I just downloaded the Speedup utility off of AB20. It appears to simply >change the delay times between head steps on your floppies, thus >speeding up disk access. I have used this utility just enough to be >satisfied that it does work (without crashing or causing read-errors >or anything like that). It's unlikely to cause read-errors (since trackdisk will retry if need be). The danger is that it will cause write-errors, though this is fairly low if it's properly written and used accordingly - for example, their modification of the step times may be fine for a 68000 with no fast mem, but may make it too fast for a faster CPU or one with fast ram. >hazard a guess as to whether this is healthful for my drives (old A1000 >ones, so you see my concern) and whether such speedup is really worth it? So long as the step pulse rate _at the drives_ doesn't go faster than 3.0 ms, you should have no problems. A stock 68000 amiga usually does ~3.8ms due to timer and processing overhead (lower on faster machines). Also, make CERTAIN that it's only the step rate, NOT the settle time, that is affected. -- Randell Jesup, Jack-of-quite-a-few-trades, Commodore Engineering. {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com BIX: rjesup Disclaimer: Nothing I say is anything other than my personal opinion. "No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai