Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!husc6!bloom-beacon!think!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!cbosgd!cwruecmp!neoucom!wtm From: wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: ST238 problems (again) Message-ID: <615@neoucom.UUCP> Date: Sat, 4-Jul-87 13:51:05 EDT Article-I.D.: neoucom.615 Posted: Sat Jul 4 13:51:05 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 5-Jul-87 07:38:30 EDT References: <216700012@orstcs> Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine Lines: 36 Summary: Problem is with Adaptec Control Cards In our building, we have a number of ST-238s running in RLL mode. Several different types of controller cards are in use. We had a few minor problems with an early model of the Adaptec 1070 (I hope that's the correct model #) RLL controller. We've used the Western Digital and SMS/OMTI controllers without incident. It's my understanding that some Adaptec controllers made before 10-1987 caused overhaeating (how it could, I'm not sure) in some seagate drives. This caused seek errors. As evidenced by "Error: sector not found reading drive C" or some similar nonsense from DOS. My suspicion is that the Apaptec 1070 keeps the coils of the head stepper motor energized all the time, and shouldn't. That would cause excessive heating. If you have an old Adaptec card, it's my understanding that you can get an upgrade kit, that you presumably can install your self. I'd call Adaptec directly, rather than fooling around with the dealer where you got your drive. It's possible that turbo CPU coprocessor cards could be causing bus contention by using the same DMA channel as the disk controller. Try low level format, fdisk, format and boot without the trubo CPU. Call the turbo board maker for details if you localize the problem there. I've been Using an ST-238 with an SMS/OMTI controller in an 8 MHz AT&T 6300 and NEC (not Zilog) V-30 CPU chip at home since January, and haven't encountered any problems (Yet!!). I used an interleaf factor of three, but I'm not sure if that is optimal. Bill Mayhew Division of Basic Medical Sciences Northeastern Ohio Universities' College of Medicine Rootstown, OH 44272-9989 USA phone: 216-325-2511 (wtm@neoucom.UUCP)