Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cbmvax!jesup
From: jesup@cbmvax.UUCP (Randell Jesup)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: MicroBotics StarDrive
Message-ID: <4133@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: 29 Jun 88 00:29:30 GMT
References: <730@applix.UUCP> <6910@cup.portal.com>
Reply-To: jesup@cbmvax.UUCP (Randell Jesup)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 28

In article <6910@cup.portal.com> Skywalker@cup.portal.com writes:
>No, it doesn't work in my configuration... I called them when it was first
>advertised and asked about using other than the Mac-SCSI drives with it,
>specifically an Adaptec 4xxx series controller. I was told that they were
>just verifing it that day, and the person I talked to implied that "it would
>work with the Adaptec" before they shipped.  Guess what? I bought a Stardrive,
>an Adaptec 4070, a Miniscribe 8438 and dual-drive cabinet, made a cable to 
>their pinout specs, and IT DOESN'T WORK! "It is a bug in the prep program,
>have it out in a week or two", over a month ago. RSN, I've heard that before!

	I do not have any affiliation with microbotics.  However, I know the
person working on the Adaptec software for them (Joanne Dow, moderator of the
amiga conference on Bix, and occaisional Usenet poster.)  She has it almost
completed, I think it's being beta tested.  If you call MB, they can probably
send you a beta copy of the software if you twist their arms a little (they're
pretty good about such things).

	I think the only unresolved question is how they're going to handle
the Adaptec 5500 (if at all).  I think the 4070 stuff is done.

	In fact, if you low-level formatted the drive on a mac, it would
probably work, since once an Adaptec is formatted, it looks like an
embedded controller.  The problem is low-level format (Mode_Select in
adaptec terms); you have to tell the adaptec EXACTLY what type of drive
it's dealing with.

-- 
Randell Jesup, Commodore Engineering {uunet|rutgers|allegra}!cbmvax!jesup