Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ulowell!redsox!campbell
From: campbell@redsox.UUCP (Larry Campbell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro
Subject: Re: Help with ST506 drive
Message-ID: <563@redsox.UUCP>
Date: 28 Nov 88 01:02:15 GMT
References:  <2594@rti.UUCP>
Reply-To: campbell@redsox.UUCP (Larry Campbell)
Organization: The Boston Software Works, Inc.
Lines: 19

In article <2594@rti.UUCP> bcw@rti.UUCP (Bruce Wright) writes:
}
}Finally, be aware that the 506 is a much slower drive than the more recent
}drives (something like a 95 ms average seek time).  Some controllers/BIOSs
}may not like that - and time out on a perfectly valid (and successful)
}operation!  It really is critical to know what the controller and BIOS
}version are to know if this might be a problem.

No, it's even worse than that.  The ST506 has a 170ms average access time!!
Almost as slow as a floppy!  What's worse, it does not buffer step pulses.
Since nearly all drives today buffer step pulses, it could be that the
controller you have doesn't work with unbuffered drives.

I think your best bet is to trash the ST506 and cough up $200 for an ST225
or similar drive.
-- 
Larry Campbell                          The Boston Software Works, Inc.
campbell@bsw.com                        120 Fulton Street
wjh12!redsox!campbell                   Boston, MA 02146