Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!microsoft!brianw
From: brianw@microsoft.UUCP (Brian Willoughby)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Using innerdrive with a laser UDC drive
Summary: We've got to do something...
Message-ID: <7433@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 18 Aug 89 17:59:03 GMT
References: <8908171728.AA27197@obsolete.UUCP>
Reply-To: brianw@microsoft.UUCP (Brian Willoughby)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 50

In article <8908171728.AA27197@obsolete.UUCP> seth@pro-angmar.UUCP (Seth Itzkan) writes:
>Network Comment: to #2857 by obsolete!pro-xy!jlink%bloom-beacon.mit.edu
>
>John,
>I seam to having a similar problem, my laser drive with the UDC appears to
>be putting bad sectors on my disks.  Also, it does not work with my inner
>drive which I just installed.

In a quick summary of my problems, the UDC stops interfacing with the drive
after a period of use.  If you happen to be writing to the disk at that
time, then what is written to the disk is garbage.  If all of us are
having problems, then why don't we all call Laser?  (I know it costs
money to call, but so does buying a new controller)  Laser tried to say
it was my Apple II Plus (which they "don't support"), but it seems that
everyone's problems are machine independant.  Laser also claimed that
they don't handle the UDC design, Video Technology does.  Anyone have
their number?  How about if everyone who is having trouble with their
UDC send me mail detailing thier machine type, processor and list of
peripherals used at the same time as the UDC.  I'm interested in Apple,
Laser and other clones, 6502, 65C02, 65C802, 65C816 procs, and cards
like the TransWarp and/or other disk storage peripherals like the
InnerDrive.  A little data on how many errors are occurring over a
period of use (try Copy II Plus disk verify) would also be welcome
evidence.  I think I have isolated my problems to be related to the
UDC's use of the RDY signal (which perhaps the InnerDrive uses?), and
its interaction with my 65C802, but I don't think the problems that
everyone else is having is limited to the same conditions.

>
>Do you (or anyone), think I should just bag the whole UDC laser drive sytem
>for something else?  Should I try to get it fixed?

I would like to find "something else" to replace the UDC, but I don't
think anything exists.  It's not that the technology is too difficult
or anything.  IMHO, getting the UDC fixed would have to entail a redesign
of UDCs use of the Apple bus or at least a ROM re-write, followed by a
warrenty fix from Laser or Video Technology.

The UniDisk is unacceptable, because I already have two Apple 3.5 Drives,
and besides, I wouldn't be happy upgrading to a GS with only UniDisks.
Why doesn't Apple offer something like the UniDisk card for the non-GS
CPUs, but which is more up to date and handles all SmartPort interface
drives?  I usually stick to Apple Co. products (like my drives), but they
are getting beat in the interface arena.

Brian Willoughby
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