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general questions

marc.hull

Experienced Member
Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
107
3 Questions I'd like to get answered today gents....

1... I have an XT clone that I have started using as an EPROM station this last week. Specifically for 2716's as my new one doesn't even know what 2716's are. This weekend I noticed a couple of time that the PS just shut off. A couple of time during boot up and once for no apparent reason in the middle of "being on." Is this something I should be really concerned about and what could be the general cause of this ? I know pinpointing this is not possible with the info you have I would just like a list of possible causes to begin my search with.

2... I have noticed on other posts people generally open their old MFM/RLL hard drive cases. The hard drive I am using (ST-225R) has had this done as well. No particular reason other than I did it to lookie-lou. I regret doing that but it is water under the bridge now. I have the thing plugged up and it is working OK but I wonder if my exploring has made the drive a ticking time bomb. Any thoughts ?

3... I have two other hard drives that I would like to use (ST-225 without the R.) Problem is that my machine cannot seem to low level format them. When I try with speed store I get a "BIOS" error and when I try and let the BIOS do it The drive is not listed. It likes 225R's but not 225's so..... Any chance a jumper setting would make the drive appear to be a 225R or is there a way to LLF the drive without using the BIO IN A BOX I have ??

Thanks

Marc
 
1) Generally this could be caused by a short... somewhere.

2) If it's still working you might just get away lucky. :)

3) You didn't say what controller you are using. If it's the same controller you used on the 225R then it's probably an RLL controller and you shouldn't use it with the 225 anyway. If it's not the same one, see if you can disable the BIOS on the controller with a jumper.
 
It depends on the vintge of the 225/R. Early 225/225Rs did have differences in the coatings, but later ones did not. I'd still call the 225 a 225R in the controller's LLF and see what the resutls are. The worst that will happen is that you'll get a bunch of data errors during formatting.

You won't hurt a thing.
 
1) Generally this could be caused by a short... somewhere.

2) If it's still working you might just get away lucky. :)

3) You didn't say what controller you are using. If it's the same controller you used on the 225R then it's probably an RLL controller and you shouldn't use it with the 225 anyway. If it's not the same one, see if you can disable the BIOS on the controller with a jumper.

Well I guess it's better to be lucky than good. Hope it holds out. As far as the controller goes.... I can't find any docs or info on it. The only printing I can make out is "Elmec" although it has Seagate ROMS on it.
 
It depends on the vintge of the 225/R. Early 225/225Rs did have differences in the coatings, but later ones did not. I'd still call the 225 a 225R in the controller's LLF and see what the resutls are. The worst that will happen is that you'll get a bunch of data errors during formatting.

You won't hurt a thing.

I have actually tired that. It bombs out on formatting.
 
Oh, I'm quite sure he could use an RLL controller with success here. Just not the one he's using now. Ill bet you've already used an ST-225 with an RLL controller and I know I have. In fact I've used just about every MFM drive I have with either my WD1002A-27X, WD1002-27X or WD1006V-SR1/SR2 with complete success. C'mon, 'fess up. :)
 
Yeah no suprise it errored, an ST225 won't tolerate 31 sectors per track.

ST225R - 667 cylinders, 2 heads, 31 sectors per track RLL
ST225 - 615 cylinders, 4 heads, 17 sectors per track MFM (26 seems ok when used on an RLL controller)
ST238 - a rebadged ST225 that was tested for RLL support

First time I've heard of an RLL drive not being 26 SPT?
 
He's using a Perstor ARLL controller (31 SPT)?

It would help everyone if the actual controller were known.

I'm sorry this took so long. I have had the flu and haven't felt like messing with this stuff as of late.

The only markings I can find on the controller are ELMEC 8843. My Google-fu yielded nada.

The ROMS are marked SEAGATE 005 v 1.7 and 008 v 1.7 and ST11 BIOS (C) 1897.

Does this help anyone ?


The hard drive I took apart is working OK. I just have two of the 225's I would like to use instead of the one 225R.


As an aside I figured out what the power cut out was all about...

My set up is in an unheated garage apartment Behind my house. It's been cold lately and evidently the drive spinning up when cold was drawing a bit more than the PS could handle at start up. A hairdryer solved the problem ;-)....
 
Exactly except for the revision on the roms
So, you have a Seagate ST11.
There were two versions. ST11M for "MFM" drives, and ST11R for "RLL" drives.
Seagate's manual for both versions is [here].
Because of your earlier, "The drive is not listed. It likes 225R's but not 225's", and the manual contents, you must have the ST11R.
 
There is an earlier thread [here] that discusses the problematic situation of using an "MFM" drive on an RLL controller.

Thanks. Seems the issue boils down to sometime you get the bear. Sometimes the bear gets you ;-).
 
It just occurred to me that I have several small capacity SCSI drives around. Will SCSI work in XT land and if so can someone point me in the direction of what controller I should get ?
 

Thanks that was simple. Now the next question is....

Suppose I go this route, what do I use to format the drive and do disk management stuff ? I know the drives will need to be formatted as I had used them on my TI system prior.
 
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