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MFM / RLL Controller support of 9+ Heads

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leaknoil

Experienced Member
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Aug 14, 2008
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Central California
Next question for today is as follows:

Does anyone know of specific 16bit ISA controllers that have built in support for drives with 9heads or more ?

All my 8 bit ones seem to stop at 4.

I guess I need specific model numbers for ones people know do since, it doesn't seem to be information that spec sheets and such mentioned. At least, most I've googled don't mention much about limits on the number of heads.

If this wasn't bad enough it has to be half length or less to fit in my box.
 
Most 16 bit ones do support 16 heads--at least all of the ones that I've seen.

One right off the top of my head is a WD1006V (-SR1/SR2 if you want RLL), but there are many, many more. Some BIOSes even support more than 1024 cylinders.
 
leaknoil said:
Does anyone know of specific 16bit ISA controllers that have built in support for drives with 9heads or more ?

All my 8 bit ones seem to stop at 4.
Click to expand...
Not sure what 8 bit versions have to do with the 16 bit controllers you're asking about, but as Chuck says most 16 bit controllers could handle 16 heads & 1024 cylinders (WD1003, 1004, 1006, 1007).
 
Chuck(G) said:
Most 16 bit ones do support 16 heads--at least all of the ones that I've seen.

One right off the top of my head is a WD1006V (-SR1/SR2 if you want RLL), but there are many, many more. Some BIOSes even support more than 1024 cylinders.
Click to expand...

That may be the next problem. I need 9 heads 1072 cyl.
 
modem7 said:
You could run the drive at 1024 cylinders.
'9 heads 1024 cylinders' versus '9 heads 1072 cylinders' represents only a 0.3% loss of capacity.
Click to expand...

True but, I have a few of these drives and its more about testing them. I'd like to be able to low level format the whole thing rather than just a portion.

This one looks interesting if I can fit it in the Dolch box I want it in. It will be really tight. http://www.ebay.com/itm/230669523021 . It will do up to 2047 cyl.

Anyone know if the SMS Omti 8247 has the built in g=c800:5 formatting utilities or similar ? Is there likely to be an option for doing MFM or RLL encoding ? As in could I format a drive MFM for use with a non-RLL controller in another box.
 
leaknoil said:
As in could I format a drive MFM for use with a non-RLL controller in another box.
Click to expand...
Low level formatting a drive with a particular make/model of controller, and then seeing if a different make/model of controller can read/write the first controller's particular low level format, is a hit/miss thing.
 
modem7 said:
Low level formatting a drive with a particular make/model of controller, and then seeing if a different make/model of controller can read/write the first controller's particular low level format, is a hit/miss thing.
Click to expand...

For sure. I have had decent luck with MFM controllers though. I have never had a RLL controller before so, I'm curious if its a format time option on most or they just default to RLL.
 
leaknoil said:
Anyone know if the SMS Omti 8247 has the built in g=c800:5 formatting utilities or similar ? Is there likely to be an option for doing MFM or RLL encoding ? As in could I format a drive MFM for use with a non-RLL controller in another box.
Click to expand...

Yes it does--I've got one of those in my old card box. Used it for a time. If you're looking at the eBay auction, forget the garbage about "dual floppy ports". The guy doesn't know what he's talking about.
 
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