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ST-225. Post detects it. Fdisk detects it but won't form a partition.

I've been experimenting with the jumpers. Only options for debug is disk number and interleave. Even the free format option.

Using sstor. jumpers set to st-225 but only gives 612 cyl. used sstor option to pick a drive type
 
fjk61011 said:
Using sstor. jumpers set to st-225 but only gives 612 cyl.
Click to expand...
I plugged a BXD07 BIOS into a controller of mine, and then got SpeedStor to show me the drive table in the BXD07 BIOS (via the /romlist command line switch of SpeedStor).
The result is shown at [here].
From that, you can see that the ROM entry that one would select for an ST-225 has the cylinder count as 612, not 615.

Presumably, 612 was used for drives that have 612 cylinders, and DTC engineers thought, "Hey, that's good enough to use for drives that have 615 cylinders." ???

fjk61011 said:
... used sstor option to pick a drive type
Click to expand...
Note that SpeedStor is not a complete replacement for what the maker of the XT-class hard disk controller provides or dictates.
There are times when you will be misled.

I put a BXD07 BIOS into my 5150CRH controller. I set the W6 jumpers to select the first drive table entry, which is the geometry of {cylinders=612, heads=4, SPT=17}.
I started SpeedStor 6.03, then chose the menu item of 'ManualSetup'.
SpeedStor showed me that the drive 1 (note: what it calls drive 1) configuration was a drive geometry of {cylinders=612, heads=4, SPT=17}.
I then used the 'Type' menu item to select a Seagate ST-225.
When done, SpeedStor then showed that drive 1 configuration to be a drive geometry of {cylinders=615, heads=4, SPT=17}.
I then exited SpeedStor.
I then started SpeedStor 6.03 again, then chose the menu item of 'ManualSetup'.
The shown drive geometry was back to {cylinders=612, heads=4, SPT=17}.
 
the ST-225 does actually have 615 tracks though, it's just that 612 was a super common hard coded geometry back in the day
 
I low level formated the st-225 with sstor. It found 26 defects. Fdisked and formatted with a lot of trying to recover allocation units. However format finished. I got my backpack fdd set up as drive B. I'm now installing dos 6.22. I know overkill. I want edit for an easy life, I've forgotten how to use edlin.
 
fjk61011 said:
An aside, what is Slot 8 in an XT for?
Click to expand...
jafir said:
Nobody really knows. ;-)
Click to expand...
From [here]: The user's manual for the Breakthru 286 includes, "If you have a board in your system that can only go in slot 8 of an XT, such as the IBM 3270 board ..."

fjk61011 said:
The hdd on boot up make a woodpecker sound stops makes an other woodpecker sound but longer.
Click to expand...
A 'knocking' sound at power-on appears to be 'normal' for some Seagate drives.
At [here] is, "The ST-251 made a unique hollow knocking noise on start-up, once heard never forgotten, by far the most distinctive sound of any drive yet made."
The video at [here] includes the knocking sound that my ST-225 makes at power-on.
 
modem7 said:
From [here]: The user's manual for the Breakthru 286 includes, "If you have a board in your system that can only go in slot 8 of an XT, such as the IBM 3270 board ..."


A 'knocking' sound at power-on appears to be 'normal' for some Seagate drives.
At [here] is, "The ST-251 made a unique hollow knocking noise on start-up, once heard never forgotten, by far the most distinctive sound of any drive yet made."
The video at [here] includes the knocking sound that my ST-225 makes at power-on.
Click to expand...
Yes that's it.
 
Now I want to get my XT FFD controller with serial port working in the XT. I know it works because I tried it in a Pentium II.
 
sergey's XT FD controller with serial port working in the XT WITHOUT SCSI BIOS

I think all my Tandon ? full height fdd are dead. I will try them again after tea

One of the Tandon's came back to life and works as second drive connected to Sergey's controller.

Now to see if I can add SCSI card to the mix
 
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