Adaptec controller/Miniscribe 6085?

[Chip Rosenthal]

In article <3e9fa283.6bad at apollo.COM> tyager at apollo.COM (Tom Yager) writes:
>Has anyone tried the Miniscribe 6085 drive with an RLL controller?

For the uninitiated, the Miniscribe 6000 series is:

			6128	6079	6085	6053	6032

Formatted Capacity (MB)	110.1	68.8	71.3	44.6	26.7
Sectors Per Track	26	26	17	17	17
Heads			8	5	8	5	3
Cylinders		1024	1024	1024	1024	1024
Recording Method	RLL	RLL	MFM	MFM	MFM

A lot of people have told me about success running MFM drives with an RLL
controller.  I wouldn't do it.  But then again, I'm one of those super
paranoid types who won't accept an 80386-16 in a "20MHz" computer.

>If it won't work, fine. Their RLL drive is the 6128 and
>goes for about $900 with the Adaptec controller. Anyone
>out there who has had experience with this combination?

Yes.  I've been bitching and moaning now for over a month about this.  I
am trying to run SCO XENIX 386 2.2 on an Everex Step 386/20 with a
Miniscribe 6128 and an Adaptec ACB2372.  I've been having all sorts of
problems -- usually paging system panics but occasionally a general
protection trap.  My initial best guess was either a disk or memory
problem.

We ran Everex's memory diagnostics for two days.  No problems found.

We screwed around with the Adaptec strappings for a bit with no improvement.
Specifically, we messed around with the J14 strap for wait states and
the J12 straps for BIOS selection.

We then swapped it out for a plain old WD 1:1 MFM controller.  Problems
went away.

Monday, I'm going to take another shot using a WD RLL controller.  If
that works then I'll be in fat city.

Three points to this rambling story:

(1)  Pathalias is the best diagnostic I've found to date.  If a system
     is going to crash, this will do it.  I prefer to get a couple of
     invocations going.  I use multiple copies to avoid having the text
     segments shared.

(2)  Seeing that I don't have anything conclusive yet, I'd hate to condemn
     the Adaptec 2372.  But, it looks really suspicious from where I'm
     sitting.

(3)  If I hear one more PC salesman say "but it works fine with DOS",
     I will probably kick him in the nuts.

I realize the original poster asked for mailed responses, but I'd be
interested in hearing from other folks with experience with the 2372.
-- 
Chip Rosenthal     chip at vector.UUCP | I've been a wizard since my childhood.
Dallas Semiconductor   214-450-0486 | And I've earned some respect for my art.