Adaptec 2372 RLL with Seagate ST-4096 MFM

[Macy Hallock]

In article <227 at holmes.home.nwu.edu> matt at holmes.home.nwu.edu (Matthew Larson) writes:
>I'm running SCO 386 XENIX 2.3.2 with a Seagate ST-4096 80 megabyte hard disk
>and I'm considering trying to run it RLL with an Adaptec 2372 controller.

We have used the 2372 with SCO Xenix 2.2.1 and 2.3.1 with excellent results
on several machines.  I prefer the original 2372 (AT size card) over the
current 2372B, becasue I like the setup program in the card bios better.

>Is it bad news to try to run MFM drives RLL, or does it depend on the
>particular drive?  Has anyone tried the 4096?  Does anyone have an RLL
>that they like better than the 2372?  And, finally, are there any
>XENIX repercussions of using an RLL controller that I should know about?

Seagate gests testy about running RLL on a disk they have released as MFM.
I'm told it voids the warranty and they will not repair it under any
circumstances, warranty or not (but who uses Seagate for out of warranty
repairs, anyway?). It should be noted that I am no fan of Seagate, but
this is not intended to be a flame of Seagate.

I have had good success running MFM disks on the Adaptec 2372 RLL controller.
I suggest you do some intensive disk testing before you place the disk in
service, such as several destructive scans using SCO disk initialization
routines.  Personally, what I do is set up the disk for DOS and use
Prime Solutions Disk Technician Advanced to perform several "monthly"
tests (very thorough) and then print out the error reports.  These reports
are then used to spare out the bad sectors in a re-setup of the disk,
then SCO Xenix is installed.  I have cut my disk errors considerably with
this procedure on several machines (both DOS and Xenix).

Note: Xenix and DOS will not live on the disk together if the disk is
1024 cylinders or more uithout some special considerations.

I cannot personlly vouch for the 4096, I have not used them.  My only
real problem with the Adaptec 2372 is they are often in short supply.
You can use the 2370 and an separate floppy controller anyway.  We have
tested the 2370/2372 in a two controller setup in SCO Xenix 2.3.X with
execellent result (just set the jumpers on the second controller
correctly).  We have stopped using WD controllers and now specify the
2372/2370 as our standard product issue.

            Macy Hallock                 fmsystm!macy at NCoast.ORG
           F M Systems, Inc.             hal!ncoast!fmsystm!macy
           150 Highland Dr.              uunet!aablue!fmsystm!macy
           Medina, OH 44256              Voice: 216-723-3000 X251  
 Disclaimer:  My advice is worth what you paid for it. Your milage may vary.