Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pro-pac.cts.com!tomj From: tomj@pro-pac.cts.com (Tom Jenkins) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple Subject: Re: CMS60 drives Message-ID: <8906220923.AA13640@crash.cts.com> Date: 22 Jun 89 06:59:46 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-pac!tomj@nosc.mil Organization: The Internet Lines: 84 Network Comment: to #9126 by pnet01!crash!trout.nosc.mil!pnet01!pro-newfrontier!kblack Regarding CMS Hard Drives... I purchasd mine in April 1988 from a dealer here in Honolulu. The original drive/card never really did work right - sometimes it would boot up correctly, other times it would "hang". I figured it was the SCSI card, but the dealer ordered another drive and card before I took mine in for replacement and made a one for one swap. Since that time, it has run fine (with the exception as noted below) I run a IIgs (1Mb) with various peripherals such as PCT, TWGS, AST Digitizer. The computer runs about two to three hours a day (give or take some) and until a month ago, the drive performed flawlessly. After saving a large file (in MSDOS), I would get "I/O errors" and then sometimes the drive would spin normally, but would not read or write. After several seconds of inactivety, the drive would "hang". Removal of all peripheral cards did not solve the problem. Turns out it was the CMS SCSI card which was replaced (by the dealer) at no charge - within the warranty. Would I purchase another? In a microsecond. I open up all my electronic equipment and was satisfied in the workmanship. I can't vouch for the electronic design as I don't have a schematic. (btw, I've owned apples since 1980). It seems to run somewhat warm although not hot to the touch. By the way, I wrote CMS last month and asked several questions. Here are some answers from Jamie Neihaus (CMS Technical Support): q - Why does the thermometer not work from GSOS? Is it because a new driver is needed? If so, will you offer one? a - CMS drives are completely compatable with the GSOS operating system, with the exception that using our card we partition though jumper settings on the card rather than through software as does Apple. The thermometer should work fine, if it does not then there may be a conflict perhaps with one of your cards or maybe software. (this doesn't really make sense; all the people who own these puppies have the same problem - Tom) q - Is there any upgrades that I can get for the partitioning software for the hard drive? a - CMS is currently working on an upgraded utility and ROM for the Apple II line which should be out within the next two months. (Yipee! I can't wait) q - Is there software that would allow me to reset the hard drive without turning if off? a - Usually pushing the Control-Command-Reset will reset the drive without having to power the unit down. q - Does (if available) the new software allow faster disk access? a - Our new software is still in a beta version right now, so I can't really speculate what the end product will contain. (yeah, musta learned trade secreting from Apple) q - There is some mention of 2:1 and 4:1 interleave on the new operating system. How does this affect me? Does the CMS drive have it's own interleave scheme and does not use the 3 1/2 2:1 and 4:1 interleave system? a - There is no selectable interleave for the Apple II at present time with our drives. Once again that could be changed with new software and the introduction of the Apple 5.0 system. q - I also have an Apple IIc (with new ROM's). Is there anything on your drawing board that would allow me to use the CMS-60? Such as a IIc smartport? a - At present we do not support the Apple IIc. (boy, if they did, imagine the profit margin!) q - Do you offer a tape backup? Backing up either partition (30M or so) takes up to 30 each 3 1/2 inch diskettes. a - At present we do not offer a tape backup for the Apple II, however it is possible that in the future we may. q - Can you send me a speed comparison between all the hard drives you offer for the Apple line? Including the Macintosh? a - Yes the list is as follows: (this was a typed listing of the speeds of all their drives from the Apple II line 20Mb (at 25Ms) to the Mac 600Mb (16.5ms). There it is. Any comments? -- UUCP: {nosc, cacilj, sdcsvax, hplabs!hp-sdd, sun.COM} ...!crash!pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-pac!tomj ARPA: crash!pnet01!pro-nsfmat!pro-pac!tomj@nosc.MIL INET: tomj@pro-pac.CTS.COM - BITNET: pro-pac.UUCP!tomj@PSUVAX1