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From: keithe@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: RLL controllers with MFM drives
Message-ID: <6210@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM>
Date: 22 Oct 89 23:21:39 GMT
References: <none> <2546@bingvaxu.cc.binghamton.edu> <4265@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>
Reply-To: keithe@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Keith Ericson)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.
Lines: 22

In article unkydave@shumv1.ncsu.edu (David Bank) writes:
<In article <consp21@bingsuns.cc.binghamton.edu (Ken Hoover) writes:
<>
<>  I have a Seagate ST225 in my XT (no flames on my obsolete machine); and
<>was wondering if getting an RLL controller for it would allow me to format
<>
<   Sure, Ken. Go for it...
<
<   If you're lucky, it might even hold data for a month before it starts
<developing amnesia.
<
<   RLL is a MUCH more demanding format and less tolerant of errors. MFM
<drives are not RLL rated for a very good reason -- they can't deliver
<the performance RLL-controllers demand. They are very simply not
<engineered for the rigors of RLL usage.

Well, it all depends on the quality of the drive (manufacturer?).  I have
had absolutely no problems (zero, zip, nada) connecting an Adaptec 2372B RLL
controller to either Micropolis or Maxtor drives.  Miniscribe: yes, problems
galore.  Seagate: I wouldn't even _think_ of trying it...

kEITHe