Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!princeton!phoenix!styamane
From: styamane@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Stanley Tooru Aiichi Yamane)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Don't buy from HDI
Keywords: yet another horror story
Message-ID: <11040@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 24 Oct 89 01:52:33 GMT
References: <754@dekalb.UUCP>
Reply-To: styamane@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Stanley Tooru Aiichi Yamane)
Organization: Princeton University, NJ
Lines: 16

I made the same purchase (ST296N/ST02), and have had the same problems
(1:2 is apparently the best interleave).  However, I was told by HDI that
the 1:1 claim is made by Seagate, not HDI ... which made me feel a little
better, although I have just noticed in the new PC Magazine, HDI is still
advertising this combo at '1 to 1'.  I was told (by the tech support people)
that if I wanted better performance, I could purchase the Adaptec 1542 HA.
Has anyone tried this particular combo?  Specifically, is it worth the ~$250
upgrade price and will the 296N, with the Adaptec, be able to keep pace with
an MFM drive running at a 1:1 interleave.  (which it sure can't with the ST-02)
If not, perhaps this is a good time to use the "No-hassle" 30-day money-back
guarantee and get a 4096 or something.  So far, the HDI people have been
very friendly about the whole affair, and I wouldn't expect problems with
the return.  (BTW, delivery on my drive was supposed to take 8-10 days: it
came in 7)

Stanley Yamane (styamane@phoenix.Princeton.EDU)