Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!hubcap!robert
From: robert@hubcap.clemson.edu (Robert Reynolds)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Hard disk puzzle -- help!
Keywords: disk buffer bug
Message-ID: <7644@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 14 Jan 90 03:38:58 GMT
Organization: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Lines: 35

I finally have some clues to a hard disk problem I've been having for a
while, and I'm hoping they'll mean something to someone out there.
Please help!

Herewith the clues:

1. Having copied a fairly large file (~150K) from hard disk to RAM:
successive cmp's (byte-for-byte comparison) of the two files are
inconsistent -- like of five successive cmp's two or three claim a
difference between the files.

2. But ... when cmp claims a difference it's always at the same place in
the file ... sort of.  "Sort of" because if I re-copy the file the
location of the difference sometimes changes.

3. Now the really nifty part.  There's an option to cmp to list the
differences.  The RAM: file is always correct.  The data cmp thinks is
coming from disk is 44 4f 53 xx repeated over and over again with the xx
changing in fairly regular fashion, except for the rare occasion when
it's missing.  The ASCII translation of that sequence is DOSxDOSxDOSx.

I'll be delighted to provide more detailed information.  I'm really
getting sick of mis-reads!  The disk system is a Pacific Peripherals
Overdrive and ST157N.  The Amiga is a 2000 with a rev 4.something
motherboard.  I have 3M memory, and I really don't recall what kind of
expansion board it is.  Like I said, I'll be delighted to provide more
detailed information if it'll help someone nail down my problem.

Robert Reynolds                 inet: robert@hubcap.clemson.edu
CS Dept, Clemson Univ.    	uucp: ... !gatech!hubcap!robert
phone: (803) 656-6783           
-- 
Robert Reynolds                 inet: robert@hubcap.clemson.edu
CS Dept, Clemson Univ.    	uucp: ... !gatech!hubcap!robert
phone: (803) 656-6783