Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!zardoz.cpd.com!tmiuv0!rick
From: rick@tmiuv0.uucp
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Golem Harddisk ??
Message-ID: <469@tmiuv0.uucp>
Date: 14 Sep 90 12:55:24 GMT
References: <1405@dnlunx.pttrnl.nl> <90255.174106GDAL3AA@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Technology Marketing Inc., Irvine, CA
Lines: 44

In article <90255.174106GDAL3AA@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be>, GDAL3AA@cc1.kuleuven.ac.be writes:
[...]
> The only thing supplied with it was a 3 1/2 " disk with some installation
> software and a little A5 paper describing the characteristics of the NEC
> drive they used. that's all......
> 
> I had no trouble using it but I'm curious about a number of facts i.e.:
> the device is marked as SCSI in the installation program, allthough it's
> MFM (a friend of mine told me they emulate scsi... sounds weird to me),
> is the drive auto-parking ? , etc...
> Anyone who can help me out on this ?

Well, I have lots of information about drives.  First off, your friend
doesn't know what he's talking about.  MFM is the recording method used
to stick stuff magnetically on the diskt.  The most common recording
methods are MFM (Modified Frequence Modulation), RLL (Run Length Limited)
and GCR (Group Code Recording).

SCSI is the interface method.  The most common of these are SCSI (Small
Computer Systems Interface), ST-506/412 (the standard method used by
Seagate on their hard disks), IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics, also
known as the "AT-interface"), and ESDI (Enhanced Small Disk Interface).

Occasionally, you'll find a drive listed as having an MFM interface.  What
they should have said is that it's an ST-506/412 interface.  It will only
accept MFM ST-506/412 controllers.  You will also see drives listed as
"RLL interface".  That means it's an ST-506/412 interface and will accept
either an MFM or an RLL controller that talks ST-506/412.  When you see
"SCSI", that defines an interface, and the drive itself may use any
recording method it wants (MFM, GCR, RLL or something completely different).

I can't give you any specifics on the disk, because you didn't say what
NEC model number it is.

>                                                     I. Aerts
>                                           GDAL3AA at BLEKUL11.BITNET
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[- O] Rick Stevens,  MicroBotics, Inc.  (sort of)
  ?   EMail: uunet!zardoz!tmiuv0!rick -or- uunet!zardoz!xyclone!sysop
  V   CIS: 75006,1355 (75006.1355@compuserve.com from Internet)
      (Opinions are mine.  No one listens to me here anyway.)

"Lead, follow, or get the h*ll out of the way!"
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