Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!njin!spcvxb.spc.edu!terry
From: terry@spcvxb.spc.edu (Terry Kennedy, Operations Mgr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: MV II Hardware help
Message-ID: <1990Oct9.010245.589@spcvxb.spc.edu>
Date: 9 Oct 90 01:02:45 GMT
References: <8791@pitt.UUCP> <1990Oct6.023655.585@spcvxb.spc.edu> <6670@tekgen.BV.TEK.COM> <27699@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Distribution: usa
Organization: St. Peter's College, US
Lines: 26

In article <27699@boulder.Colorado.EDU>, rainer@boulder.Colorado.EDU (Rainer Malzbender) writes:
> I am currently dealing with this very issue. Here's the scoop as I know it:
> an RQDX3 can handle the Maxtor 2190 (RD54), but it has to be a later
> revision controller. I was told it has to be rev F3 or later (ours is C3).
> I tried to do the format with our controller, with no success. By the way,
> you have to get your hands on a special diagnostic tape to do the formatting.

  Ok. To clear the confusion up, just about any RQDX3 is capable of working
with an RD54 to some extent. There are two problems - some controller bugs
prevented a successful format if there were bad spots in the MSCP control
areas on disk. The symptom is an apparently successful format which ends
with an error after the disk is fully formatted, during the bad block mark-
ing phase. The second problem is that there is only one data line in the
data cable for reduced write current or head select 8. Earlier RQDX3's
shipped with this set to the RWC position, which caused head selection prob-
lems with the RD54, since it has 15 heads.

  Diagnostics are another issue. Both the PDP-11 formatter (ZRQC) and the
MicroVAX 2000 formatter should format an RD54 without problems (provided
the ROMs are up to rev). If you have a MicroVAX with an RQDX3, the custo-
mer diagnostics won't work. My advice is to find a friendly PDP-11 and
format it there...

	Terry Kennedy		Operations Manager, Academic Computing
	terry@spcvxa.bitnet	St. Peter's College, US
	terry@spcvxa.spc.edu	(201) 915-9381