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From: dan@gacvx2.gac.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: RD54 Woes, yet again
Message-ID: <1990Dec21.141714.11@gacvx2.gac.edu>
Date: 21 Dec 90 20:17:14 GMT
References: <1990Dec19.234817.14316@csn.org>
Distribution: usa
Lines: 29

In article <1990Dec19.234817.14316@csn.org>, rainer@rhubarb.colorado.edu (Rainer Malzbender) writes:
> Say I had a Microvax II and an RD54 disk drive. Say also that I tried to
> use the RD54 without one of those little "write-protect, ready" pushbutton
> panels on the front. Would this possibly screw up the disk ? This is the
> second time I seem to have wiped out the factory formatting on this drive.
> 
> Say, furthermore, that I was running VMS 4.7. Could this be a problem? I am
> trying to upgrade to 5.whatever, but first I need a working RD54.
> 
> I apologize for contributing to the many whiny "help me" posts, but I promise
> to help someone else if I can!
> --
> Rainer Malzbender, PhD 
> Dept. of Physics   (303)492-6829
> U. of Colorado, Boulder        rainer@boulder.colorado.edu 128.138.240.246

After spending an entire day trying to get two new RD54's to format (one had
the switch, the other didn't), I cannot recommend running the RQDX03 with any
of those write-protect/ready switches missing.  With out the switch the control
line floats and you cannot trust the drive controler to write to any of the
disks on the system.  Having just one of the four switches on my system
missing, messed up my whole controler.  There is no good way to tie the line
high or low without the switch.

-- 
Dan Boehlke                    Internet:  dan@gac.edu
Campus Network Manager         BITNET:    dan@gacvax1.bitnet
Gustavus Adolphus College
St. Peter, MN 56082 USA        Phone:     (507)933-7596