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From: john@castle.ed.ac.uk (John Hannah)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech
Subject: Some questions about how hard disks are connected to ST's
Summary: Questions about ST hard disk systems
Keywords: hardware, software, hard disks, ST
Message-ID: <8448@castle.ed.ac.uk>
Date: 12 Feb 91 12:59:16 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University
Lines: 21

I gather that if I want to connect a hard disk to an ST(E) I need a host 
adapter (DMA -> SCSI) (ICD etc) and a SCSI hard disk.  If I want to use 
a ST506 disk then I need a SCSI to ST506 controller (Omti etc).  

What I want to know is :-

1)  Where is the software for the hard disk driver ?   Is it in TOS (1.6?)
    or a separate driver supplied by ICD etc.  If the latter - is it in PROM.
    If not how does "autoboot" work ?

2)  Has anyone attached an ST506 drive without going the SCSI route ?  ie. 
    by building their own hardware (+ software?). (I guess the answer to 
    this question depends on question (1)!!

Replies by email would be great since I suspect that these questions must
have been asked before although I haven't noticed any in the last six months
or so.

Thanks, 
John Hannah 
(Electrical Engineering, University of Edinburgh)