Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!ists!sparrms!sparatd!ddr
From: ddr@sparrms.ists.ca (Dave Rajnauth)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject: Max access time to a hard disk
Message-ID: <1991Mar21.151721.25966@sparrms.ists.ca>
Date: 21 Mar 91 15:17:21 GMT
Organization: Spar Aerospace Ltd, Toronto, Canada
Lines: 20

I have yet another question regarding XT's and AT's.

I don't understand very much about access hard disks (ESDI etc). I
would like to get the max throughput to my hard disk.  I thought
that it would be best for me to talk directly to the
controller but companies like Ultrastore/Rancho/etc said that this
info is not available.  They said that I would have to go through the
bios (i guess int 13h).


Do I have to use the BIOS for max throughput?  Are all BIOSes created
equal (ie. is the bios call for a ESDI disk the same as the bios call
for a IDE or MFM ect)?

Also, is it possible for me to format my hard disk with a specified
number of sectors per tract (say 16 instead of 17)?

Thanks,

Dave Rajnauth