Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!cbmvax!jesup
From: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware
Subject: Re: Different Quantum HD in recent A3000s?
Message-ID: <21869@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Date: 24 May 91 06:13:40 GMT
References: <11385@ncar.ucar.edu> <1991May12.231315.29101@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu>
Reply-To: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Distribution: na
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA
Lines: 44
Keywords: Quantum LP105S

In article <1991May12.231315.29101@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) writes:
>>Hey.  The hard disk is _weird_; the HDToolbox says it is a Quantum LP105S.
>>What it likes to do is spin down while I am working in an Editor and am not
>>actively accessing the disk.  When I go to write the file, it then spins up
>>(takes about eight seconds) and does the write.  I go on and work for about
>>a minute more, and then the disk spins down agin.  This is driving me crazy!
>>Is this time programmable? How?  Is it adjustable? How?  Do I have to blow
>>my warranty to coerce this puppy not to pee on the rug like this?
>>
>	It shouldn't do this. Call the 800 number and get your
>on-site service.

	I suspect quantum/whoever has managed to set up the drive in some
sort of power-saving mode, where it spins down when not in use.  If it's under
warranty (and I assume it is), go ahead and get it fixed.

>>equivalent to RDPrep?  I notice that there is a prep script file that has
>>the command "writerdp" in it.  I tried the command substituting "readrdp"
>>with re-direct to a file in RAM: but no file whatsoever was written.

	Gack.  That script is not something you want to muck with, if you
do the wrong thing you could destroy the data on your disk (at least
theoretically).  That's "writerdsk", btw.  Essentially that says "we're done,
write out the new rdsk to the drive".

	HDToolBox doesn't have equivalent to the RDPrep rdsk-backup-file.
If you have access to a copy of RDPrep it will work on an A3000.

>	It isn't necessary for you to back up the system
>partitions. You should have gotten disks with the computer (in
>the thick binder called Using The System Software) which have the
>OS on them, as well as an install program that'll copy the files
>for you.

	True, so long as you didn't modify the setup the install disks have
the information to recreate the RDSK on them.  You can also use a strange
archaic method: handwriting, or even type the information into a file (don't 
store it on the disk!)

-- 
Randell Jesup, Jack-of-quite-a-few-trades, Commodore Engineering.
{uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com  BIX: rjesup  
Disclaimer: Nothing I say is anything other than my personal opinion.
"No matter where you go, there you are."  - Buckaroo Banzai