Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!PAN.SSEC.HONEYWELL.COM!thompson
From: thompson@PAN.SSEC.HONEYWELL.COM (John Thompson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: re: 3rd party hard drives for an Apollo
Message-ID: <9106141447.AA08120@pan.ssec.honeywell.com>
Date: 14 Jun 91 14:47:03 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Distribution: world
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 34


> We have one Apollo 400t (running Domain 10.3) and we need to purchase a
> 1 gigabyte external SCSI hard drive. I want to buy one from a 3rd party
> but I've got some fear and doubt about not buying an HP product. When I
> ask these people if their drives will work with the Apollo, they usually
> reply with "Its a SCSI device, I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't".
> This is not real comforting to me. 
> 
> Does anyone out there have any experience with 3rd party SCSI hard drive?
> Any recommendations?

Not (yet) with the 5.25" (external) drives.  We're going to be adding some.
We have started adding 3.5" internal drives, and have come up against a
problem:
    The Domain/OS invol program doesn't recognize the drive ID for the
    Seagate 1480NS drive;  no problem -- just put in the numbers by hand.
    Well, it still doesn't like the drive.
    Apparently (from the Tech Serv Eng at National Peripherals), Domain/OS
    doesn't like hearing that a disk can handle SCSI-2.  It only listens
    for "I can do SCSI-1" when it queries the disk.  National Peripherals
    is getting the firmware changed so that the disks act brain-damaged and
    don't do SCSI-2.

I'll add more info as soon as I install the new disks and/or get some
external 5.25" ones....

-- jt --
John Thompson
Honeywell, SSEC
Plymouth, MN  55441
thompson@pan.ssec.honeywell.com

When in danger, when in doubt --
run in circles, scream and shout.