Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!think!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcc6!ix21 From: ix21@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU (David Whiteman) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: SCSI Hard Disks (Delphi Digest V2 #52) Message-ID: <3007@sdcc6.ucsd.EDU> Date: Mon, 24-Nov-86 06:59:15 EST Article-I.D.: sdcc6.3007 Posted: Mon Nov 24 06:59:15 1986 Date-Received: Mon, 24-Nov-86 23:17:43 EST References: <1637@wang.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: UCSD School of Medicine Lines: 51 Summary: file tags on a Seagate 225N drive Steve Becher states that the Seagate 225N drive, the drive used in Apple's SCSI HD-20 may need custom ROMS in order to implement file tags in an article in Delphi Digest V2 #52. Ephraim Vishniac states also in a previous article that this drive does not need custom roms for this function as it already has this capabity. All one needs for file tags with a Segate 225N drive is Apples software. I was playing with MacMate drive which is sold by Relax Technologies in Union City. All this drive contains is a power supply, a Seagate 225N drive and a very cheap case. I tried just out of fun to initialize the drive with the floppy that came with the Apple HD20 SCSI. The MacMate drive formatted and initialized without any difficulty, and Fedit Plus confirmed that this drive now had file tags, which it did not when previously formatted with the MacMate software. Another problem is that for some reason the MacMate software won't reformat the drive, but the experiment proves that the Seagate 225N drive does not need special ROMS for file tags. By the way I can not recommend the Mac Mate drive several of my friends had problems with them and received less than satisfactory help with their problems from the manufacturer. Apparently the drive is marked with a serial number internally on the drive when it leaves the company, and the enclosed software will not initialize the drive if it does not match the serial number. Their initialization software comes on the drive itself, and not on any enclosed software. So if you don't think of copying the program or if you buy two drives and only copy the program off one drive, if you want to reformat a drive you cant. They won't send you a copy of the format program. You have to send them back the drive, so they can format it and inscribe a new serial number. Of course this is not covered by the warranty because it is your fault for not knowing that each drive has its very own formatting program Also their driver will not recognize another company's driver, nor will it mount if another company's driver is used on startup; unless you pay $15 for an upgrade of the driver. Of course you will not have these problems if you buy the drive and then use Apple's software. Another thing about file tags: the only 3rd party company who has drives that will be supporting file tags is Levco. -- David Whiteman, University of California, San Diego The America's Cup, don't leave Perth without it.