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From: srg@quick.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.periphs
Subject: Re: Wanted: SCSI Disks for Sun3's
Message-ID: <128@quick.COM>
Date: Mon, 28-Sep-87 02:53:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: quick.128
Posted: Mon Sep 28 02:53:52 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 29-Sep-87 01:35:57 EDT
References: <104400007@datacube>
Organization: Quicksilver Engineering, Seattle
Lines: 26


Here's the scoop.  Sun uses two types of disk controllers in their
shoeboxes for 3/50's and 3/60's.  The 71Mb disk is an ST506 type
with an Adaptec ACB4000A controller, and the 140Mb is an ESDI type
with a modified Emulex MD21 controller.  I think the mods to the
MD21 hardware are to make it look like an Adaptec, and Emulex is
apparently bound by contract not to deliver the modified firmware
to anybody but SUN, so count that out.  SUN apparently wrote their
driver around some Adaptec-specific extentions to SCSI, so you have
to use either one of their controller cards or one that emulates
such.  I tried a Western Digital WA1003A-SCS with no luck, although
WD swore it was completely compatable.  The Adaptec I got next has
worked flawlessly since I installed it, came with an informative
manual, and wasn't that much more (I paid $178+tax).  The adaptec
controller is capable of putting 18 sectors per track, but the
SUN kernel won't work properly with anything but 17.  Someone
slipped up somewhere and hard-coded the 17.  It almost works,
and I've told SUN about the problem, so maybe someday.  SUN
reserves SCSI id's 0-3 for disks (0 and 1 are gen'd in the
generic kernel) and uses 4 for the SCSI tape controller.  You
can put 2 drives per controller as units 0 and 1.  I'm using
a pair of Seagate ST4096's on one controller.  They work fine,
but get pretty warm (ie - you MUST have a fan).  If anyone finds
an attractive box with enough power and some baffling to keep
it quiet, PLEASE let me know about it.  I'm using Integrand
"little board" boxes.  They work, but sure aren't awe-inspiring.