Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!ucbvax!hplabs!hpcea!twakeman
From: twakeman@hpcea.CE.HP.COM (Teriann Wakeman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: GC Hyperdrive - Reliable ???
Message-ID: <430015@hpcea.CE.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Feb 88 22:46:36 GMT
References: <1395@water.waterloo.edu>
Organization: HP Corporate Engineering - Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 36


	
I have a Hyperdrive 20 in my work mac. It is a 512KE. I ordered it in the
days before the Mac+ and SCSI ports. They had a reliability problem
for the first few months they were out, but GC got it fixed and it seems
to be reliable. Mine is in operation all day 5 days per week for two years
including some car trips. At the time a Hyperdrive was the best thing around.

Now, for the pluses & minuses
+ its internal, so it goes where the Mac goes with no extra bulk (but with
    extra weight.
+ For a non-SCSI drive it is fast. It will run circles around the old
   parallel port Apple hard drive. But it is a bit slower then a SCSI
   drive. 
+ It comes with partitions, security and backup software as well as a
    laserwriter printer spooler.
- Since the drive is discontinued, there may not be software updates to
   enhance compatability with new Apple system software.
- Part of the reason that it is fast is that it uses part of your RAM.
   Applications that require a full 512K to run may not load in a 512K
   machine. You may run into similar problems with a 1Meg machine and
some of the new RAM hungry applications.
+ It has its own power supply.
+ It comes with an internal fan & the whole Mac runs cooler.
- It takes up space and some RAM or other upgrades may not fit.

Bottom line - My advice would be, if it is significantly cheaper then a 
Jasmine 20 + SCSI port adapter and you do not need to run RAM hungry 
applications off the hard drive ( If you boot from a floppy and work from
it the Hyperdrive is not engaged and you have your full 512K [assunming
thats what you are running]and can run applications that require the full
512K) go ahead & get the Hyperdrive. If the cost is close or higher to a
Jasmine 20 + SCSI adapter get a SCSI drive instead.

TeriAnn
Hewlett-Packard Corp. Quality