Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!super!udel!rochester!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!mp1u+ From: mp1u+@andrew.cmu.edu (Michael Portuesi) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Microbotics Stardrive questions Message-ID: Date: 8 Nov 88 21:10:58 GMT References: <6080008@hpcupt1.HP.COM> Organization: Carnegie Mellon Lines: 59 In-Reply-To: <6080008@hpcupt1.HP.COM> > *Excerpts from ext.nn.comp.sys.amiga: 8-Nov-88 Microbotics Stardrive quest..* > *Paul Gootherts@hpcupt1.H (877)* > I have a Starboard II connected to my A1000 and I'm thinking of adding > the Stardrive module so I can hook up a hard disk. Sounds familiar. I've recently researched the subject, so perhaps I can help. > (1) Does the Stardrive autoboot when you use 1.3 Kickstart/Workbench? No. However, you can set up a minimal RAD: that can autoboot and transfer control to the Stardrive immediately. This is functionally identical with autoboot except that you can't autoboot from initial power-up. > (2) Microbotics has only tested a couple of drives. Is there a more > complete list of drives that other people have already tried? (I'm > interested in those that *don't* work as well as those that do.) If there is, I am not aware of it. The Microbotics literature that came with my Stardrive module (which arrived less than a week ago) still talked about setting your system up under AmigaDOS 1.1. It listed about four hard disks that were known to work with the Stardrive, all dinky little 20 or 30 MB drives. The Microbotics literature in general is not helpful -- no, let's just make that plain bad. You are advised to use some strange program of theirs called DHMount, which essentially does the same things the AmigaDOS MOUNT command does, except that it takes its parameters on the command line instead of from DEVS:Mountlist. No information is given about how to set up your Stardrive under FFS, the section about partitioning your hard disk is unclear, and NO help is given for constructing a Mountlist. From some information I received directly (or indirectly), it seems that the DHMOUNT command cannot be used for the FFS -- you have to use a Mountlist. So you might as well ignore it. > (3) How fast does it go with the FFS? (Any numbers you've got will be > appreciated.) I don't have my hard drive yet, so I can't tell you how fast it goes for me. If I ever get my hard drive, I will post diskperf figures for FFS. > (4) Where's a good place to go for the drive? (I'm in the Bay Area, and > I don't mind if the price isn't rock-bottom as long as the service > is top notch.) For the StarDrive module, the cheapest price it can be had (from the places I checked that were listed in AmigaWorld) is $79 from Creative Computers (800) 872-8882. Note that I have not done business with them, so I cannot vouch for their service or reliabiltiy. I purchased my Stardrive module for $95 from InterComputing (800) 531-4747, because they offered the lowest aggregate price for Starboard + Stardrive. I had no problems with InterComputing. For the hard disk itself, try FirstStop Computer (800) 832-4322. They offer the Seagate ST-277N (65 MB, 40 ms 5 1/4" SCSI) for around $437. I currently have a Seagate ST-157N on order from Lyco Computer, but like other people who ordered from them it seems I'm getting shafted (two weeks and they still haven't shipped-- claim is it'll be in stock Thursday). --M Michael Portuesi / Information Technology Center / Carnegie Mellon University ARPA: mp1u+@andrew.cmu.edu BITNET: mp1u+%andrew.cmu.edu@cmccvb UUCP: ...harvard!andrew.cmu.edu!mp1u+ "my friends say she's a dumb blonde, but they don't know she dyes her hair"