Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!haven!purdue!decwrl!hplabs!hpda!hpcuhb!hp-ses!hpdml93!rona
From: rona@hpdml93.HP.COM (Ron Abramson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Hard Disk problems
Message-ID: <480017@hpdml93.HP.COM>
Date: 3 Feb 89 18:33:41 GMT
References: <8902010511.AA11729@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: HP Disk Memory Division - Boise, ID
Lines: 53


 Pierre  Fortin, P. writes:
>Until recently, I was running my SH204 hard drive (Seagate 225) on
>my Mega-2 with a second 10-meg drive (Miniscribe 3012).  This is a
>TWO drive to ONE controller configuration which Atari's AHDI.PRG
>never supported, so I also booted with Supra's SUPBTHP.PRG in my
>AUTO folder.  This combination worked great with no problems.

>After filling the original 20-Meg and the 10-Meg was creeping up,
>I decided to spend some $ and bought a 40-Meg Miniscribe 3650.

>At the same time, I got my hands on the "latest" Atari AHDI.PRG
>(HDX20.ARC on some boards).  I figured I had best get this S/W
>upgrade done before the H/W one.  Many floppies later, it was time
>to re-format the original 20-Meg drive.... done.... put some files
>back up... WOW!!!! writing to HD is MUCH faster!!!  Now to tackle
>the H/W upgrade.
[Stuff Deleted...]

>Some strange activities noted (random and intermittent):
[More Stuff Deleted...]

>Obviously something is severely brain damaged.  OK, don't use Unit 1
>and everything is fine... !?

>So far I am 99.44% certain that the new AHDI.PRG and SUPBTHP.PRG are
>definitely ***NOT*** compatible.
[ETC...]

Based on the information posted, this conclusion seems premature to me.
You made both a hardware AND a software changed and after finding
problems, you make the assumption that Atari's software is 99.44% likely
to be at fault.  This doesn't seem very fair to Mr. Pratt & Co.

I suggest that you remove the 40 meg drive and put the 10 meg in its
place and test the set-up as best as you can.  If this set-up works
fine, your problem might not be software related at all.

You might also want to try setting the 40 meg as unit 0 and the
20 meg as unit 1 and see if the problem stays on unit 1 or with the 40
meg.  Finally, you could try going back to your old software and see if
your new hardware works properly.

Don't get me wrong, you may have identified the problem accurately.  I'm
just suggesting that you try some tests to confirm your theory.

Maybe your intent was not to blame Atari, but that's how it sounded to
me.

Good Luck,
Ron Abramson

P.S. These opinions are my own!