Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ames!lll-winken!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!leah!rpi!batcomputer!cornell!uw-beaver!blake!a360ad
From: a360ad@blake.acs.washington.edu (Gnurr)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Seagate SCSI drives
Keywords: Bad code in the 296N SCSI
Message-ID: <1483@blake.acs.washington.edu>
Date: 6 Apr 89 06:07:34 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Univ of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 36

My Seagate 296N drive, advertized to format 1:1, is back at the
distributor.  Both dealer and distributor, as well as myself, have
had extensive conversations with those "in the know' at Seagate
regarding Rom7 vs Rom8 in the N drives.  Seagate claims both
ROM versions can go 1:1..... THis is FALSE.

Pressing Seagate further revealed that i was not the only person
with a ROM8 that advertized 1:1 interleave.  Others apparently
have made similar complaints that they could not get their "fast"
drive to go "fast"... so many complaints that Seagate attempted to
format a 296N 1:1 and run it on a 386..... no go....
They are now admitting that there is bad SCSI software for these
drives and that because the code is masked.. can't simply change a 
chip...... code is  on more than one chip.

They even said that they were in the process of rewriting the code.
Actually, I was first told that they would no longer be making the 
drive.... What should I think/believe...... i know i want my
money back and will be looking for another drive....

The specs on the drive are purported to be:

85MB
28ms
10Mbit transfer     


1. Anybody have a NEW 296N that has successfully formatted to 1:1?
2. If not...... you didn't buy the advertized product and should
   do something about it.

Anybody know of a non-Seagate drive that wears a close fit to this
description? ... the specs outlined above...

_kevin
a360ad@blake.acs.washington.edu