Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!decwrl!crltrx!max.crl.dec.com!jg
From: jg@max.crl.dec.com (Jim Gettys)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: DECstation bootable off RZ5x (650meg) disks?
Message-ID: <1476@crltrx.crl.dec.com>
Date: 20 Dec 89 18:54:00 GMT
References: <1989Dec18.215840.11854@caen.engin.umich.edu> <486@tci.bell-atl.com> <2843@decuac.DEC.COM>
Sender: news@crltrx.crl.dec.com
Reply-To: jg@max.crl.dec.com (Jim Gettys)
Distribution: usa
Organization: DEC Cambridge Research Lab
Lines: 20

We did try some other disks out, in particular the 760 M Maxtor.

That is why there is a good chance your favorite disks work.

But there are more different disks than you can shake a stick at, and to
be sure
a disk really works right is more than a slight amount of work (realistically,
a first order evaluation takes man weeks per disk, and that isn't anywhere
close to a thourogh test).  And every time a manufacturer updates their
firmware,
you get to do it all over again.

Installation is an additional headache; when DEC says a disk is supported,
that implies a standard installation of a release of the operating system
will install without standing on your head.  As sizes of disks differ,
this has interesting consequences on the installation.

I believe there are plans in the works to help with this problem, but don't
know how much is public yet.
				- Jim