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From: sl@van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386,comp.unix.xenix,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: WD1007V and Maxtor XT8760E
Message-ID: <202@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: 25 Feb 90 23:56:43 GMT
Organization: Wimsey Associates, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lines: 34


I've just installed a Maxtor XT8760E on van-bc with a WD1007V controller.

The XT8760E is a 15Mbit drive, having up to 54*512 byte sectors per track.
Unfortunately the WD1007V doesn't seem to be able to run full speed (1:1
interleave etc) unless you set things up for 52 sectors per track. 

It will format and work (very slooowly) at 53 or 54 spt. But is only usable
at 52 (30kbps vs. 970kbps).

I was formatting using the WD1007V BIOS format routines. And testing for
speed with a performance test built into the AMI BIOS in my 386.

I suppose that running 2:1 interleave might help but the WD1007V BIOS just
goes ahead and uses 1:1.

Even running 53 spt with sector aliasing (bad sectors are mapped to a spare
sector on that track, so you get n-1 or 52 in this case sectors for use) the
controller couldn't hack it.

So is this a design limitation on the WD1007V or have I just missed
something in the setup.

I want my other 30MB back :-(

Not that I want to backup, reformat, and re-install again; but if anyone has
this combo working with the full 660MB I would appreciate details.

On another note, speaking of backup's; is there any easy way to backup
600MB plus type drives from a Xenix system (inexpensive would also be nice,
van-bc run's on donations). Currently using a 60MB cartridge drive.

-- 
Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca ubc-cs!van-bc!sl 604-937-7532(voice) 604-939-4768(fax)