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Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdsu!crash!pnet01!jca
From: jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: Embedded AT - IDE interface...
Message-ID: <1666@crash.cts.com>
Date: 26 Feb 90 02:16:05 GMT
Sender: root@crash.cts.com
Organization: People-Net [pnet01], El Cajon CA
Lines: 49

ries@venice.SEDD.TRW.COM (Marc Ries) writes:
>  I have a PowerFlex and ALR has said they specifically support the Conner
>  CP-3104 (since the 40Mb disk as standard equipment is also a Conner).
>  Supposidly, the only thing you have to do is dip-switch the units to
>  indicate master and slave relationships.
 
The few ALR PowerFlex's I have opened up have had the Western Digital 40 Mb
3.5" hard drive with the IDE interface.  I don't know whether ALR puts either
the Conner or the WD drive in, but the few that I have seen have had the WD. 
It wouldn't surprise me if the Conner and WD are the same drive with respect
to physical parameters (i.e. 977 cyls, 5 hds, 17 secs/track (WD's
parameters)).

>  I suggest just calling up ALR -- they seem to have very knowledgable
>  techsupport and sales support.
 
They do, I have called them up on putting drives they don't can with their
machines in.  I told our sales manager not to put anything in an ALR 386/220
but what they certify.  Turned out that a DTC ESDI controller didn't play nice
with the 386/220 and they said (after she called them and a day after I said
it wouldn't work) not to use anything but a WD ESDI controller in it,
especially for a NetWare server.

>  BTW: They best price I have seen so far (after going 1/2 through Computer
>  shopper) is from from an outfit in CO. --  they have the bare CP-3104
>  for $620.
 
I can do better...heh, I get them at cost since we're an ALR dealer.  I just
wanted some input from people who have used them.  They are nice machines and
have a neatly laid out motherboard, but the bottom line with respect to Minix
is this...
 
Will Minix's at_wini.c driver work with the PowerFlex's embedded IDE
controller?  If not, how much of a change has to be done or does an ide_wini.c
have to be written?  That's the bottom line which respect to Minix
compatability.  Seems a waste not to use the IDE since I have seen some data
sheets on the Conner IDE drives, they don't perform that bad, and are right up
there with ESDI (at least the CP-3104 is).
 
     // JCA

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