[2848] in linux-scsi channel archive
Re: Micropolis
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gerard Roudier)
Sat Nov 22 15:38:56 1997
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 21:34:06 +0100 (MET)
From: Gerard Roudier <groudier@club-internet.fr>
To: "Leonard N. Zubkoff" <lnz@dandelion.com>
cc: jhm@umr.edu, linux-scsi@vger.rutgers.edu
In-Reply-To: <199711221648.IAA02606@dandelion.com>
On Sat, 22 Nov 1997, Leonard N. Zubkoff wrote:
> Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 11:25:26 +0100 (MET)
> From: Gerard Roudier <groudier@club-internet.fr>
>
> BTW, it is not possible to use either an Adaptec or a Buslogic with your
> hard disk without having to repartition it, since the actual geometry used
> is not in the range allowed for these controllers.
>
> It's fairly easy to make a Linux-only disk that can be freely interchanged
> among the BusLogic, Adaptec, and NCR/Symbios host adapters. If you disable
> Extended Translation and use the 64/32 translation on the BusLogic or Adaptec,
> then the disk will work properly and be bootable on all three. I use 64/32 on
> all my disks for precisely this reason. I imagine this can be done using the
> NCR/Symbios by telling FDISK the correct parameters.
I know this should be ok, but I never tried it.
Using fdisk expert commands under Linux allows to change disk parameters.
Even if X3T9 SCSI2 CAM Annexe A is only informative, it is part of a
standard. Standards allow differentiation and avoid messing up the
technology to which they apply.
BusLogic and Adaptec have probably good reasons to stick with proprietary
stuff, probably the same as Mr Gate$'$ one$. :)
But since they very probably participate to X3/T9/T10 (at least Adaptec),
they are in the ridiculous situation of not applying their own standards.
Just, my opinion. But I agree that your pragmatic advice is very usefull.
BTW, I heard that the Tekram DC-390/U/F (SYM53C875) BIOS and drivers use
Adaptec like disk geometry. Is it true ?
Regards, Gerard.
