[2850] in linux-scsi channel archive
Re: Micropolis
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Richard Waltham)
Sat Nov 22 18:21:46 1997
From: Richard Waltham <dormouse@farsrobt.demon.co.uk>
To: groudier@club-internet.fr (Gerard Roudier)
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 23:16:36 +0000 (GMT)
Cc: linux-scsi@vger.rutgers.edu
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.95.971122205045.2884A-100000@localhost> from "Gerard Roudier" at Nov 22, 97 09:34:06 pm
Gerard Roudier wrote:
>
>
> 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.
>
>
My Tekram, DC390W, normally expects to use 64 heads/32 sectors on disks < 1GB
and 255 heads/63 sectors for disks > 1GB. But it has no problem with my disk
which is c/h/s 1016/131/63. It gives a warning while booting but is running
quite happily. IMHO this is what Adaptec and others should do.
BUT if you're using a Symbios/compatible controller why would you need to
change to an inferior/more expensive Adaptec or Buslogic anyway? ;)
Richard
--
Richard Waltham | Work: richard@digtalinterface.demon.co.uk
At home in | Home: dormouse@farsrobt.demon.co.uk
Southampton UK | 100421.1276@compuserve.com
