🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <8801222356.AA13313@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> U30Q@CBEBDA3T.BITNET (K.Haedener @ Berne, Switzerland) writes:
>
>There has been some discussion recently on this list about replacing
>the Rainbow's 10 MB harddisk by non-DEC products such as Seagate 225
>and higher capacity drives.
>
>Could somebody with some hands-on experience please give a review of
>what has been checked to work with the standard DEC controller and
>which formatting software has been used in each case.
>
>P.S: Thanks for the pointers to TEK 4010 emulation software.
>
>Konrad Haedener,  University of Berne Computing Center, Switzerland


   OK, here's the scoop on DEC Rainbow hard disks.  Using the standard
   controller with the Rainbow, I have tested (or have info on) the
   following drives:

       5mb DEC RD50 (Seagate ST506)  (The original drive!)

      10mb DEC RD51 (Seagate ST412)  (The old standard drive)

      20mn DEC RD31 (Seagate ST225)  (This is the new *standard* DEC
                                     Rainbow drive; if you could
                                     still purchase the machines
                                     from DEC (which you can't!))

      30mb          (Seagate ST238)  (An RLL-drive. I have been told
                                     it works and formats to 20mb)

      33mb DEC RD52 (Quantum Q540)   (I have this drive running in
                                     my Rainbow at this moment!)

      71Mb DEC RD53 (Micropolis 1325D)
                                     (Check out the HitchHiker's
                                     FIDO BBS at 1-315-589-7361
                                     to see an actual machine using
                                     this drive!)
      

   I have also heard that the Corvus drives work on the Rainbow
   (Corvus' Omninet machines had a version designed for the Rainbow,
   I believe.)


   Except for the ST-238, I have played with or own all the above
   drives (I have an RD50 and RD51 sitting on a shelf and the RD52
   purring contently in my Rainbow)...Funny, DEC never wanted to admit
   that these higher capacity drives worked on the Rainbow...They
   MAY have sold more machines if people had known!...Isn't life
   funny, sometimes? ;-)  Remember, it's the same controller running
   all of the above drives.  You'll need some decent formatting
   software, however, to use the larger drives (ST-238 and up).

   Anthony Camas' WUTIL V2.0 is preferred. Also, DISKPART and
   WUP32 (DEC's Winchester Utility) are good alternatives.  I have
   used WUTIL to format all of my disks and I haven't had any problems
   with it.  Does anyone need WUTIL to format large hard disks?
   It's a PD program.  If I get enough requests, I'll post it.

   Remember, though, if you don't have Rainbow MS-DOS 3.10, you
   won't be able to take advantage of the larger disks beyond a
   maximum of 4 8-mb partitions.  DOS 3.10 should allow 4 32-mb
   partitions (if it ever comes out ;-).

   Also, CP/M will only allow up to 10mb for everything...
   So, some disks may not be worth it for you to buy.

   I hope this helps.

   Enjoy!

   Alan

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In article <8801222356.AA13313@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, U30Q@CBEBDA3T.BITNET (K.Haedener @ Berne, Switzerland) writes:
> 
> There has been some discussion recently on this list about replacing
> the Rainbow's 10 MB harddisk by non-DEC products such as Seagate 225
> and higher capacity drives.
> 
Just about any drive which is sold as a standard IBM-PC drive will run
on the Rainbow.  Exceptions are drives which require special controllers,
but these are relatively rare.

The formatting program I am most familiar with is WUTIL, which is a public-
domain formatting program.  It allows a number of options for configuring
the drive, and could be used to configure just about anything which is
readily available.  Do not use versions before version 2.0!  Earlier versions
have problems formatting a Seagate 225.  It should be available from any
number of bulletin boards - if you are unable to find it, I can supply a
copy (my company is not connected with it, we are just satisfied users) -
send a self addressed stamped floppy to:

		Bruce Wright
		SoftWright Systems
		P. O. Box 3208
		Durham, NC 27705

along with a note that you want a copy of WUTIL.  

			Bruce C. Wright

One more hard drive that will work with Rainbow...

	Rodime RO-202
	10 MB, ST-506 interface
	2 disks, 4 heads, 320 cylinders

Can be formatted with DEC's own WUP-package but will give only
about 9.5 MB storage (due to the severe braindamages in DEC's
formatters, they assume the drive has n x 306 cylinders where
n=1, 2).  More recommendable is to format the drive with WUTIL
and make new boot loaders with DSKPREP.  This will give you the
whole storage capacity.

Best regards,
Jari.
-- 
Jari Tomminen                              | Internet: jto@santra.hut.fi
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