🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <a1ik13w164w@graphics.rent.com>, warrenl@graphics.rent.com (Warren Lieuallen) writes:
> 
>    I've got an RLL HD controller (and an RLL hard drive, naturally).
> I'd like to buy another hard drive to add to my system, and have
> found a good deal, but's it's an MFM drive.  The seller suggested
> that I could simply hook the drive up to my RLL controler and
> voila, it would now be an RLL drive, instantly upgraded to 7.5
> Meg/sec (up from MFM's 5 Meg/sec).
>    Is this true?  Can MFM and RLL drives be hooked up inter-
> changeably?  If so, what's the difference between my ST138R and
> the MFM version ST138?

  Let me answer you with a few questions, first:  "How much is your
  data worth?  How much will it cost to recover or replace data
  lost from operating a drive out of spec?  Will this seller give
  you a written guarantee that he will pick up the tab when he
  *instructs* you to operate it out of spec? To honour the
  guarantee even though the manufacturer probably won't?  Does
  s/he sign a contract offering to re-enter all your documents and
  spreadsheets, plus any code you've developed?  I doubt it.

  MFM and RLL drives used to be pretty conservatively engineered. 
  The MFM drives could be pushed hard.  Later, the MFM drives got
  "better" and less tolerant of being driven hard.  The filters
  and logic got "better" and less likely to accept such abuse.

  The media is another aspect, not to be taken lightly.

  Frankly, drives are too cheap nowadays to take such needless
  risks.  Lots of people HAVE got away with this kind of thing,
  but it's like playing Russian Roulette with four bullets.

  You'll never catch me doing it.

> Many thanks!

  No worries.  Shop around.  Look for "the last one in the shop" deals
  and the like, if price is THAT important to you.

-- 
Wayne Myles             Email: ins_wayne@actew.oz.au, wsm@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au
System Manager,	        Snail: GPO Box 366, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
ACT Electricity & Water	   Ph: +61-6-248-3143 (w)  Fax: +61-6-248-3439