DPT controller?

[Art Neilson]

In article <1991May14.235110.18644 at tous.uucp> rbt at tous.uucp (Robert B. Tate) writes:
>
>I am planning to install a DPT SmartCache (ESDI) disk controller with 4.5
>megs of cache this weekend (with a PRIAM ID330-E (model 638) 338Meg
>drive). The system is a Microport SysV.3.0e, Wyse 3216 16MHZ i386 and
>10Meg of ram. After every thing has been working for a week or so, I will
>install the Maxtor 330Meg 330 meg drive, which has been running on a
>Adaptec ACB-2322 (B?) for the past 2 years.
>
>Does anyone know _anything_ I sould know?

I have a DPT Smartcache ESDI controller with only the 512K it comes with.
It's performance is very good even though DPT recommends an additional
1MB at least, for UNIX based systems.  I have 2 380MB ESDI drives connected
to the controller, and previously was using a 2322B-8 same as you.  I had
to low level format both drives prior to the controller change out, I did
try just swapping controllers first in the hopes that the DPT could read
the Adaptec formatted drive but alas, no such luck.  You will want to
back your system up to tape or whatever removable media you have before
the install, and the reformat must be done with DPT's DPTFMT DOS based
utility.  Using debug to low level (g=c800:5) like you do with the Adaptec
and many other controllers will not work.  Other than that, I've had 0
problems.  The controller is fast and reliable, and configuration was
really easy with DPTFMT utility and nice manual.
-- 
Arthur W. Neilson III		| INET: art at pilikia.pegasus.com
Bank of Hawaii Tech Support	| UUCP: uunet!ucsd!nosc!pilikia!art