Questions about RLL controllers

[Richard Skrenta]

I've got a Miniscribe 6053 (40 meg) and a Seagate ST-4096 (80 meg) on a
standard Western Digital MFM controller.  I've heard that switching to
an RLL controller could boost the available space on each drive by 50%
as well as increasing the data transfer rate.

Are there any dangers associated with using an RLL controller on drives
only certified for MFM?  Could the controller damage the drive in any
way, or is it just a matter of mapping a few more bad tracks during the
format?  I noticed there are some nasty warnings in the Seagate manual
about voiding your warranty if you use the wrong controller with a drive.

Also, where does the extra space come from?  Do RLL controllers increase
the sectors per track or the number of tracks?  How would I get Xenix to
recognize the new space?

Any advice would be appreciated,

Rich Skrenta
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skrenta at gamma.eecs.nwu.edu