Lame Maxtor

[Kirk Erickson]

After initing my new Maxtor XT1085 using a "Maxtor version" of
SpeedStor, the SEEK diag revealed that I am only realizing about a 42 or
43 millisecond average access time.  The advertised rate is 28ms. 

Maxtor tech support informed me that this giant drop in performance is
due to "step pulse rate" used by my controller.  To realize the full
potential of the drive, they said I need to have my controller use a
rate between 1 and 13 microseconds.  I have a Western Digital 2x2
(wd1003a-wa2). 

Western Digital tech support said that SpeedStor was setting the step
rate in CMOS when I do the low level format.  They didn't know how or
where the step rate was stored, so I called Storage Dimensions. 

Storage Dimensions tech support told me I needed a "Universal version"
of their SpeedStor product which supports a "/stepIndex:14" keyword
argument to the hardprep command.  The index of 14 corresponds to 3.2
microseconds. 

After spending nearly $600 I'm reluctant to shell out another $100 to
set the damn CMOS register correctly.  Does anybody know how I can set
the step rate myself?




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Kirk A. Erickson ---  UUCP: ..!{sun|lll-tis}!elxsi!beatnix!kirk
                      USPS: ELXSI Ltd., 2334 Lundy Pl., San Jose, CA 95131
                      BELL: (408) 942-0900