RLL formats & SCO Xenix

[James O'Connor]

In article <26483 at cup.portal.com>, Anthony_Mak_Fiorentino at cup.portal.com writes:
> I asked for an upgrade of hard disk from some 65MB to 110MB on my last purcha
> of an 386 computer; only to find out when I looked closely that
> the hard disk was formatted up to 110 with an RLL controller. I should think
> ....
> look at whether I paid for anything new at all. My other concern is what 
> effect RLL can have on running SCO Xenix. The literature refers to some 
> legal use of some RLL disks by Xenix.  Should I return it for another type

We have two machines running SCO Xenix using RLL controllers.  Both machines
have Western Digitial WD1006V-SR2 controllers, which are 1:1 interleave, track
buffered, RLL format controllers.  One system has a Seagate 4096 80MB drive
formatted out to ~110MB (space report by fdisk), and the other system has
one Micropolis 1335 72MB drive and one Miniscribe something-or-other 72MB
drive, both formatting out to ~105MB of useable space.

One system has been running for over a year, and the other for 2 months,
without a single disk drive related problem on either.  As far as Xenix is
concerned, the WD1006V-SR2 looks like any other ST-506 controller.  Despite
the bad press it seems to have received lately, I think there are several
people (my self included) who would recommend the WD1006V-SR2.  So, if you
don't have one, you may want to ask your vendor to supply one for you.  I have
no directo experience with other RLL controllers, but have been told the
WD1006 is the best of the bunch.  (Karl Denniger, would you agree?)

------------- 
James B. O'Connor			Work:	jim at tiamat.fsc.com
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