WD2010 group buy, call for ORDER and $$$
Thad P Floryan
thad at cup.portal.com
Mon Jul 17 00:05:46 AEST 1989
Sigh. After spending over 6 hours attempting to get this posting out to all the
individual respondents to my original postings, I'm frustrated. PORTAL, at a
flat fee of $10/month, has a menu-driven interface that does (very nicely) what
it was designed to do, but no access is provided to the underlying UNIX. There
simply is NO "mailing-list" capability, and the few emails I've already sent
out have been to addresses that bounce (esp. Bob Ames; since WHEN is "harvard"
on a path between northern and southern California? Sheesh!
I simply CANNOT afford to spend the next 6-8 hours re-uploading this file 158
times at 2400 baud to send ONE-BY-ONE individual email to each of the 158
people that responded. The original reason for requesting email response has
been satisfied (see the posting below), so it seems best to post this to the
unix-pc.general and comp.sys.att newsgroups as THE final call for participation.
All details are in the last part of this posting. Because of the unexpected
delays getting THIS posting out, I'll wait until
Monday, July 24, 1989
for all checks to arrive. That is the cutoff date. Since US Mail takes about
2-3 days from the East Coast to the West Coast, this should be ample time to
place your order and expect it to arrive here if you act promptly. I do not
expect to repeat this offer. I'm sorry for the already-delayed posting of this,
the final offer (#^%#%$%^ Usenet email bouncing AND the PORTAL limitations), and
I will compare all orders that arrive against the email that I've received to
date to be sure no-one gets left out. If you haven't sent email expressing your
desire for the WD2010, no problem, as NOW is the time to send your order in.
I will place the bulk order on the afternoon of the 24th, and I should receive
the chips within 3-4 days, at which time I start sending them out to those who
sent me their checks.
Again, because this is THE "Call For Orders", you should use the US Mail to
respond since you will NEED to send me a check; reasons detailed below.
Thad Floryan [ thad at cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]
----------------------------Form Letter Posting------------------------------
Hello!
All pricing details for the group buy of the WD2010 chips for the UNIXPC are now
finalized. As I previously stated, the negotiated "raw" price per chip from the
present vendor is almost $20 less than what I was able to arrange from Anthem.
The "raw" price, however, does NOT include the costs of getting the chips to me
(shipping, sales tax, etc.) and the additional shipping, packaging materials,
mailing labels, etc. of getting the chips to YOU.
What this "group buy" permits is the bulk purchase of the chips with all costs
shared among the participants. This started as a venture by several members of
the UNIXPC SIG of the AT&T Computer Users' Group, South Bay Chapter (Silicon
Valley), who needed the chips for their own systems, and has blossomed into a
correspondingly "good deal" for all UNIXPC owners/users reading the Usenet
newsgroups; this is NOT a commercial operation and no-one (except the chip
vendor, presumably! :-) is making a profit on the transaction.
My postings asking you to respond have served the purpose of establishing a
"ballpark" figure to give me a bargaining position in the negotiations with the
vendor who IS sympathetic to computer user groups and to those owning "orphan"
computers. There is no need to send further email stating your interest; THIS
posting is THE call to respond by US Mail with your checks for the actual buy.
I have to ask for cash in advance since I need to know the PRECISE quantity of
chips to order, and I have to deliver a certified check to the chip vendor
before receiving the chips. My plan is to order a FEW spare chips to have in
reserve; the quantity of spares will be ONLY that needed to fill the last tube
since the vendor won't "break" tubes (they are a large wholesale house and will
NOT deal in onesies and twosies), so please don't expect there to be any chips
at these prices a month from now.
Payment will have to be in USA funds; personal checks preferred. I cannot
handle credit card billing, so don't try! If you must use an (International)
Money Order, please BE SURE it's something that I can process without hassle at
my local branch of Bank of America; if the bank says "Huh? What's that?" then
your order will NOT be filled and I'll have to return <whatever> to you.
Repeating: ALL prices quoted are in USA dollars and include everything needed to
get the items to you in the USA. Please try to locate a USA mail drop if you're
ordering from Canada, Mexico, or Europe (to keep things simple for me), or add
whatever you know is appropriate for First Class mailing to your location. I
can NOT handle foreign currency conversion; the nearest American Express office
is, I believe, 45 miles away in San Francisco, and they charge an arm-and-a-leg
(which is why I still have some CAN$40 from my last trip to Vancouver).
With all the above said, the remainder of this posting contains:
* WHAT'S AVAILABLE
* HOW TO ORDER
* ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS I'VE RECEIVED
================
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
================
Two items are available: the WD2010 chip itself, and the extended s4diag program
(if you didn't get it from my net posting a few weeks ago).
The WD2010 chip is the enhanced disk drive controller chip which, in the UNIXPC,
will permit use of disk drives having more than 1024 cylinders.
The WD2010 chip, by itself, will NOT permit use of drives possessing more than 8
heads; for THAT capability you need the P5.1 motherboard modification which is
available from other sources such as ICUS (a set of instructions) and, soon,
John Milton (a complete kit). With BOTH the WD2010 and the P5.1 modification,
you can use, for example, a Maxtor XT2190 with your system; the Maxtor XT2190
drive has 15 heads and 1224 cylinders.
A typical drive that benefits from the WD2010 is the Miniscribe 3085; this is a
half-height, 5-1/4" drive, possessing 7 heads and 1170 cylinders which, when
mounted in a 7300, gives the 7300 the same disk capacity as the Miniscribe 6085
drive does in the larger 3B1 models: 67MB. A list of drives known to function
in the UNIXPC is periodically posted to the newsgroups, and you should restrict
your buying decision to those drives unless you know what you're doing.
Along with the chip purchase, I'll include instructions detailing the opening
of your system, the removal of the existing WD1010 chip, the insertion of the
WD2010 chip, the closing of your system, and brief instructions how to reformat
with a larger drive. In all cases I've tested so far with the UNIXPC, the
WD2010 is a pin-pin replacement for the "stock" WD1010 chip; if you desire, you
could simply replace the WD1010 with the WD2010, do nothing else, and everything
will operate as before. The WD2010 will NOT, per se, speed up your system; only
a faster disk drive and/or additional RAM will make your system a screamer.
I posted the extended s4diag software to the net recently. I hope you snarfed
it as it came your way. This extended s4diag (i.e. the "Diagnostic Disk") has
the necessary corrections permitting formatting, verification, and bad-block
sparing of disks having > 8 heads and > 1024 cylinders; in ALL other respects it
is identical to the "stock" diagnostic software. The "stock" s4diag gives the
illusion of prepping a larger drive correctly, and its deceit is revealed ONLY
when you attempt to make a file system on the drive (as when installing the
Foundation Set). If you want a larger drive, you need BOTH the WD2010 chip and
the extended s4diag (and possibly the P5.1 modification). If you were unable to
capture the s4diag before it expired in news, and you positively cannot locate
it at a site near you, I will make it available at cost (see HOW TO ORDER).
============
HOW TO ORDER
============
Send funds (as described above and detailed below) to:
Thad Floryan
1522 Wistaria Lane
Los Altos, CA 94022-7265
detailing precisely WHAT and HOW MANY you're ordering. Clearly PRINT or TYPE
on your order the address to which you want the material sent; if you include
a pre-printed mailing label(s), that would be greatly appreciated! All orders
will be shipped by US Mail.
Also include your Usenet email address in the event I need to contact you.
Re: the WD2010 chips, I've already tested and discovered that I can put a max of
four (4) into one mailing package. The chips will be in a sectioned anti-static
tube and inserted into a Dennison POST-LITE (tm) bubble mailer. Since most
people only want one or two, this is no problem; for those who want more than
four (4) chips, the price list (below) reflects the additional costs.
Re: an s4diag floppy, these will be separately mailed in a Dennison Floppy Disk
Mailer. Please attempt to locate a copy of my recent posting before ordering
the s4diag; I'm simply not equipped to do mass disk-duplication; several options
are available as detailed in the price list.
In the event you need to contact me in an EMERGENCY (please use your good
judgment), I can be reached by telephone per:
home: between 9PM PDT and 2AM PDT M-F, after 12noon PDT weekends: 415/961-5157
work: between 10AM PDT and ~7PM PDT M-F: 408/985-7100
"PDT" = Pacific Daylight Time (California), which is 3 hours earlier than EDT.
If you call my home number daytime, you'll either get an answering machine and/
or the people who will answer would NOT be able to answer technical questions.
If you call my work number, don't bother leaving a message if I'm not available
since I should not use the office phone to return long-distance personal calls.
If you have technical questions, I'd prefer you post to the newsgroup since the
questions (and answers!) would probably be of interest to everyone. My Usenet
address for email is: thad at cup.portal.com (OR)..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad
Finally, I want to mention that the packing material required to ship the chips
(and floppy(ies)) is NOT cheap. If you believe you can do better on any of the
following prices, feel welcome to seek the items yourself; I'm not expecting to
make a profit with this group buy, and I also do not intend to lose money! :-)
WD2010 chips:
QTY Total price
1 $30.00 1 chip @ $30
2 $59.00 1 chip @ $30, 2nd @ $29
3 $88.00 1 chip @ $30, 2nd & 3rd @ $29
4 $117.00 1 chip @ $30, 2nd-4th @ $29
If you want more than 4 chips, do modulo 4 arithmetic on the QTY for
the pricing. For example, to order 6 chips, the price is $117 + $59
for a total of $176. The reason for this is the differential cost of
the packing material and postage (by weight). By the time the chips get
to me from the vendor, the "raw" price has been increased to ~$26.50.
To that price I have to add additional packing, photocopy, postage,
mailing label, saw blades (for sectioning the tubes), and other REAL
costs, allowing a very small margin for error.
If you want larger quantity AND you send ME everything needed to mail
the chips to you (such that all I have to do is put the chips in a tube
(or whatever), seal the package, and drop it off at the post office),
I'm willing to reduce the price to $28 per chip. Note that it'll
probably cost you MORE to send the return packaging to me than you'll
save unless you're talking about more than 10 chips.
"s4diag" diagnostic disk software:
Please try to find "s4diag" in your newsgroups' directories. I'm really
trying to discourage you ordering the floppy from me, but if you were
unable to get it off the "net" and really need to order the disk, then
each floppy will be sent in its own mailer, and the prices listed below
are for quantity ONE:
$5.00 if you want me to provide the floppy, mailer, etc.
$4.00 if you send an already-formatted floppy (10 sectors/track) and I
provide the mailer and postage.
$1.00 if you send an already-formatted (10 sectors/track) floppy along
with a self-addressed, stamped (45 cents) return floppy disk mailer
such that all I have to do is make and verify the copy, put the disk in
the mailer, and drop the package off at the post office.
==================================
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS I'VE RECEIVED
==================================
First, though I know this is repetitious, it's clear that MANY people are simply
NOT reading what's been already posted to the net by myself and others.
The WD2010 upgrade, by itself, will ONLY permit operating a disk having more
than 1024 cylinders.
If you want to operate a disk having nine (9) or more heads, you MUST do the
P5.1 motherboard modification. There are several "kits" available for the P5.1
modification (from other sources). One kit comprises a PAL, a socket, some
jumper wires, and instructions. The "packet" from ICUS contains instructions
ONLY for another P5.1 modification (a version not requiring a PAL, but, instead,
common LS TTL parts) which also permits two hard drives to be operated on your
UNIXPC. The "soon-to-be-available" kit from John Milton IS a true kit with all
the parts for the P5.1 modification and multiple drive operation.
Combining the WD2010 chip with any of the above "kits" will permit you to
operate very large drives on your UNIXPC.
You MUST use the enhanced s4diag for EITHER/BOTH >1024 cylinders OR >8 heads.
Two cautions I feel I must repeat:
1) don't install anything in your system unless you've "comfortably" backed up
your HD and all its files, and
2) do NOT attempt to install a new hard disk unless you've access to (at least)
the Foundation Set floppies. You need the Foundation Set material to build
a file system and bring up (at least) a minimal UNIX. If you bought a UNIXPC
with the OS already installed on the HD and you don't have the floppies, then
you probably shouldn't be tinkering with your system.
Now, on to the questions and answers. Please note that answers to "general"
questions concerning the WD2010 and this "group buy" appear in the "WHAT'S
AVAILABLE" (above). Some email contained questions concerning other matters
which I'll NOW finally be able to privately answer since the "search and
discovery" mission re: the WD2010 has been completed!
1. Will the WD2010 work with all UNIXPCs?
Probably. I've tested the WD2010 on all four of my systems (three 7300
with early date codes, and one 3B1 with a later production code). All
of my systems identify themselves as either "P3..P5" or "P5.1" when
booted; if your system is "something else", then I cannot give any
assurances. One of my systems was a real old 512kRAM/10MB HD; it took
the WD2010 without any problems and handled a Miniscribe 3085 properly.
2. Will the larger drives work with my kernel?
Probably. I've tested ONLY 3.51 and 3.51a. It appears that as long as
the HD was properly formatted, verified, and bad-block spared using
the enhanced s4diag along with the WD2010, the UNIXPC kernel will
operate just fine. I deliberately ran one system's filesystem freespace
down to nothing to assure myself that all cylinders' data was properly
accounted for by the software (it was! :-)
3. ... concern about the co-existence of the WD2010 chip and the various
P5.1 modifications ...
All these upgrades are complementary. You can choose to do ONLY what
you need to do. For example, if you want to install a Miniscribe 3085
drive, you only NEED the WD2010 chip. If you want to use a Maxtor 1140
drive, you only NEED the P5.1. The Miniscribe 3085 has 7 heads and
1170 cylinders; the Maxtor 1140 has 15 heads and 918 cylinders. You'll
also need the enhanced s4diag for either the WD2010 or the P5.1
4. Is the WD2010 available mailorder? I haven't seen it in any catalogs?
This group buy IS the "mail order"! :-) True, I haven't seen the
WD2010 chip offered ANYPLACE that's available to the "consumer", and
I've been looking for over 18 months. The only sources are the large
electronics distributors who simply will NOT deal with small orders, or
if they can be "persuaded", will have a MINIMUM order ($$$) that simply
prices the chip out of reach. Some places I've checked will charge you
$100 to buy one chip; they'll also charge you the same $100 to buy TWO
chips. Buy three chips, and you'll get them for $43.20 each, for a
total of $129.60 *PLUS* any taxes, shipping and handling. Price tiers
typically break at 1-99, 100-499, 500-999, 1000-4999, etc. The ONE
chip I bought at $10.50 from ACE was a fluke; ACE is a surplus house
that buys surplus and/or auctioned-off inventory, and they only had the
one chip with no expectation of stocking more.
5. Do I have to buy the WD2010 if I only want the s4diag floppy?
Do I have to buy the s4diag floppy if I only want the WD2010?
NO to both questions. Both items are available separately. You don't
NEED the s4diag unless you expect to add a larger disk (having either
more than 8 heads and/or more than 1024 cylinders). If you want the
P5.1 mod (more heads), get the s4diag from the same source (e.g. ICUS
or (soon) John Milton). You don't NEED the WD2010 unless your disk
has more cylinders.
6. Will the new chip activate the other 3 heads on my 11-head hard disk?
NO. For the >8 head upgrade, you want the P5.1 motherboard modification
which is available from other sources.
7. Can I buy one of these chips and just start using a 100MB drive?
Depends, but it's very unlikely given the geometry of the available
drives of which I'm aware. The larger drives "tend" to have more heads
before they have more cylinders. Consider the following table showing
the "raw" formatted data capacities of some drives that "can" be used
with the UNIXPC (note that the UNIXPC only "uses" 16 sectors/track with
the 17th sector being used as a spare due to the 1024-byte filesystem):
MB = heads x cyls x 17 sectors/track x .512
71.3 8 1024 (Miniscribe 6085 (this is the 3B1 67MB))
71.3 8 1024 (Maxtor XT1085)
62.4 7 1024 (Miniscribe 3085 WITHOUT the WD2010)
71.3 7 1170 (Miniscribe 3085 WITH the WD2010)
63.9 8 918 (Maxtor XT1140 WITHOUT P5.1)
119.8 15 918 (Maxtor XT1140 WITH P5.1)
71.3 8 1024 (Maxtor XT2190 WITHOUT WD2010 and WITHOUT P5.1)
85.2 8 1224 (Maxtor XT2190 WITH WD2010 and WITHOUT P5.1)
133.7 15 1024 (Maxtor XT2190 WITHOUT WD2010 and WITH P5.1)
159.8 15 1224 (Maxtor XT2190 WITH WD2010 and WITH P5.1)
In this table, the Miniscribe 3085 and the Maxtor XT2190 need WD2010.
In this table, the Maxtor XT1140 and XT2190 need the P5.1 mod.
8. What is the purpose of the group buy? Lower price, or is it difficult
to get single quantities?
Lower price AND the inability to get single quantities.
9. Is the s4diag available from "The STORE!"?
NO, to the best of my knowledge.
10. Will the WD2010 chip work in the Convergent Technologies Miniframe?
Is the 2010 pin-pin compatible with the 1010?
Re: the Miniframe: I don't know. A friend has one (a Miniframe), but I
cannot just go over there and open up that system! :-) I *DID* once
briefly examine the motherboard when the system was opened up, but I
cannot vouch for the chips used. Since it has been claimed that the
Miniframe is binary-file-compatible with the UNIXPC, my *GUESS* would
be yes, but I'd advise you to open your system and SEE what chip is
being used. In the UNIXPC systems I've tested, the WD2010 is pin-pin
compatible with the WD1010. The WD2010 has on-board ECC circuitry which
the WD1010 does not have, and it also uses/supplies a signal on pin 4;
in the UNIXPC these ever-so-slight differences do NOT cause any problem
with (at least) a "P3..P5" motherboard.
11. What is the formatted capacity of the 3085? It's 1/2 height, does that
mean it's possible to stick a couple of them into the 67MB-model
chassis?
For the capacities, see the table (above). The combination of TWO
3085 drives in the 67B-model chassis (3B1) will overtax the power supply
and is NOT recommended; remember that the +12 is also used by the floppy
and some other circuitry, and you SHOULD have a safety margin. If you
could somehow put a heftier power supply in the system, AND develop a
safe double-disk mounting bracket for the alread-cramped space, you
might be able to get away with it. But my recommendation is to mount
a second hard drive in an external chassis/case.
Thad Floryan [ thad at cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]
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