#2000 Harddrives
6 messages in this thread
I too am looking for a hard drive for my 2000. I read a similar thread a
week or two ago, which has given me a starting place. Now I have some
questions.
1. With the 2090 controller, I understand I can get an adaptec scsi to rll
and/or mfm to rll adapter. Has anybody tried this? Does it work? How much
more storage will it give me?
2. I have been looking at 40 meg (and more) hard drives. I just today
learned that if I put it in the 5.25 space, only a half height will work, is
that true?
3. Here are the choices so far, please let me know if you've heard any
plusses or minuses on any of them.
Seagate ST 251 – half height, 40 ms, 40 megs
Micropolis unk. model #, 28 ms, 85 megs
PTI 351 – 35 ms, 40 megs. This is one I'm real serious about,
it is a 3.5 drive (a real plus). Anybody ever hear of
them?
Lapine LT4000 – SCSI, 40 megs, another serious one, it is
also 3.5. The ad says "unused", anybody know what that
means?
Seagate ST277N – SCSI, 65 megs
Seagate ST4096 – 80 megs, 28 ms
Micropolis 1335 – 28 ms, 72 megs
I would like at least a 40 meg drive, preferably cheap. I plan to use about
20 megs for a local Amiga bulletin board, and to partition the other 20 +
megs for my personal use. I do not have the bridgeboard, so that space is
free, however I'm considering getting the 286 version if/when it comes out.
Thank you for reading this, and I'd welcome any response.
Pam,
The 2090 will indeed work with an Adaptec controller, BUT there are a
few 'gottchas' in that respect. You can not do the original low level format
on the 2090, Adaptec, HD combination. Most dealer's have the ability to
assist you getting the HD formatted for the first time. After that, you will
have no further problems formatting the drive.
You can not use an MFM drive in an RLL environment, it may seem to
work, but as a general rule, you will have problems and may damage the drive.
Adaptec makes 2 SCSI to ST506 interface boards, the 4000 which is SCSI to
ST506 in MFM format. The 4070 which is SCSI to ST506 in RLL format.
Yes, the 5.25" bay on the A2000 is 1/2 height only.
RLL ups the drive capacity by 50%, that is, a 20Meg drive will then
hold 30 Meg. Again, but this only works reliably on drives certified for RLL
usage.
Don
Thanks for the information. How does it tie into the new Fast File Format
(or whatever CBM calls it)? Or does it?
Pam,
When the new Fast File System becomes available, it requires a few
minor modifications to your setup and a re-format of the drive.
Don
You might want to add a MiniScribe 3650 to your list. 40 meg MFM,
half-height 5 1/4. I picked up one in January for about $300 from Hard
Drives International; they should be even cheaper by now.
Rick