2090 Problems?
14 messages in this thread
Anyone know anything about harddrives? I have an ST506 (Microbolis 40Meg)
which is fairly old (1986). My controller is a 2090, both are connected to
an A500 via an expansion bus (allows 2000 cards) by a defunct company
called "Pacific Periphials". The problem Im having is that I keep losing
sectors and getting read/write errors. This only seems to happen after
about 2-3 hours use (consecutive). The scenerio is that I boot up fine,
start working and after a while I start getting read/write errors and
errors validating keys. I usually have to format that partition and start
from scratch (I've become a pro at backups!!). I've tried everything from
re-"preping" the drive to even going to an IBM-PC (A real one ) and doing a
low-level format. Nothing seems to work.
I have to presumtions, one: The drive could be shot. However, I can format
this thing and it seems to work fine RIGHT AWAY. There are no signs of
crashes or anything of that sort. two: Maybe the controller is getting too
warm!?!?!?!? This is what I think might be causing the problem. There is
not that much ventilation in the expansion bus and it is getting warm, not
hot but warm.
My qustion is, has anybody run into this or had this similiar experience?
If so, help!
Thanks, Gary MacDougall (70744,63)
Gary,
Check the drive for how hot it's getting.
Next thing…did you mark out the bad sectors during PREP..those
that came on the drive?
Don
Yes I marked the sectors on the drive. It was causing problems even after I
marked them with Prep. As far as "how" warm the drive is getting. I'll
check this, I'll have to fire up my machine tonight and work a couple hours
to see how warm its getting. If it's getting warm, what does this mean?
Thanks for your input. I'll let you know. Gary
Gary,
If it's getting too hot…it could be expanding (simple heat
expansion) too much causing it to go out of alinement.
Don
Gary,
I'd like to "ditto" Don's comments. Also, I'd suggest that if you
insist on turning off and on the drive, that you let it 'warm up' for say
30 minutes before you prep/format it.
Thanks for the input Vic and Don… However, I tried "warming" up the drive
about 30 minutes before preping it. This didn't seem to work. Also, I used
the drive for about 4 hours the other day and it didn't seem to get warm at
all, it stayed relativally a little above room temp. Im at wit's end here.
I talked to my local Amiga dealer and he seems to remember having problems
with a 2090/2090A and Micropolis drives. My business partner (who's MUCH
more hardware oriented) seems to think that the media on the drive is
"dropping-out", like a magnetic tape would after many hours of use. I don't
buy this argument, my rebutle was: If the media is bad why does the drive
even format? And the only sectors that seem to be choking or having
problems during a format are the ones marked on the error-table for the
drive. Any more suggestions? Has anyone had problems with Micropolis?
Thanks, Gary
Gary,
I forget if you said you low level formatted it on another machine,
if you did…then I have no other suggestions for you. IF you didn't, and
have access to a machine where you can low level format it…you might try
that.
Don
I low level formatted the drive on an old XT (A real one at that!). This
did not seem to correct the problem. Thanks anyway for your suggestions…
I've been running a 70 Meg Micropolis on a 2090A for the last couple of
years with no problems at all. The only drive I have problems with is the
Quantum 40. I never bothered geting the ROM upgrade I heard about and
occasionally the drive locks up on boot. Never did get the Quantum to
format FFS until I upgraded to 2.0. The Micropolis works great.
Peter
Hmmmmm. Is your Micropolis a SCSI or ST506? Im using an old ST506 and there
seems to be some conflict. Thanks for your input… Gary
The Micropolis is an old unit I acquired for nothing from someone's junk
pile and uses an ST-506 interface. The only time I have had problems with
it was when I was working and left it on at home to transfer files to work
and our wonderful power company spiked the power off and on several times
while I was transferring files, causing the standard problems of a
partially updated disk.
Peter
Hmmm. You've raised an interesting point Peter. I turn off my system by
shutting off the power strip that feeds my drive, the computer and the
monitor. As well as the expansion box that is housing my 2090. Could
turning off and on the power continuouslly cause some read/write problems?
Now, I make sure there is no I/O to the drive before I shut it down. But
cold there be a problem in doing this? I wonder… Thanks, Gary
Gary, I run my system the same way…. everything is connected to a power
strip (except my DJ, which I keep on all the time so I don't have to reload
fonts :)…. I've never had a problem. Just FYI.
But the system isn't turned off THAT often, either 🙂
–jp–seattle–
I do something very similar with no problems. I have one of the current
sensing power filters hooked up so that the computer, modem and external
hard drive all shut down when I hit the switch on the monitor.
Peter