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Conference wrksys::alphastation

Title:Alpha Workstation Conference
Notice:See note 1.* for conference notices
Moderator:WRKSYS::HOUSE
Created:Wed Sep 07 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1996
Total number of notes:9122

1994.0. "9.1GB drive support (PBXRW-SA) for AlphaStation 600?" by BLOFLY::SMITHP (Beware the knights who say "NT"...) Thu Jun 05 1997 00:53

    Customer wishes to purchase and install two new 9.1GB Ultra-wide drives
    (-PBXRW-SA) in an AlphaStation 600A 5/500.  These are listed in eprice
    as "...for Alphastations"
    
    Will these work in the AlphaStation 600 ?  Will the internal fast-wide
    SCSI correctly negotiate with the ultra drive to operate in wide mode ?
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    Peter Smith
    Workstation Sales/Sydney
    
    {X-posted in ALPHASTATION and ASK_SSAG}
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
1994.1Additional questions on ultra-wide support for 600BLOFLY::SMITHPBeware the knights who say "NT"...Thu Jun 05 1997 01:4114
    Additional questions : 
    
    1. Someone mentioned you cannot mix ultra-wide and wide-SCSI drives on
       a wide-SCSI bus.  Is this correct ?
    
    2. As an alternative, can I install the QLogic controller (-KZPBA-CA)
       in the AlphaStation 600 and cable the 9GB drives separately ?  
    
       Is a firmware upgrade required, and do I need to order a cable kit ?
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    Peter.
1994.2they all play together...CERN::HOBBSCongrats to the Ignoble Peace Prize winner! (http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/ig_nobel)Thu Jun 05 1997 05:3223
>    1. Someone mentioned you cannot mix ultra-wide and wide-SCSI drives on
>       a wide-SCSI bus.  Is this correct ?

It's nonsense - you even can put 8-bit slow SCSI-1 devices on an Ultra Wide bus.
(I've got an RZ25 (SCSI-2, slow 8-bit) happily running on an Ultra Wide bus
with an Ultra Wide drive, as well as fast 8-bit and fast 16-bit...)

(Note that "wide" modifies "ultra", not vice-versa.  "Ultra Wide" is the same
width (16-bit) as "wide".)

>    Will these work in the AlphaStation 600 ?  Will the internal fast-wide
>    SCSI correctly negotiate with the ultra drive to operate in wide mode ?

Good question - especially for the standard P2SE controller.  There have been
a number of revisions of that beastie - you might need an upgrade or be SOL.

>    2. As an alternative, can I install the QLogic controller (-KZPBA-CA)
>      in the AlphaStation 600 and cable the 9GB drives separately ?  

Do you intend to rig some special cable and mount the drives internally?
Why not get a KZPDA and a BA364?  Support would be no issue...

-cw
1994.3...yes, but...WRKSYS::NARHIFri Jun 06 1997 09:1311
    Peter,
    
    Yes, you can install ultra drives in an AS 600/600A, BUT, they will run
    at the max of 10 MB/sec [FAST SCSI]...NOT 20 MB/sec [Ultra].
    
    Currently, there are NO PLANS to qualify an ULTRA CONTROLLER on the
    Alcor family.
    
    Larry Narhi
    ALCOR h/w Support Eng
1994.4off by factor of 2?CERN::HOBBSCongrats to the Ignoble Peace Prize winner! (http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/ig_nobel)Fri Jun 06 1997 11:429
>    at the max of 10 MB/sec [FAST SCSI]...NOT 20 MB/sec [Ultra].

Shouldn't wide drives run at 20 MB/sec [FAST WIDE SCSI]. not 40 MB/sec [Ultra
Wide SCSI]?

-cw

ps: not that we have any drives that can run at 20 MB/sec, but you can use
the bandwidth with multiple drives