Date   : Tue, 11 Jul 2006 23:40:00 +0100
From   : "Ian Wolstenholme" <BBCMailingList@...>
Subject: Re: Viglen Winnie / Miniscribe 3438

Pete Turnbull uploaded his code for the Xebec controller a while
back which got round the problem of the controller not storing the
drive parameters on the disc by making the drive bootable and 
running a short piece of code to send the parameters into the
controller which was executed after every BREAK.

However, there was a later version of the ROM used in the Xebec
controller which did what the Adaptec did, ie. keep the first sector
of the drive free for storing the drive geometry and then having
the logical drive start at sector 1 physically.  As far as I can see,
it's just a question of changing the ROM from the earlier one to
the later one in the board but I've never found an image of the
updated code.

Best wishes,



Ian

----- Original Message -----
From: Jules Richardson
To:   bbc-micro@...
Sent:  Tue, 11 Jul 2006 23:21:08 +0000
Subject: Re: [BBC-Micro] Viglen Winnie / Miniscribe 3438


 > I used to use a Xebec controller and had to
 > modify the firmware EPROM to hard-code the disk size.

Do you still have details of which bits to twiddle in the ROM? I keep on 
coming across people who've done this in the past, but the official manual 
doesn't list which bits need to be changed. (At least not for the S1410 - 
which is the usual Xebec bridge board)

A Xebec (or OMTI) board should still work providing you issue the appropriate 
"define drive parameters" command at startup (the exact command varies between 
boards) - that is of course assuming that ADFS doesn't try to contact the 
drive and fall over in a heap before this can be done. Can't comment on Emulex 
bridges - I don't have docs for those at the mo.

> Actually, it's an ACB4070. Different?

Hmmm, never heard of that one. The ACB4000 was closer to what people know as 
SASI than SCSI - although it's nearer to proper SCSI than the other bridge 
boards. The ACB5000 was 'real' SCSI I believe - I've not come across a 4070 
though. Any other interfaces on your 4070 board? Maybe the 4070 is a bridge 
with bundled floppy or tape interfaces?


cheers

Jules