Date   : Fri, 18 Jan 1985 20:41:14 pst
From   : Phil Lapsley <phil%ucbeast@Ucb-Vax.ARPA>
Subject: Hard Disk Problems

     I recently purchased a CompuPro Disk 3 hard disk controller
to go with my CP/M-816 system.  For the hard disk, I found a bargain
for a Rotating Memory Systems RMS 513 10 MB drive for $250 at a swap
meet.  The drive's characteristics are 216 cylilinders, 6 heads (i.e.,
tracks) per cylinder, 9 sectors per track, 1K per sector.  Naturally,
this is all ST506 compatible.

     Not that I really want to bore you with all this; no, what I need
is help getting the thing to work.  I have had the controller card
checked out at CompuPro, and it works.  I have had the RMS 513 drive
tested, and it performs "flawlessly", according to the third party
who tested it.

     So, what's the problem?  Well, I set up DPB's and DPH's, and
the following would happen.  The system would come up alright.
Attempting to write to the hard disk with "pip" and the verify option
would produce "foo.$$$: verify error."  Attempting to write to the
hard disk with "pip" and no verify would successfully create the
file, but attempting to run the file would crash the system.
When I would bring the system back up, there would be eight or
nine (!) entries of "foo.com" (or whatever file I tried to transfer)
in the directory of the hard disk.

     Now, it could very well be that I screwed up my DPB's and
DPH's.  But, it's my understanding that *any* ST506 compatible drive
can be run as an ST506.  It would just use 153 cylinders instead of
216, and 4 heads instead of 6.  CompuPro supplies a bios entry
for a ST506.  Naturally (?), attempting to use the ST506 bios entry
produces exactly the same results.

     I am at wit's end.  I have had both the drive and the controller
tested, and they each work separately.  Running a format/verify/data test
from the CompuPro disk 3 controller works fine.  But trying to run
the drive under CP/M bombs.  Any hard disk wizards out there who
could be of help?  Please reply directly to me, as I am no longer on
the alias (I had myself removed right before I needed it!)  I'll
summarize any general info I receive to the net.  Thanks very much.

                                               Phil Lapsley
                                               (phil@Berkeley.ARPA)
                                               (...!ucbvax!phil)