| +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | OEM-ESDI DRIVES USED ON THE PS/2-ESDI CONTROLLER | | | | Using a Maxtor XT-4380E as an example | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 
| Download this article as printable Postscript-File | 
| These days a lot of Non-IBM ESDI drives are available, coming i.e. from mid-range systems like the AS/400 or RS/6000-computers. They are in most cases IBM, Maxtor, CDC or Seagate and have a capacity of around 250 - 400MB. These drives *should* work with the IBM PS/2 ESDI-controller - but very often they don't. Or at least not without some modification. This depends in most cases on two problems: 
 
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|              MAXTOR XT-4380E                ++
|             (Underside View)                 |
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=========================================================================
                           MODEL  XT-4380E
=========================================================================
Interface:  ESDI               RLL 1,7 Encoding
Capacity, Unformatted          Capacity, Formatted ESDI Compatible
Per Drive (Mbytes)  : 384.46   Per Drive (Mbytes)  : 338.40
Per Surface (Mbytes):  25.64   Per Surface (Mbytes):  22.56
Per Track (Bytes)   : 20,940   Per Track (Bytes)   : 18,432
                               Per Sector (Bytes)  :  512
Parameters                     Performance Specifications
Cylinders    :  1224           Transfer rate, Mbits/sec    : 10.0
Data Heads   :  15             Access Time (Average)       :  16msec  
Sector\Track :  35/36          Access Time (Track-To-Track): 2.5msec
Pre-Comp        NONE           Access Time (Maximum)       :  29msec  
                                      
MTBF:  150,000 Hours (POH)     Dimensions(Inches): 3.25" x 5.75" x 8.20"
Power Requirements:  +12VDC +\- 5%. 1.5A Typical, 4.5A Maximum
                     + 5VDC +\- 5%. 1.7A Typical, 1.9A Maximum
NOTE:  The 2 most common ways to Low Level Format this drive are:
       Method 1 is the debug utility.  Please follow the Controller
       Low Level Format instructions your Distributor has provided you.
       Method 2 is Ontrack Corporation's Generic Disk Manager.
       Again,Please follow the instructions that Ontrack provides with 
       this software package.
=========================================================================
                   4xxxE ESDI JUMPER DESCRIPTIONS
=========================================================================
JUMPER        DESCRIPTION
------        -----------
JP1(IN)       Used for factory testing
JP6(IN)       IN = Motor remote spinup option disabled
              OUT = Motor remote spinup option enabled
DS1-DS7       Drive select (Default= 1)
JP14(OUT)     IN= Write protected
JP16-JP29     Programable sector size
JP30(IN)      Enables hard sector mode
JP31(OUT)     Enables soft sector mode
JP32-35,JP38  Factory settings for head select
JP41          Factory test NOT a user configurable option
JP42(IN)      Used for factory testing
JP45          Used for conversion to short INDEX
              1,2= Standard INDEX (70mS), 2,3= Short INDEX (3mS)
NOTE: 
JP4, JP5, JP15, JP36, JP37, JP39, JP40, JP41, ARE NOT JUMPERABLE OPTIONS
THE ONLY CUSTOMER CONFIGURABLE OPTIONS ARE: JP6, JP14, JP16-JP29, JP-30,
JP31, JP45, AND DS1-DS7 (DRIVE SELECT)
This table will help you to find the programmable sector size
that you need. Be sure to check with the controller manufacturer
to find the optimum sector settings.
NOTE: 
Jumper "JP-30" must be installed to run in programmable sector mode.
          
JUMPER ID                 SECTORS PER TRACK
---------                 -----------------     
                           34    35    36
JP-16                      ON    --    ON
JP-17                      ON    ON    --
JP-18                      ON    ON    ON
JP-19                      --    --    --
JP-20                      --    ON    --
JP-21                      ON    --    --
JP-22                      ON    ON    ON
JP-23                      --    --    --
JP-24                      --    --    --
JP-25                      ON    ON    ON
JP-26                      --    --    --
JP-27                      --    --    -- 
JP-28                      --    --    --
JP-29                      --    --    --
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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| In addition you will have to make some changes in the LLFORMAT.COM on your PS/2 reference-disk. I would recommend, that you get the latest version of the reference disk for your Model. This drive is useable on the Mod. 60 or 80 equipped with the IBM ESDI- Adapter /A. So the reference disks were either 
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| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Feel free to report experiences. Many Thanks to Robert D. Keys for the idea to bring up this page, the practical 'doing' with reworking his XT-4380E and the continous reporting about the problems and -finally- the success. ! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | 
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© 1997 by Peter H. Wendt / pw-software production