RM Nimbus

From: Peter Hicks <Peter.Hicks_at_POGGS.CO.UK>
Date: Sun Jan 26 15:12:01 2003

Tony Duell wrote:

>>I used to have an AX/2 server at home quite a while ago, and all I have left is the hard drive. I want to get this software off the drive, but
>>I threw out my last MFM controller card ages ago.
>>
>>
>I'll not flame you -- this time -- for refering to a interface by the data encoding system it uses. Especially as, in this case, both are relevant.
>
I apologise - it has been many years since I even said the letters
"MFM", and I can't find anybody amongst my circle of friends who
actually knows what MFM/RLL/ST506/ST412 means.

Going back to the website (http://www.mfarris.com/hard/Mitsubishi.html)
I found, the MR535R is a 65Mb RLL ST506 drive, not MFM. I was wrong,
but it was early this morning when I found the URL.

>The problem (for you) with the ST506/ST412 interface is that the data encoding is handled by the controller, not by the drive. And not everybody did it the same way. OK, if you're _sure_ the original used MFM encoding rather than RLL, it's going to simplify things a bit, but it's still not certain that any old controller will be able to make sense of the data on your drive.
>
>
I recall the problem. This takes me back a few years... the problem
being that Research Machines weren't renowned for using standard
off-the-shelf hardware, such as monitor connections and Ethernet (the
network I used ran on Z-Net).

However, I should have a PC-186 winging its way to me "soon", and one of
the tricks I'll try is popping the 60Mb (I nearly wrote Gb) drive in the
box and seeing if I can siphon off any data.

>Do you have any idea what the original controller was?
>
I don't at the moment - the only hope I think I have is to either e-mail
Research Machines and hope I get a suitably positive response, or hope
luck is on my side. Am I likely to cause permanent damage to the drive
if I use the wrong encoding?

>I have a pile of ST506/ST412 PC hard drive controllers and could certainly spare one if you think it'll be any use.
>
>
I've had a reply from Brent Atkerson in the US, who has a ST506
controller - however since you're in the UK, it may be much cheaper and
easier to try a controller from you first.

Drop me a mail off-list, name your price and we'll take it from there...
but only if you have cables! :)

Best wishes,


Peter.
Received on Sun Jan 26 2003 - 15:12:01 GMT

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