0?! ,,p=@ HPJ(HPP ( Point.To.PointNovember 14, 198910:45 PM2999j>k=..P# 0l#  k=..P# 0l# k=nP ,>,E ll=nP7. MUv~ FNt|>n v ~  c  d lz     G ] ec < Dc       c  6 !((0^((0^((0b^((0b^((0b^   UAPPLE II HARDWARE FORUM REVIEW WRITING CONTEST ENTRY FORM    2NAME: Russell C. Messana   ADDRESS: 237 Redwood Circle   CITY, STATE, ZIP: Petaluma , CA , 94954-3849   SCREEN NAME: Big Russs  k  PRODUCT REVIEWED: CDC Rem4 SCSI disk drive  "  C******************************  1  o  o : : :  EBuilding a high capacity  SCSI  drive  for the II series computer E E E E EThe CDC REM4 drive is a high speed, high capacity (300 MEG) drive that uses a SCSI I/O and can be used on almost any commuter. With the lack of GSOS for a IIe, IIc, or II+, it would be impractical (not cost efficient), for those types of computers to use a hard drive of this size. MSDOS, Macintosh, and of course IIgs computers will fend well with the REM4 because of their advanced software and/or hardware capabilities that will allow them to use most or all of the storage capacity the drive allows. My drive is connected to an Apple IIgs so this review is biased toward the GS user. A IIe or II+ user could STILL use all the parts and information provided for any SCSI drive that was less than 64 meg by just using Prodos 8 and the instructions provided here. E EWhat hardware do you need? Here is a total list and current prices. Since prices vary from where you live, month to month, and the mood the dealer is in, shop around. This is a big ticket item.    DISK DRIVE $1600  POWER SUPPLY $ 125  MACINTOSH CABLE $ 40 APPLE # 590-0235  APPLE SCSI CARD $ 120  SCSI CABLE $ 20 Data Spec MAC SCSI 6  TOTAL $1905  The power supply is a standard one that is typical of IBM type computers. You will most likely be able to buy it at the same place you buy the disk drive. Where can you buy the dirve? A number of computer magazines sell the drives mail order or you can go to a IBM PC type store and they should be able to supply a SCSI type drive. Next, go to your Apple dealer and buy a MACINTOSH CABLE that will convert the 50 pin flat ribbon type plug on the back of the hard drive to a 50 pin SCSI D type plug. (Apple part number 590-0235). The SCSI CABLE is a 50 pin SCSI D type plug to 25 pin D type plug cable. (Data Spec brand, MAC SCSI 6). The SCSI card is a standard Apple SCSI card and has a 25 pin D type connection on it.  Ok, so you have the hardware hooked up, now what? On my GS the first thing I had to do was install the SCSI driver using the INSTALLER program on the SYSTEM.TOOLS disk. After that, with the drive turned on, I booted the modified 3 inch SYSTEM.MASTER and on boot up it asked to format the drive. With a click of the mouse, and 22 minutes later, I had a hard drive ready to go .... well almost. GSOS initialized the disk to 290 megs. But GSOS will only SEE the first 32 megs! To the rescue comes the ADVANCED DISK UTILITY. Using the Advanced Disk Utility on the SYSTEM.TOOLS disk will allow a SCSI drive to be partitioned up to 7 times with a maximum of 32 megs per partition, (providing the drive you use is larger than 32 meg). Now that's slick!!!  So what is so great about having a CDC REM4 high capacity drive? Depending on what side of the tracks you're from, the drive has: speed, storage capacity, small physical size, and reliability. At 18ns it is the fastest drive you can buy. The fastest. If you look at access times for other drives, they vary up to 65ns. This drive is almost 3 times faster than a 50ns drive. If you have been using 3 inch floppies and went to a 50ns hard drive, you would most likely say your computer has just moved into the fast lane on the freeway. At 18ns, you're off the freeway and in the sky flying! While you are flying, it will be hard to believe you're flying the fastest JUMBO JET around, 300 megs worth. I'll be honest, I really don't need 300 megs, or 150 megs. But after all, isn't it true that "He who dies with the most storage wins!"? Lastly, and perhaps the most important, the drive is reliable. Reliable like as in a years use the drive has NEVER gone bad, spit, or lost data. (Let me find some wood to knock on). Another advantage not many people look at with a SCSI drive is that you can use the drive for your next, (or NEXT) computer. Whether it be a IIgs, a Mac, or IBM type, the same drive will still work. d dWhat drawbacks does this hard drive have over a store prepackaged drive of smaller size? How about cost, bulkiness, software limitations with GSOS, and software limitations with Prodos 8. At over $1,900 for parts it is one of the most expensive drives around. Since it is built and has a separate power supply, two types of cables, and nothing to protect it, (it's ugly), you will have to hide it under a table or buy a storage cabinet for it. GSOS has some limitations with a drive this big too. First off, when the drive is finally formatted, you get one drive with 290 megs, of which GSOS can only see the first 32 megs of. Remember the ADVANCED DISK UTILITY program we used to partition the disk? We partitioned the drive 7 times with a maximum of 32 megs per partition. A little quick math says the best I can do on my IIgs is 224 megs of storage. The rest is lost. (If you have a MAC or IBM you will be able to access all 300 meg worth).More software limitations.... If you have a program that you want to run, it must be in one of the first two partitions. If the program is in partition 3 through 7 and you execute that program, GSOS says to install that particular drive. Lets say the seven partitions are labeled as HD1 to HD7. As an example, if Proterm is in HD4 and you double click on PROTERM.SYSTEM, GSOS will ask you to insert disk HD4. The software won't let you use the extra partitions to operate a program from. This really isn't much of a problem since HD1 and HD2 each have 32 megs, which seems big enough for all my programs. The last problem I found, similar to GSOS's problem of not booting the last 5 partitions, is Prodos's 8 won't even recognize the last 5 partitions. Again, with two volumes of 32 megs available, that's not much of a problem.  So what do I do with all this storage space? My first two partitions are almost empty. I only use a handful of programs so I spread them out between HD1 and HD2. About 10 meg is used in HD1 and 6 meg used in HD2. HD3 and HD4 are back-ups for HD1 and HD2. HD5 and HD6 are all of the public domain software disks the IIgs users group I belong to have. There is 47 meg stored between these two partitions. I even removed all the PRODOS, SYSTEM, and BASIC files that were copies from the PD files. HD7 is my scrap partition. When a get a new program with 4.0 on it, I might copy it to HD7, install new DOS, and re-save it on a floppy. I also brag about it too. Yes, that's right, I brag about it. What a conversation topic!  KIn summary, with hard drives getting less and less expensive, this just may be the way to go if you have a need for fast mass storage and are willing to piece the drive together. Yes, a SCSI drive is more expensive, but much more versatile. Try and get your 40 meg Vulcan to run on a MAC or an IBM! Don't forget, if you don't need 300 meg, buy a 100 meg. What the heck, it's only money! , )?@@D@ !((0^   g ((0^