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Date:	Sat, 3 Jul 2004 17:41:41 PDT7
From:	"J. R. Fox" <jr_fox@pacbell.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
Subject:	SCOUG-Help: Re: On Thin Ice

Content Type: text/plain

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Tom Brown wrote:

> I have an all-SCSI system, LSI SYM22915A dual channel, 3 U160 LVD 36 GiB
> fixed + 2 36 GiB swappable HDs on one, and the optical drives & tape on
> the other. I have bought SCSI cables (with included terminators) from
> CS-Electronics:
>
> http://www.cs-electronics.com/
>
> I think good cables are a very solid investment, both IDE and SCSI.

Thanks, Tom. As long as I continue to use SCSI drives, it may be time to
look at other cable sources.

> You did not mention what type of drives you have other than the
> "DeathStar" brand. All of my drives are IBM/Hitachi.

They are pre-Hitachi IBM's, made either in Singapore or Hungary. UltraStar
LZX, 9G & 18G size. I can get more specific, if you need the model #s.

> I have not had any
> problems with my SCSI drives, but I *DID* have one 40 GiB IBM/Hitachi
> IDE drive die on me. Replaced under warranty. :-)

That's the funny part. I have never had any SCSI h/d die on me. The first
one I ever had, a CDC, was in service for over 6 years in a '386 box, and
never faltered, but was overtaken by obsolescence. Two or three Quantum
Atlas SCSI drives I traded in after a couple years. One older IBM UltraStar
developed a horrid screeching noise, but was still working at the time I
pulled it from service. The current two (10 K's) still seem to be working
fine, except for the one with the intermittent heat problem, which so far
has not resumed after the connector change and removing the case's side
panel. I don't know what might happen if / when I seal the box up again.

> Do you have S.M.A.R.T. monitoring running? The normal HDMON program
> supports only IDE drives, but there is a version that supports SCSI
> drives.

I never knew a SCSI flavor of this existed.

> I have a SCSI version, but I can't find the .ZIP file just now.
> I will try to find it for you.

Yes, that would be much appreciated.

> 80-pin SCSI drives can often be found for cheap on eBay. They just need
> an adapter to allow connection to a 68-pin SCSI bus.

I was aware of that. That has been the "bargain" way to go for some time
now. The question is: who -- if anyone -- is making the high-performance,
**high-reliability** hard drives these days ? Maybe no one. If I heard him
correctly, in a recent conversation, Jerry told me that he has been quite
disappointed in the latter day output of all the major mfr.s, whether we're
talking IDE _or_ SCSI. I think he said it is hard to find a drive that will
take reasonably heavy use and last more than a year or two at best.

Jordan

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