Re: GS Question #5: Hard Drives

[danb@pro-newton.cts.com (Dan Brown)]

In <CG1wM7.512@eis.calstate.edu>
gachenb@eis.calstate.edu (Greg R. Achenbach) writes:

>What options are open to me?  All the info I see is talking SCSI.  Is
>that it?  Are there different kinds of SCSI?  What about IDE, ESDI,
>MFM, other?

        IDE is available, but I don't see any reason to recommend it.  The
world seems to be going to SCSI anyway, and the price difference is very
small.  The cost difference for the controller card more than makes up for
the difference in the drive prices.

>If I go with SCSI (or if that is my only choice), what are the pros
>and cons of the Apple High-Speed SCSI card as opposed to the RAMFast
>SCSI card?

        The RamFAST is lots faster, and has better support for storage
devices (i.e., if it's a SCSI storage device, odds are it's plug 'n' play). 
OTOH, the Apple card is ~$50 cheaper, and supports other devices (like
scanners and printers, if someone would write software for them).

>What about removable media?  Pros and cons of cartridge vs.
>floptical?

        Floptical is not too great as far as $/meg is concerned, but it does
provide a high density 3.5 drive, which can be helpful.  Personally, I'd
probably take a Syquest 105 if I were buying a removable today.

>How many megs do I need?  What is too cramped?  What is ridiculously
>spacious?

        Anything much under 200 megs is a waste of money.  Quantum 240s are
going for some pretty good prices.

>What about mounting an internal in a case?  I've seen internal Mac
>SCSI's fairly cheap.  Is building your own cost effective compared to
>buying an external?  What is involved?  Is it do-able by a basically
>intelligent person who knows which end of a soldering iron to use?

        Currently, if you get your parts from the right place, it's cost
effective.  It is also pretty easy.  I've written a document on the process
that's undergoing revision; if you'd like a copy, E-Mail me and I'll send it
off to you.

>What is a good price?

        You can build an external 240 meg drive using a Quantum mechanism for
about $300; under $350 is a pretty good price if you buy it ready-built.

>When I buy one, what should come with it to make it usable?  Is the
>drive, cable, and (possibly) terminator all I need?

        You need termination; many drives provide this internally.  External
termination, while a little more expensive, is more flexible.  Drive, cable,
and terminator (with the SCSI card, of course) is all you need.

 ----------------------------------
Dan Brown, Sysop of pro-newton     Internet: danb@pro-newton.cts.com
 Above opinions are not those of Mensa, which has no opinions.