Re: GS Question #5: Hard Drives

[fmlin@netcom.com (Fist of Fury)]

>I just bought a ROM 1 GS (see previous post) and want to put a hard
>drive on it.  I have never had a hard drive before, so am fairly
>ignorant.
> 
>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?
 
Your option is either SCSI or IDE.  Go for SCSI.

>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?
 
Both are good, if you can spare the money for speed, get RF.

>If I go RAMFast, why would I want the 1 meg vs. the 256k?
 
256k will do fine.  1mb is a little faster, but not a big leap.

>What about removable media?  Pros and cons of cartridge vs.
>floptical?
 
Floptical is 20mb, speed is mediocre...  Pretty good as backup media
(it's also a 1.4mb drive).  Cartriedge?!  You mean tape or MO's?

MO's are still pretty expansive today...

>How many megs do I need?  What is too cramped?  What is ridiculously
>spacious?
 
100mb is pretty good.  200mb is spacious.  300mb+ is too much unless you
collect MODs/GIFs...

>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?
 
Just buy an external, or build your own (with kits)...  try to get a hold
of the c.s.a2 SCSI mini-FAQ.

>What is a good price?
 
Just check the latest magazines (or MicroTimes/Computer Currents in
California).

>What can go wrong on a hard drive and how do I recognize it?  How do
>I avoid getting "burned" if I buy a used one?
 
??  Dunno, you'll know when it's dead.  :-)  You should probably get
a new one to avoid hastles.  If buying used, try to buy in person and
see it work first.  Avoid small capacity Seagates, avoid small compacity
5.25" drives.

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

>Anybody have one for sale?  Price?
> 
>Thanks in advance.


-- 
frank m. lin
fmlin@netcom.com