Quantum Q540 as a RD52 - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

22 Sep 1998

Zane asked:
...
 However, I just realized, I am trying to make this
overly difficult.  I'm
wanting to use these drives on PDP-11's which means they need to be
formated on one.  So the question I should really be asking is how to get
them formated on a RQDX3 that's in a PDP-11.  The reason for trying to
format them on the VS2000 was just to make sure they worked (and for some
reason I was thinking it was a good idea, go figure). 
The VS2000 low-level format will be compatible with the RQDX3.  (The
VS2000 format isn't compatible with the RQDX1/2, though.)

Megan suggested:
...
 Then what you want is the XXDP+ kit, and the ZRQC
formatter. 
The ZRQC?? formatter will do the trick, too, but the VS2000 formatter
is far more convenient and robust.  I keep a VS2000 around for no
other purpose than formatting MFM disks when I have to.  Suggesting
that someone use ZRQC?? when they have a VS2000 available is like
suggesting that they learn how to fly an airplane rather than simply
using an airline ticket :-).

Zane asked about ZRQC??:
...
 So what does it want for input?  Don't know if this
is a stupid question,
but am asking since I've never actually used XXDP+ and I didn't get any
documentation at all with the Packs, despite the fact that the rest had
related Docs. 
I'd go the VS2000 route myself, but if you insist on XXDP+ I can
fax you a couple pages out of the MicroPDP technical manuals that
will get you started.  If you thought the VS2000 prompts were
cryptic, you've never seen the ZRQC?? prompts :-).

Also, since nobody else has mentioned it, *none* of this stuff is any
great secret.  A lot of this is very well explained in Terry Kennedy's
collection of DECUSERVE conferences, THIRD-PARTY-DISKS.TXT, available
by anonymous ftp from ftp.spc.edu.

-- 
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