Best storage I can get? FastATA MK-VI 4000 CF/SATA

[Damion]

I don't know what drive you were using, but with the CS MK2 SCSI I've gotten 8.2 and 8.3 MB/s with a Maxtor Atlas (SCSI-3 and adapter).  Rotational speed matters little here.

All my SCSI drives are Atlas's as the other, crappier makes have died over the past 20+ years.

5 MB/s with the 4091 or Fastlane (configured for lowest CPU use) in conjunction with the overclocked MK2. :-) You're probably aware, the SCSI module doesn't work with the MK2 overclocked, hence talk of the 4091/Fastlane.

There is an adapter kit you can buy, which makes it possible to run the '060 at 2x the busclock. So, for example, you could run a Rev 6 '060 at 80 or 100MHz, while the SCSI and RAM on the MK2 run at 40 or 50MHz. This should allow the SCSI to work with an overclocked processor. (AFAIK it's been done already by some members on the German a1k.org forum.)

[danbeaver]

5 MB/s with the 4091 or Fastlane (configured for lowest CPU use) in conjunction with the overclocked MK2. :-) You're probably aware, the SCSI module doesn't work with the MK2 overclocked, hence talk of the 4091/Fastlane.

There is an adapter kit you can buy, which makes it possible to run the '060 at 2x the busclock. So, for example, you could run a Rev 6 '060 at 80 or 100MHz, while the SCSI and RAM on the MK2 run at 40 or 50MHz. This should allow the SCSI to work with an overclocked processor. (AFAIK it's been done already by some members on the German a1k.org forum.)

I don't own an A4091 and I could never get either one of my FastLane's SCSI to work; all I can tell you are my results with the SCSI on a CS MK2, CS MK3, and a CSPPC.  The CS MK2 achieved 8.2 and 8.3 MB/s with 2 different Atlas SCSI-3 HDD's (one of which was a U160 and the other a U320).  My CS MK2's were connected to the accelerator bus (via the accelerator) and were not limited by Zorro bandwidth.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Not my auction just saw it and posting for the sake of the conversation:

Fastlane Z3:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Phase-5-Fastlane-Z3-48MB-RAM-SCSI-controller-Commodore-Amiga-3000-4000-works-/271733869211?pt=US_Vintage_Computing_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f4499ca9b

@danbeaver - any way of telling from photos what version ROM these things have?

[danbeaver]

No, but I can burn an 8.5 ROM for them, as I did for the 2 I couldn't get to work (the ROMs were correct by the way, I sold a couple at cost).

You can tell once you get them in a machine, or while in the firmware state.

[Heiroglyph]

Not my auction just saw it and posting for the sake of the conversation:

Fastlane Z3:  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Phase-5-Fastlane-Z3-48MB-RAM-SCSI-controller-Commodore-Amiga-3000-4000-works-/271733869211?pt=US_Vintage_Computing_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f4499ca9b

@danbeaver - any way of telling from photos what version ROM these things have?

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate that.

I have one already in shipping, should hopefully be here Monday with the 8.5 ROM already installed.

I've still got my feelers out for a MKII SCSI module though.

BTW, I've got my other 4000 with a Warp Engine 040/40 reinstalling on it's new 10k RPM Hitachi 73GB.  That drive actually tested a consistent 0.5MB faster than a Seagate 15K RPM 36GB drive for some reason. Possibly the size/density gave it an edge.

I only had SysSpeed to test with until I get it all installed again, but it was showing a solid 8.8 to 9.3 MB/s on both the read and write tests.

[HardStep]

Have you guys tried Adaptec PCI SCSI adapters with Mediator, how do they compare to dedicated Amiga SCSI controllers?
There are experimental drivers available for them, would be interesting to hear about real world experiences.
Wouldn't it be cheap and viable alternative or not?

[danbeaver]

Thanks for the heads up, I appreciate that.

I have one already in shipping, should hopefully be here Monday with the 8.5 ROM already installed.

I've still got my feelers out for a MKII SCSI module though.

BTW, I've got my other 4000 with a Warp Engine 040/40 reinstalling on it's new 10k RPM Hitachi 73GB.  That drive actually tested a consistent 0.5MB faster than a Seagate 15K RPM 36GB drive for some reason. Possibly the size/density gave it an edge.

I only had SysSpeed to test with until I get it all installed again, but it was showing a solid 8.8 to 9.3 MB/s on both the read and write tests.

Your numbers above likely reflect the larger cache/buffer that larger HDD's have: the more storage space = more surface area to seek the data, and this would cause a drop in speed, so a larger buffer can hold and transmit more data as the drive seeks it out.

Hardstep, the number from an Adaptec PCI are disappointing; they are in the 1.8 to 2 MB/s range.  This is probably the way the Mediator implements a pseudo DMA (double transfer).  Try it yourself and see what numbers you get, as an N=1 in statistics is anecdotal at best.