Installing a DPT Controller
with User Definable Parameters
1. Disable the BE3011 by removing jumper Y7 as it will not be
used.
2. Format the disk using the DPT Format Utility or, if previously
formatted with the DPT Utility, Calculate Best Drive Parameters.
3. Select the operating system. Hit F10 to calculate the Best
Configuration Parameter. Write this parameter down.
4. Enter the setup mode. Select disk type 48 or 49 (user
definable parameters). Enter the Best Configuration Parameters that were written down earlier. You may need to enter additional fields of information such as Landing Zone, Write PreComp, Head Switch Time, etc. These values can be found in your hard disk manual or call DPT Technical Support for assistance.
5. Save your setup mode, and reboot the system from the floppy
with the operating system you will be installing. Continue with standard partitioning and high level formatting.
User Definable Parameters are only used when your operating system is BIOS dependant (see BE3011 requirements for BIOS dependant OS's) and your controller is running in emulation mode. If you are using a DPT SmartDriver (SW-UNIX, SW-NOV, SmartROM, etc.) UDP's are not necessary.
- * NOTE **
Other BIOS notes:
1. User Definable Parameters will not work properly under Novell
Netware. The error message "ABEND - INVALID ROM BIOS" appears when entering CompSurf or NETGEN. This anomaly occurs with ALL USER DEFINABLES REGARDLESS OF BIOS MANUFACTURER on any controller card, not just DPT.
2. AMI BIOS dated 155-030389-K8 has problems running with
ConCurrent DOS. These problems include:
a. FAT gets blown away during REINDEX.
b. CHKDSK reports FAT errors.
c. Hangs intermittantly.
AMI BIOS dated 155-121589-K8 is pretty solid and seems to work fine with CCDOS. This is the release date we recommend.
3. AMI BIOS dated 155-022190-K8 may have unnecessary overhead when
performing seeks. Normally, the DPT controller provides about .3ms of seek time (measured by CORETEST, available on this BBS). With this release of AMI BIOS, the seek time is about 3.0ms. After consulting with AMI Technical Support, it was brought to our attention that this BIOS has a routine built into it that calculates the position of the head and cylinder that is currently being accessed on the hard disk. This was produced for the Everex Step 33 machine which displays that value on an LCD screen on the front of the case. The technician explained that this calculation may cause a higher seek time and recommended a different release of BIOS if this feature was not necessary.