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From: venaas@flipper.pvv.unit.no (Stig Venaas)
Subject: Re: Promise Techhnology Caching IDE Controller
Message-ID: <1993Apr23.000108.12366@ugle.unit.no>
Keywords: promise technology caching ide
Sender: news@ugle.unit.no (NetNews Administrator)
Organization: ProgramVareVerkstedet - UNIT
References: <C5t53q.6Iq@dove.nist.gov>
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 93 00:01:08 GMT
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In article <C5t53q.6Iq@dove.nist.gov> livigni@bldrdoc.gov (David livigni 303-497-5898) writes:
>
>Looking for help in just the right place...
>
>Does anyone have experience with the Promise Technology Caching
>IDE Controller DC99M?  I just ordered one, $110 with 512k installed,
>and have a few questions:
>
>1.  Is it easy to use?  Does it need any kind of TSR's, or is
>it completely transparent to the system board, so that I won't
>have to change the bios configuration?
>
Yes, it's easy to use. It's just like an ordinary controller.
You don't have to change the bios config.

>2.  Is it transparent to the IDE drive?  Will it work with any drive
>or does it have to be configured explicity for the type of drive
>installed?
>
It's transparent. It works with any drive. If you change the
drive you only need to change the bios config. as usual.

>3.  Will it work with a dual-drive system (master and slave)?
Yes, no problem.

>
>4.  With it, will I need smartdrive or DOS buffers?
That depends. You will get a little better performance
if you use smartdrive and buffers in addition. That's
because access to the card through the ISA bus is slower
than access to system RAM. I don't use smartdrive myself,
but I have a few buffers.

>
>5.  Is the Promise Technology controller a good one?
>
>Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!
>
>David Livigni
>-- 
>| livigni@bldrdoc.gov - Anything stated here is my opinion only! Y @--D |
>| Rule of the Great:                                                    |
>|         When people you greatly admire appear to be thinking deep     |
>|         thoughts, they probably are thinking about lunch.             |

Stig
