Upgrading a system

[WSHB Operations Eng]

I need some advice from the net on hardware for SCO XENIX. I have a system
on an ATronics International 386SX motherboard running SCO Xenix 2.3.2.
It has been using a WD1006SR2 RLL HD/FD controller card and a 
Seagate 4144R drive. Well, the Seagate has died and I need a new drive.

I have heard all of the terrible things people have had to say about RLL
drives but haven't had any problems with this installation other than
the bad Seagate. I haven't managed to find a good price on another large
RLL drive though. (I can get another Seagate, but I am afraid I have a
bad taste in my mouth.) I have gotten a couple of quotes for ESDI drives
that I am considering. I have another system with a DPT ESDI controller
and a CDC drive, but I don't have that kind of money in the budget for 
this machine.

The new drives I am considering are a new Rodine 5180E - 149 meg at $600
or a refurbished Micropolis 1355 - 159 meg at $695 with a $150 credit
for the Seagate. I know Micropolis is an excellent drive, but the 
refurbished part bothers me. I don't know anything about Rodine drives. 
Also, I have never used any ESDI controllers other than the DPT I spoke of. 
Are there any reasonably priced good ESDI controllers? By reasonably priced 
I mean between $150 - $200. I can't put $300 - $400 in this controller 
on top of a $600 drive. (Maybe I should say I need to stay under $800 and
want at least 120 meg :-)) (I know, I know. Buy another 4144R and keep the same
controller.)

Does anyone have experience with refurbished drives, especially Micropolis?
How about Rodine ESDI drives? Are they any good? What about a controller? 
Is the WD1007 any good? I know SCO has a patch for it so there must be 
some problem. Anybody got another suggestion. Does anybody suggest sticking 
with RLL, or with Seagate? Anyone know a good place to get good RLL drives? 
How about IDE. I have two systems with Conners in them, but a new 200 meg 
drive is expensive and I haven't found a rebuild for which I can get credit 
for the Seagate. (I have found a 100 meg Rodine IDE but I've heard bad 
things about them and SCO.)


Thanks for any advice.

Michael
-- 
Michael Batchelor--Systems/Operations Engineer #compliments and complaints
WSHB - An International Broadcast Station of   #   letterbox at csms.com
 The Christian Science Monitor Syndicate, Inc. #technical questions and reports
michaelb at wshb.csms.com         +1 803 625 4880 #   letterbox-tech at csms.com