Hello:
Thanks a lot for your prompt reply.
Much appreciated.
> Likely this limitation was required for the target host the disks was originally intended for.
Surely.
And let Sun Microsystems use the same storage devices across different
spec hardware with just a firmware change.
> But it is also possible that the higher transfer rates don't work reliable enough.
It's SUN stuff ...
Heavy iron. =-)
But then, I'm no expert, it could well be as you say.
The PCBs seem to be exactly the same.
I will have a closer look and check if I can find any differences.
> I can't help you with the firmware update.
OK, thanks anyhow.
> ... OEM disks, the controller hardware may have subtle differences to the "normal" versions.
Yes, could be.
> Are the 80MByte/s really not enough for your purpose, the sustained transfer rate of such a disk ...
From what I have seen (SCSITool) the IBM disk has higher TRs, but not
too much.
I have an option to get another two drives and would like them all to
be U160.
I bought the SUN36 thinking they were 'identical' to the IBM one,
based on their labels.
> Is it worth the risk to create a brick?
Fortunately, I have a couple of PCBs from another two SUN36Gs that
went south, so that would not be an issue.
¿Do you know of any firmware extraction tool out there?
All the SCSI utilities I have found allow uploading new FW but not
making a back up copy of it, like you do when you flash a mobo BIOS.
For obvious reasons, of course.
Thanks for your input.
Best,
CIV