> At 10:36 01/06/98 -0600, Brian Stark wrote:
> >Hello,
> >
> >Sorry if this seems like a basic question, but I don't understand what 
> >the "ST506" disk type is for. I am in the process of re-installing NetBSD 
> >on my system and my previous disk labels said the type was "ST506". My 
> >system has a 3.1 and a 2.0 GB EIDE-type drive installed. Is "ST506" 
> >something I want to use with these devices? 
> >
> 
> >If anyone could give me some more information on what the various disk 
> >types are for, I would appreciate it!
> >
> ST506 type drives are the OLD  MFM type drives (like on the IBM PC-XT)
>                           ^^^

'Fraid not. ST506 are MFM and RLL disks, pre-IDE. These were found
on ATs, primarily. (And also on some non-Wintel iron, like certain ATT
3b2's).

IDE disks are (mostly?) RLL disks with the same tired interface as
ST506 with a few smarts, like LBA and badblock mapping. The electronics
are now on the card on the drive instead of on the card in the slot.
Big deal.

IDE is an interface, MFM and RLL are hardware recording methods.

DV