Mac OS 9 Lives

Mac OS 9 Discussion => Hardware => Storage => Topic started by: macStuff on May 28, 2019, 05:37:41 AM

Title: VST UltraTek/66 (Promise chipset - PDC20262)
Post by: macStuff on May 28, 2019, 05:37:41 AM
VST UltraTek/66  (pc version: Promise Ultra66 or Fastrak ATA-66)
sold originally by Vsttech.com
http://web.archive.org/web/20010116140900/http://www.vsttech.com/vst/press.nsf/32f77074fbe05dee8525674b0054c27f/a32d38b4ff234a2785256921000d2c52?OpenDocument
http://web.archive.org/web/20001211201900/http://www.vsttech.com/vst/products.nsf/6eef6c4c909e433585256889004d8305/822d45da158f38bb8525692000428787?OpenDocument
http://web.archive.org/web/20010116140900/http://www.vsttech.com/vst/press.nsf/32f77074fbe05dee8525674b0054c27f/a32d38b4ff234a2785256921000d2c52?OpenDocument
http://web.archive.org/web/20011224070017/http://www.smartdisk.com/Specs/ATARAID.asp
https://web.archive.org/web/20010202031600/http://www.softraid.com/
https://barefeats.com/hard8.html (June 2000)
https://barefeats.com/hard12.htm (August 2000)
https://www.macworld.com/article/1014532/18reviewsata.html

Quote
Vendor ID: Ox105A=4186
DeviceID: 0x4D38=19768
Revision ID=1
https://web.archive.org/web/20020610044336/http://www.io.com/~trag/VST_probe
probed by http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php/topic,5027.msg36358/topicseen.html#new
(pci105a,4d33)
(https://www.cbo-do.de/images/product_images/popup_images/64051_0.jpg)

https://www.macworld.com/article/1003941/ultratek.html
ultratek/66 in the headlines in March 2002

"download the OWC shareware application for updating your VST ATA/66 UltraTek card to be OS X compatible"
https://web.archive.org/web/20020405184903/http://eshop.macsales.com/vst/ (February 2001)
https://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/Framework.cfm?page=/Hard_Drives/vstultratek/VSTUltra.html
"FirmTek was the first company to make an ATA/IDE PCI interface possible on the Mac. The company is the original developer of the firmware used on the VST UltraTek card and continues to provide the firmware that makes several major Mac ATA cards possible. "
so here in april 2002 was the first OSX KEXT being injected into the macos9 bootable firmware

here it is:
https://www.cnet.com/products/vst-ultratek-66-ide-raid-controller-with-softraid/
https://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/Framework.cfm?page=/Hard_Drives/vstultratek/VSTUltra.html
(https://eshop.macsales.com/Reviews/Hard_Drives/vstultratek/ultratek.jpg)


Quote
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2000

Internal PCI Card Provides Superior Performance and

Data Integrity at Cost Effective Price Point

SmartDisk Personal Storage Systems, formerly VST Technologies, announced today the VST UltraTek(TM)/66 ATA RAID Controller, an ultra-high-speed RAID solution for improving the storage capacity, data integrity and performance of Power Macintosh G3 and G4 computers. SmartDisk is demonstrating the VST UltraTek(TM)/66 ATA RAID Controller in its VST booth 841 at Macworld Expo, July 19-21 at the Javits Center in New York. SmartDisk Personal Storage Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of SmartDisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SMDK).

Featuring SoftRAID(TM) software, the VST UltraTek(TM)/66 is capable of increasing storage and data transfer by 300 percent. It provides more than 60 megabytes-per-second sustained RD transfer rates and more than 45 megabytes-per-second sustained WR, making it the fastest driver available for data-intensive tasks, including digital video and PhotoShop editing, database management and server applications.

"The UltraTek(TM)/66 provides PowerMac G3 and G4 users a quick and affordable solution to significantly increase storage capacity, performance and data integrity," said Vince Fedele, Chief Technology Officer, SmartDisk. "We've priced this product much less than similar solutions to enable consumers to achieve workstation performance at half the cost."

The UltraTek(TM)/66 card can be installed by simply running the SoftRAID Installer, attaching the UltraTek(TM)/66 in a PCI slot and linking the cables provided in the package to the drives. When used with IBM's latest 7200RPM 75GXP DeskStar series of ultra-ATA/66 hard drive mechanisms, performance is equivalent to Ultra2 SCSI, for a total solution cost of about half of typical SCSI solutions. In addition, SoftRAID provides RAID levels 0 and 1 (striping and mirroring) simultaneously. Striping provides increased capacity and performance while mirroring provides redundancy with duplicate data on separate drive mechanisms.

Pricing and Availability

The VST UltraTek(TM)/66 is available immediately through national resellers and master distributors, including Ingram, DataVision, Mac Warehouse, Mac Connection, Fry's and Micro Center. The stand-alone package, priced at $199, features the UltraTek/66 ATA controller, SoftRAID software by SoftRAID, LLC, two 80-wire/40-pin ATA cables and power cables. In addition, packages bundled with 60GB, 90GB and 150GB drives are available directly from www.vsttech.com.

About SmartDisk Corporation

SmartDisk Corporation completed its acquisition of VST Technologies on March 6, 2000. SmartDisk's products are designed to simplify the transfer and storage of digital photographs, video, music, voice and data among personal computers, the Internet and digital appliances. The company is using its proprietary and patented technologies to capitalize on the growing demand for digital applications and increased usage of the Internet. SmartDisk's business partners and investors include Toshiba, Hitachi, NEC, SanDisk, SCM Microsystems and others. VST Technologies, now called SmartDisk Personal Storage Systems, is a market leader in the design, engineering and marketing of high performance FireWire and USB personal storage solutions for the Internet and computer industries. SmartDisk's products are marketed under the VST brand name and by leading OEMs, including Apple Computer, Fujitsu and IBM. For more information, go to www.smartdisk.com or www.vsttech.com.

This press release includes statements, which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although SmartDisk Corporation believes the expectations contained in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove correct. These statements may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Such risks include, but are not limited to our dependence on a limited number of contract and offshore manufacturers, our dependence on OEMs to promote our products, our ability to develop commercially viable products on a timely basis and other risk factors, all as more fully described in SmartDisk's Registration Statement on Form S-1 and in other reports and periodic filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All trade names appearing in this release are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

https://download.cnet.com/VST-ATA-66-UltraTek/3000-2098_4-25068.html

wow i was able to find this firmware update from 2002
https://download.cnet.com/VST-ATA-66-UltraTek/3000-2098_4-25068.html
attached

im still trying to track down an earlier firmware update (Version 1.1.2w) from (2000) linked frm this page:
https://web.archive.org/web/20001207020000/http://www.vsttech.com:80/vst/drivers.nsf/Default
https://web.archive.org/web/20001207020000/http://www.vsttech.com/vst/support/drivers/Flasher_1.1.2w.hqx
unfortunately not recorded by the web archive

Quote
GENERAL
Host Bus PCI
Device Type Storage controller (RAID) - plug-in card
ManufacturerVerbatim Corp.

STORAGE CONTROLLER
Interface ATA-66
Data Transfer Rate 30 MBps
Buffer Size 128 MB (max)
Supported Devices hard drive
Channel Qty 2
RAID Level RAID 0, RAID 1
Interface Type ATA-66

POWER DEVICE
Type none

INTERFACE PROVIDED
Gender female
Connector Qty 4
Qty 4
Connector Type 40 pin IDC
Connector Location internal
MISCELLANEOUS
Package Type Retail
Mounting Kit standard
Package Type retail
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS Required Apple MacOS 8.6 or later
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
Max Operating Temperature 122 °F
Humidity Range Operating 5 - 90%
HEADER
Brand SmartDisk
Product Line SmartDisk UltraTek
Model 66
Localization English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish
Packaged Quantity 1
Compatibility Mac

INTERFACE REQUIRED
Type none
EXPANSION BAYS
Type none
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
Depth 5 in
Height 2.5 in
SOFTWARE
Type Drivers & Utilities
SLOT REQUIRED
Type PCI
Form Factor half-length
Total Qty 1
BAY REQUIRED
Type none
SERVICE & SUPPORT
Type 1 year warranty


SERVICE & SUPPORT DETAILS
Service Included parts and labor
Type limited warranty
Full Contract Period 1 year
Location carry-in GENERAL
ManufacturerVerbatim Corp.
https://www.cnet.com/products/vst-ultratek-66-ide-raid-controller-with-softraid/
Title: Re: VST UltraTek/66
Post by: macStuff on May 28, 2019, 05:50:59 AM
WOW I FOUND IT BABY!!!!!
i found the firmware!!!!!! (pre-osx + and post-osx)

i believe ive just found the original mac bootable firmware that can be flashed to any promise PDC2062 card
from middle of the year 2000
which i believe to be the precursor to the 1S2 firmware by firmtek

going to crack it open in hex editor now to confirm

Title: Re: VST UltraTek/66 (Promise chipset - PDC20262)
Post by: macStuff on May 29, 2019, 11:32:17 AM
https://www.applefritter.com/comment/63018#comment-63018
this post is in regards to using the firmware flasher to turn a Promise PDC20262 card into a VST-Ultratek/66 card

https://www.macgurus.com/forums/showthread.php?11983-Promise-UltraTek-ATA-66&p=42168#post42168
this post is probably in reference to the above post

ie:
a PC version promise fasttrak 66 or promise ultra 66 card would need to be modified
(http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5023.0;attach=6398;image)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L-mLCk-CFM[/youtube]
Title: Re: VST UltraTek/66 (Promise chipset - PDC20262)
Post by: macStuff on May 31, 2019, 07:54:17 AM
does any macos9lives user have one of these VST 66 cards?
(http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5023.0;attach=6426;image)

https://www.macworld.com/article/1003941/ultratek.html

benchmark from https://www.macworld.com/article/1014532/18reviewsata.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20030311051903/http://www.macworld.com/2000/11/reviews/online.html
https://www.anandtech.com/show/269/3
Title: Re: VST UltraTek/66 (Promise chipset - PDC20262)
Post by: macStuff on June 03, 2019, 04:02:48 AM
after some googling - found someone who can sell me a VST ultratek/66 new in the box
 8)
he wants $$ for it tho; so it will cost me to get it;
but the opportunity to get one to be able to make more cards might outweigh the cost

ive also got a chip programmer for 32pin eeproms at my fathers place
hes had it since the 1980s i used to use it to program satellite decoder boards for conifer/uniden dish systems
to be able to get HBO for free :D back in 1987 1988 1989 time period when i was just a kid
Title: Re: VST UltraTek/66 (Promise chipset - PDC20262)
Post by: macStuff on November 11, 2019, 05:48:07 PM
i have found a few of these brand new + shrinkwrapped - if anyone is interested in getting one drop me a pm
the box actually comes with SOFTRaid installation CD
and some IDE cables and a molex power Y breakout cable
AT66 sounds alot slower than SATA150, but it still is faster then the ATA33 built into many G3/G4
and will BOOT macos9 : very limited availability

(http://macos9lives.com/smforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5023.0;attach=6786;image)
Title: Re: VST UltraTek/66 (Promise chipset - PDC20262)
Post by: (S)ATAman on December 08, 2019, 11:15:46 AM
Wow, $150... Why not the newer ones? That Promise chip wasn't the fastest. The next generation was much better.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Promise-Ultra133-TX2-PDC20269-VER-2-2x-ATA-133-PCI-Controller-Card-IDE-Cables/262283993581

This is the best of that old generation:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Maxtor-Promise-ATA133-Hard-Drive-Controller-Card

Wonder, how many are around...