> I believe my optical drive is beginning to go.  I get disk errors "unable to
> read snd file". very regularly. Do these drives typically go like this or do
> they just stop working all together? I can load some sounds and it happens
> on every optical disk I have.

If you are getting errors on every disk then it definately sounds like the
drive. These drives can be *very* expensive to repair ($1300 for the optical
assembly supposedly).  Used drives cost just as much and are just as unreliable
as yours.  They are notoriously bad with age just like the Patriot Tape Backup
Drives (although mine work *perfectly*).  I have used 4 WORM drives that all
did the same thing.  One of the drives apparently had bad media, two had bad
optical assemblies and one worked.  Not very good odds.....

> Since I have a large sound library I am looking to move the sounds to hard
> disk.  But it is my understanding that the max disk size is 9 gig.

If you have a Release 4.02, you can format a Hard Drive as an optical.  The
limit is 8 gig.  Also you can connect several drives with different i.d.
numbers and go into CONFIGUR to select the i.d. of the drive you wish the 'R'
page to load from.

> These are the Libraries I have;
>
> Ned
> Sonic images
> Universal
> Prosonus
> Sound Ideas effects
> Denny Jaeger condensed strings
> My personal samples
>
> Since it would require app. 15 G worth of space, how can this be done?
> Maybe I should just replace W0 and W1 with 9 G drives.

Copying to the System Winchesters is very time-consuming.  Also, when you try
to boot the machine, a sound file list has to be compiled EVERY TIME.  Todd
Yvega did this for Frank Zappa when he was very ill.  It was looked upon as a
mistake.  No one had done this before so they both had no idea of the
consequences.

You can get a Tahiti IV - VI drive for about $1500.  Then you would have to
purchase media and transfer all the libraries.

These are things that you can do with S/Link or OPCOPY (4.02). I do this for
other owners at $100 per side.   It can be VERY time intensive to format a disk
then copy a side then flip it over then format, etc.

Optical hard drives are really cool.  That's what I'm running exclusively.

> Are you saying that I can put several complete libraries on an 8gig hard
> drive and still be able to index? or will I only be able to put one library
> per drive?

All the sounds that will fit on an 8 gig drive (4 double sided platters).  The
.index file will keep track of all the sounds. So yes, several libraries on one
drive.  Pretty neat, huh?

> Maybe a 2 g jaz drive would be a better approach.  but I just hate having to
> walk all the way to the equipment room everytime I need to change a sound.

This is possible also (with a special SCSI dongle from Demas).  Then you can
MOUNT/UNMOUNT the drive to eject cartridges.

> Are there any special connectors needed to connect an 8 gig drive to the
> optical output or the optical drive?

No.  You just connect the drive to the SCSI connector on your tower (internally
or externally depending on model).

> A assume you must first connect the 8g drive to the optical disk making it
> O1, do the copying from O0 to O1 then remove the optical and connect the hd
> to the 50 pin SCSI connector at the tower?  Is that correct?

Yup.  8 gig & Optical both connected to the tower.  Then perform the
operation.  After that, you have an Optical Hard Drive.

> Can you recommend any specific hard drives to use or not use?

I would use Seagate, ummm Seagate, there's the possibility of using Seagate, and maybe another
Seagate.      I WOULD NEVER EVER USE QUANTUM, PERIOD! 
I have lost A LOT of Quantum drives to "Sticktion" (grease dries up and the platter refuses to rotate
without being hit with a heavy object - really!!!).  This is a major problem with this company for over
a decade.  Mac's used to come stock with Quantum.  They blow!!! 

Contact Molly at ICS.  She knows who I am and Todd Yvega, etc.  Let her know you are a
Synclavier guy.  She is at my "Hard Drive" page.  They will hook you up with new or used. 
They both have warranties.  This is THE company for Synclav people. Rorke Data is WAY
overpriced.  Todd Y. made a run for almost a dozen 9 gig drives for various people in Southern Cali. 

Here is some info from my "Sync Tips & Tricks" page: 

What kind of hard drives will the Synclavier recognize? 
 Use Seagate hard drives 
 Baracuda, Medalist, Hawk 
 SCSI or WIDE or ULTRA or FAST 
 Use 68 pin to 50 pin ide adaptor 
 PARITY CHECK DISABLE 

The family of drives is (for instance mine) 
2.91 GB Hard Drive, Seagate ST43400N SCSI-2 Fast Elite The 34 (or 3400) means the capacity (3.4
gig unformatted).  Just get the size you need within this series (Molly knows...) 

You should be good to go. 

Brandon Amison
Yaking Cat Music Studios
and Synclavier Information
http://home.earthlink.net/~yaking/

THE source of Synclavier information