senese@UXV.LARC.NASA.GOV (frederick a senese) (04/18/89)
Posting for a friend. Please Email replies to senese@uxv.larc.nasa.gov, or philip@vtvm1.bitnet. -------------------. On April 12, 1988 I purchased a StarDrive SCSI Interface Module from MicroScience Inc. to be used with a Starboard 2MB memory expansion. I had planned to add a 20 MB hard disk to my Amiga 1000 running on a 68010. I aquired a OMTI 5100 controller card and a MicroScience HH-725 20 MB hard disk drive after checking with MicroBotics and confirming planned support for the OMTI controller. I purchased the powersupply and built up the required cable. I then assembled the unit and discovered that the MicroBotics software would not support the OMTI controller. I contacted MicroBotics and was told that they had decieded that they would not support the OMTI series of controllers after all. I was told that they would support the Adaptec 4000A controller. . I tested the power supply and cabling by configuring a SeaGate ST-157N hard disk into the system. I then sucessfully mounting & formatted this drive combination while waiting foe MicroBotics to release the Adaptec Update disk. I also was saving for an Adaptec 4000A controller card. After I received the Adaptec Update I purchased the ACB-4000A controller card and configured it into the system with the MicroScience HH-725 hard disk drive. . I followed all of the configuration steps outlind in the update disk "Readme" file. I copied the contents of the Update Disks Expansion directory into the MicroBotics disk Expansion directory. I obtained the the following information as requested by the instructions. Cylinders -- 612 Surfaces --- 4 Landing Zone -- Outer Area # Steps -- 2 Step Rate -- 1 Write Current -- Reduced (R-PU) Target ID # -- 0 Logical Unit # -- 0 . The hard disk was connected to "J0" on the controller board and the controller board was configured for unit number "0" (no jumpers). The write current selection jumper was connected for "R-PU". I proceeded through the StarDrive/Adaptec menu answering all of the questions with the above information attempting to mount the drive. After selecting the LUN number the program indicated that it was "Attempting to Mount Drive". At that point the red access light on the Adaptec board illuminated. The system stayed like this for hours. It would not accept keyboard input, only mouse pointer movement. . I have tried the same configuration with a SeaGate ST-138 20 MB hard disk, adjusting the parateters accordingly with no better result. I have contacted MicroBotics and was told that they have no idea what the problem may be. I am confident that the hardware is working as I have tested the StarDrive/Starboard unit, power supply, and cabling on a SCSI embedded drive that worked well. I have also tried two disk drives of different manufacture and have tried two Adaptec ACB-4000A controller boards. I believe that the problem lies in the driver software. At this point I can expect no more assistance from MicroBotics and am desperately looking for a working driver. HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! . Keith
cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (04/18/89)
In article <8904171716.AA07710@uxv.larc.nasa.gov> (frederick a senese) writes: > >Posting for a friend. Please Email replies to >senese@uxv.larc.nasa.gov, or philip@vtvm1.bitnet. This is generally useful info so I thought I would pass it along ... In general, when using the any SCSI->ST506 converter, but the Adaptec in particular, be sure to adequately shield the Adaptec from the drive itself. If you mount them together this will *not* work, rather you must mount a piece of conductive material between the drive and the Adaptec board and ground it. I had similar problems to the ones that Fred's friend describes and found that shielding/grounding the controller helped immensely. --Chuck McManis uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: cmcmanis ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you. "A most excellent barbarian ... Genghis Kahn!"