chuck@aebbs.lakesys.COM (Chuck Tomasi) (03/22/90)
[ My original plea for help: ] > Information wanted about SCSI Tape drives and SCO Xenix 2.3.2! Does > anyone know of a SCSI tape drive that will work with SCO Xenix 2.3.2? I > will be purchasing an Adaptec 1640 (MCA version of the 1540) which will > work with a number of hard drives and SCO Xenix. I need to know if > there is a 125MB (or something close to that capacity) drive that will > work. I've talked to a few manufacturers and distributors and I've gotten > nowhere. The hard drive is no problem, but I'd like to hang a SCSI tape > of the same interface. I figure that someone must have done this with a > 1540 and SCO Xenix (386) before... robecdc!ghost (William A. Sneed) writes: william> Unisys has one that works with the 1540. uunet!csinc!rpeglar (Rob Peglar) writes: rob> we're using an adaptec 1542a scsi adapter with a archive 150 tape drive rob> w/o problems. xenix 2.3.2gt. I wrote back: > After speaking with Archive they confirm that people have been using the > 150 MB drive, but they don't have the drivers. The person I spoke with > in Tech Support believes that SCO supplies those. > I forgot to ask you about the software drivers for the Archive tape. I > just got off the phone with Archive tech support and they said that they > believe the SCO (gt) drivers work fine with the tape. Did you install > the QIC-02 drivers from SCO to get the tape to work or was it some other > method? [ He responded with: ] rob> It was very simple. Just invoke "mkdev tape", choose SCSI, and give it rob> the LUN info (look in the Archive doc for the jumper settings). Should rob> just create /dev/rct0 and /dev/nrct0, rebuild kernel, and away you go. jim@tiamat.fsc.com (James B. O'Conner) writes: jim> Our current SCSI setup (under Xenix 2.3.2GT) looks like: jim> Adaptec 1540A (from Tandy) configured as primary controller, with a jim> CDC Wren V 1/2 height 190MB drive and Quantum Q280 1/2 height 80MB jim> drive attached jim> Adaptec 1540B (also from Tandy) configured as secondary controller, with jim> a Syquest SQ555 44MB removeable hard drive and Archive 2150S 150MB jim> 1/4" tape drive attached jim> The tape drive writes standard QIC 150MB tapes (I can't remeber the jim> QIC-?? number) and reads 60MB tapes just fine. jim> The dual host adapter set up is caused by the reality of the CDC and jim> Syquest drives not working on the same SCSI bus. paulb@zds-ux.ZDS.COM (Paul E. Berg) writes: paul> You have specified SCO Xenix 2.3.2 (apparently for MCA) -- but not paul> 2.3.2GT. This may be important as the 2.3.2AT system does not include paul> the SCSI driver for the Adaptec host adaptor... I don't know about paul> MCA version(s) of the software -- look for a module named "adaptec.o" paul> in the io library (/usr/sys/io/libio.a) assuming you have a paul> development system... (without a dev sys consult your release notes, paul> 2.3.2GT makes a point of asking if your primary disk is standard, OMTI paul> ESDI, or SCSI) paul> If you have SCSI support -- there are a number of SCSI cartridge tape paul> drives which will write in either/both QIC-150 and QIC-120 formats and paul> read QIC-150, QIC-120, and QIC-24 formats. paul> Three which are in use here are: paul> the Archive 2150S, the Cipher ST150S/90, and the Cipher ST150S-II/90 paul> Warning: when using SCO tar with the cartridge tape device be sure paul> that the tape size is properly specified -- if you set it for 120MB paul> tapes, that's all you'll write on 150s (DC600XTD); if you set it for paul> 150MB tapes and use a 120 (DC600A), you'll write off the end of paul> media... Don't even attempt to create multi-volume cpio archives -- paul> they can't be restored... (yes, the driver leaves a little to be paul> desired at the moment -- there is work in progress). It seems that the conclusion is apparent. The Archive 2150ES (external model of the 2150S) will work with the SCO SCSI drivers once I get the upgrade and add them to the kernel. It also appears that the hard drive is academic. Any SCSI hard drive which works with the 1540 will work with the 1640. Adaptec and SCO have both tested and named off many that I can use. My only problem left is getting the dealer to find one in an external model. They are currently working on that. If the distributor I am in contact with cannot get me a disk sometime this week I'll just get the tape and SCSI host adapter from him and get the drive from another place which I already know has a Maxtor disk waiting for me. I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who helped with their input to this problem. It decreased the amount of phone calls I had to make and I got information from sources which I thought were "dry wells" (Archive.) It looks like I should have the whole package togther in a few weeks. Thank you all very much. I only hope I can return the favor some day. [ed. note - the 1640 is apparently in beta testing, so don't look for it through normal distribution channels. Adaptec should have more info if anyone is interested.]