[comp.sys.mac.hardware] Quantum LPS drives, Mac LC and Illustrator 3.0 crashes.

pascal@CAM.ORG (Pascal Gosselin) (03/09/91)

I have recently encountered what could possibly be the most obscure
bug I have ever witnessed on the Mac (and  I've experienced plenlty).

For some unkown reason, the combination of system 6.0.7,
the Mac LC and Illustrator 3.0 when Illustrator is LAUCHED from
a Quantum LPS drive (52 or 105meg), a system error (ID 2 or 28) will
occur.

I have tested the exact same configuration on the Apple-supplied
Conner 40meg and Illustrator 3.0 works fine.  The only difference
betwwen the two drives being the SCSI driver (from a software
point of view), I proceeded to re-format the LPS drives with
3 other software drivers from different drive makers, each with
the same result (ID 28).

This is NOT a power consumption problem, since the problem is also
present when using the LPS mechanism in an external SCSI casing and
power supply.

On a Mac LC with two hard disks (internal Conner 40 with Apple driver
and external LPS drive with Unimac Storeware driver, for example),
Illustrator will work only if it is launched from the Conner.  Illustrator
3.0 will even work if we boot off the LPS and launch the App from the
Conner (NOT vice-versa).

I suspect some kind of SCSI driver problem since I was even able to
duplicate the problem on a Mac SE (20meg internal to boot off from,
LPS 52meg external, system 6.0.4 on the Mac SE).

I have contacted Adobe regarding the problem, but they had not heard
of the problem yet.

If you are running Adobe Illustrator off an LPS mechanism, I would
like to know how it was done (note: these are full-blown LPS
mechasnisms not slowed-down to fit power requirements, so the
Apple 40meg LPS would not really count).

Thanks.


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steveh@tasman.cc.utas.edu.au (Steven Howell) (03/19/91)

Pascal, hello again.


Your problem with the LC may be a problem I had with sim city.
Since both packages are graphics intensive, then the little 24 bit clean problem
may be affecting Illustrator 3.0 also.

If the screen comes up with sctattered graphics, but movement and operation
semi-operatable, then try the MMinit. By placing this little gem into your
system folder, it will effectivley clean up the bit transfer.

To give you a demo of how this works try using Sim city on an LC, then try it
with MMinit. (version 1.02c i think os sim city - the colour version of course)

To date these have been the only software problem that i know of concerning
compatibility.

See how you go.
Steveh