blgardne@javelin.es.com (Blaine Gardner) (03/16/91)
johnhlee@elli.cs.cornell.edu (John H. Lee) writes: >Has anyone gotten the BTNTape SCSI tape driver to function with a Hardframe >2000? >I purchased a surplus MCD40 SCSI tape drive and have successfully hooked it >up to my system. BTNTape can successfully query the drive, do a tape rewind, >etc., but will GURU (#4--illegal instruction) whenever it tries a SCSI write >or SCSI read of data. It's a bit strange since the other SCSI-Direct commands >function just fine. Is it a problem with the Hardframe driver? It may be the BTNTape driver, since it was only designed to support one particular 3M random access tape drive. If that's what you've got, nevermind, the model number mentioned doesn't ring any bells. I'm quite sure the problem is not the Hardframe because I've successfully used Marcus Wandel's TAPE: device with several tape drives on an A2500. -- Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108 blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com or ...dsd.es.com!javelin!blgardne DoD #0046 My other motorcycle is a Quadracer. BIX: blaine_g Anticipation, anticipation, is making me late, is keeping me waiting.
DrBob@cup.portal.com (Robert A Rethemeyer) (03/16/91)
John Lee writes... > Thanks--at least it works for somebody. The drive is the same model > described in the docs for the BTNTape driver. After a little more > investigation and a little programming, I discovered that the tape drive > may be faulty--it always reports a media error after formatting. The Before you give up on your drive, let me make a couple suggestions. First, make sure the CHASSIS of the MCD40 is WELL GROUNDED. The ground wire from the drive's power connector is insufficient for grounding the chassis. If the drive is screwed to the 2000's chassis, that is probably ok. But if you are running it outside, it will be VERY susceptible to noise, resulting in media errors. Run a thick wire from a side-plate to the power supply ground. Second, make sure that byte 5 (sixth byte) of the formattape file is set to "80", so that the drive will retry errors during formatting. I had a couple tapes that wouldn't format unless I allowed retries. Or, as 3M recommends, bulk-erase the tape before attempting another format. > BTNTape driver doesn't seem to handle faults very well. True, but there is not much you can do with a medium error. The 3M drive is pretty smart about remapping bad blocks and recovering data. If it can't do that, there is nothing that the handler can do to make it all better. BTW, I have a new version of BTN that should be ready to send out soon. It handles errors a little better, supports many other types of drives (as well as the 3M), and has some new features. I'll post a note when it becomes available. This new version has been used on a HardFrame with success. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bob Rethemeyer // "My Sneaker-Phone keeps kicking my DrBob@cup.portal.com -or- // Football-Phone off the hook." ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!DrBob // - Jay Leno
blgardne@javelin.es.com (Blaine Gardner) (03/17/91)
johnhlee@hermod.cs.cornell.edu (John H. Lee) writes: >On the other hand, I've experienced some crashes that look suspiciously >like a problem with the HardFrame driver. A SCSI mode-sense while the >drive is in the middle of tape-reconditioning frequently brings able a GURU >and a hung SCSI-bus. My HardFrame ROM version is 1.5C. If you think you've got a Hardframe problem, get in touch with Microbotics, they seem very helpful. Your best bet would be their conference on BIX, but a letter or phone call would work too I imagine. There was also a Hardframe ROM/software upgrade released several months back. I don't know it's version number or what it fixed/added though. -- Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland 580 Arapeen Drive, SLC, Utah 84108 blgardne@javelin.sim.es.com or ...dsd.es.com!javelin!blgardne DoD #0046 My other motorcycle is a Quadracer. BIX: blaine_g Anticipation, anticipation, is making me late, is keeping me waiting.