rbabel@babylon.rmt.sub.org (Ralph Babel) (02/11/91)
In article <1484@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com> boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: > Unfortunately, the GVP backup software does not recognize > the tape units existence. Did you change the device driver name defined in TapeStore's TOOLTYPE array? > Aren't there some SCSI standards which all controllers and > attached devices should adhere to, thereby allowing this > unit to work with my current controller setup? This standard is called HD_SCSICMD. > One other question, if I do need to replace the > controller, will I need to reformat my entire harddrive? If Xetec adheres to the RDB standard: probably no.
boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) (02/11/91)
I own a Xetec Fastrack hard drive controller board. I recently purchased a GVP 105Mb streamer tape backup unit. The tape unit has been set up to plug into the SCSI extension port on my Xetec controller. Unfortunately, the GVP backup software does not recognize the tape units existence. Now I am told (contrary to the purchase statements) that the GVP tape unit will not work with the Xetec controller, and that I should replace my controller with a GVP unit. I guess I am confused. Shouldn't this tape unit just be treated as another SCSI device? Aren't there some SCSI standards which all controllers and attached devices should adhere to, thereby allowing this unit to work with my current controller setup? One other question, if I do need to replace the controller, will I need to reformat my entire harddrive? Thanks.
Mike.Wilkins@p3.f55.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org (Mike Wilkins) (02/12/91)
KB> I own a Xetec Fastrack hard drive controller board. I recently KB> purchased a GVP 105Mb streamer tape backup unit... ...Unfortunately, KB> the GVP backup software does not recognize the tape units existence. Are your terminators ok? Your HD should be on the end and have the terminators with the Tape unit in the middle. Also, in the Xetec Partitions program, the Tape unit should be in the lower left box. This is how my Xetec HD & Xetex Tape unit is setup. Unfortunatly, some tape backup units do not have a device driver. They are controlled by the Tape units support software. This means that they cannot be used with someone elses tape backup software. I'd suggest calling Xetec. They would have the answers. It's possible that you could use the Xetex software if all else fails. -- Mike Wilkins - via The Minnesota Macintosh Users Group UUCP-Fido Gateway UUCP: ...uunet!tcnet!kksys!edgar!mmug!55.3!Mike.Wilkins INET: Mike.Wilkins@p3.f55.n282.z1.mmug.edgar.mn.org
darrell@comspec.uucp (Darrell Grainger) (02/14/91)
In article <1484@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com>, boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: > I own a Xetec Fastrack hard drive controller board. I recently > purchased a GVP 105Mb streamer tape backup unit. The tape unit > has been set up to plug into the SCSI extension port on my > Xetec controller. Unfortunately, the GVP backup software does > not recognize the tape units existence. Now I am told (contrary > to the purchase statements) that the GVP tape unit will not > work with the Xetec controller, and that I should replace my > controller with a GVP unit. I guess I am confused. Shouldn't > this tape unit just be treated as another SCSI device? Aren't > there some SCSI standards which all controllers and attached > devices should adhere to, thereby allowing this unit to work > with my current controller setup? > > One other question, if I do need to replace the controller, > will I need to reformat my entire harddrive? Thanks. The SCSI standard just determines how the controller card communicates with the hard drive/tape streamer. It does not have to be the same from the SCSI controller to the computer. Each SCSI controller has ROMs that map themselves into memory. The software that comes with the controller knows how to find those ROMs and which routines are where (relative to the start of the ROM). Since the GVP software will not work with your Xetec controller you will either have to get software from Xetec that does the same thing as the GVP software would do or you are going to have to get a GVP controller to go with the software. If you switch to a GVP controller you will have to backup and reformat you SCSI hardware. I have not looked at the RKM (ROM Kernal Manuals) for Libs & Devs recently but I do remember there are some SCSI routines listed. My guess would be that the routines provided by Commodore were deemed unsatisfactory (to slow or something) so the other companies formed their own method of using SCSI devices. Darrell
jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) (02/20/91)
In article <1991Feb14.142917.9746@comspec.uucp> darrell@comspec.uucp (Darrell Grainger) writes: >In article <1484@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com>, boi@richsun.cpg.trs.reuter.com (Ken Boi) writes: >> I own a Xetec Fastrack hard drive controller board. I recently >> purchased a GVP 105Mb streamer tape backup unit. The tape unit >> has been set up to plug into the SCSI extension port on my >> Xetec controller. Unfortunately, the GVP backup software does >> not recognize the tape units existence. Now I am told (contrary >> to the purchase statements) that the GVP tape unit will not >> work with the Xetec controller, and that I should replace my >> controller with a GVP unit. I guess I am confused. Shouldn't > I have not looked at the RKM (ROM Kernal Manuals) for Libs & Devs recently >but I do remember there are some SCSI routines listed. My guess would be that >the routines provided by Commodore were deemed unsatisfactory (to slow or >something) so the other companies formed their own method of using SCSI devices. There is a standard jointly developed by Commodore and the 3rd- party hardware developers call "scsidirect". All controllers adhering to the scsidirect spec support a standard command allowing applications (like tape backup software) to access the scsi bus. (There is a separate spec called "Rigid Disk Blocks" which defined how partitions, etc are to be recognized.) Most developers support scsidirect (or will). I know that newer GVP controllers do, Microbotics Hardframe does, etc. If Xetec supports scsidirect you can use any tape drive so long as your backup software uses scsidirect. I assume the GVP software does. You will have to tell the GVP software what the name of the driver is, though (check the manual or check with GVP). It's possible it doesn't use scsidirect (I hope not), or that the driver name is hardcoded (once again I hope not). -- Randell Jesup, Keeper of AmigaDos, Commodore Engineering. {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com BIX: rjesup The compiler runs Like a swift-flowing river I wait in silence. (From "The Zen of Programming") ;-)