ilios@pro-graphics.cts.com (James Sibley) (09/26/90)
CS-ID: #9.amiga/talk@pro-graphics 1701 chars
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 90 21:03:52 EDT
From: ilios (James Sibley)
Subject: Hard Drive Help...
Well, let's get right to the problem. I have an Amiga 2500/030 with the
A2091 controller and 40 Meg Quantum standard. I just added to the system a
Quantum 105 Meg HD. I mounted it on the A2091 card and used a three pronged
SCSI cable to connect both drives to the board. I used a Y-power cable to
enable me to connect both drives to the power supply. It was a tight fit but
it did fit. It was working o.k. until I attempted to copy files from the full
40 Meg drive to the new HD partition. After completing several successful
transfers the HD light just stayed on while all disk activity ceased. The
system also became unresponsive. Upon warm reboot, it was proclaimed that the
partition I was trying to copy to had a read/write error. The files that made
it before the crash were o.k. and the disk seemed otherwise fine. That's
about it.
So, what could the problem be, you ask. Well, that's what I ask also. Is
it the fact that both drives are hooked to the internal power supply by a
Y-splitter type cable? Should the new HD be connected to the power jack that
is located on the A2091 card itself? Is it a faulty HD? Is it important to
maintain a certain order when connecting drives and card with the SCSI cable?
Am I losing my mind? (well, that's a given..) I have been asking these
questions of myself but have not solved the problem. It seems to occur only
when copying or transferring files between the two drives, and not
immediately, but rather after a few files have already made it.
Please help me. If you have any vague idea of what might be wrong, or
even if you just want to laugh at my woes, please let me know...
*IlioS*
ProLine : ilios@pro-graphics "Nous Sommes Du Soleil"
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Internet : ilios@pro-graphics.cts.com YESkent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu (Kent D. Polk) (09/26/90)
In article <4655@crash.cts.com> ilios@pro-graphics.cts.com (James Sibley) writes: > Well, let's get right to the problem. I have an Amiga 2500/030 with the >A2091 controller and 40 Meg Quantum standard. I just added to the system a >Quantum 105 Meg HD. I mounted it on the A2091 card and used a three pronged [...] > It was working o.k. until I attempted to copy files from the full >40 Meg drive to the new HD partition. After completing several successful >transfers the HD light just stayed on while all disk activity ceased. The >system also became unresponsive. Upon warm reboot, it was proclaimed that the >partition I was trying to copy to had a read/write error. The files that made >it before the crash were o.k. and the disk seemed otherwise fine. That's >about it. There appears to be a problem with the 2091 and two SCSI drives. I have the same controller and drives and experience the same problem, only I mounted the 40 Meg hardcard style. CATS personnel thought that the problem was with the new Western Digital SCSI controller and how 'reselection' was handled. I turned off reselection on one, then both of the drives. This appeared to help things a bit, as it was a while before I experienced this failure again, but I did, so the problem appears to be a bit deeper. Copying multiple directories seems to be the culprit. If I just copy files, I never have this happen. The failure works with all methods of moving directories I have tried, including DiskSalv. You also got lucky with just a read/write error. I usually have to unplug the offending drive to let the OS boot without a GURU, then connect it back LIVE to reformat it. I surely don't recommend this, but it is the ONLY way I have found to get the machine up and running after this failure. BTW, this has happened about 12 times to me now. I suggest you keep backups. Kent Polk: Southwest Research Institute (512) 522-2882 Internet : kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu UUCP : $ {cs.utexas.edu, gatech!petro, sun!texsun}!swrinde!kent
clj@rtmvax.UUCP (Chuck Joslin) (09/27/90)
In article <28419@swrinde.nde.swri.edu> kent@swrinde.UUCP (Kent D. Polk) writes: > >There appears to be a problem with the 2091 and two SCSI drives. I >have the same controller and drives and experience the same problem, >only I mounted the 40 Meg hardcard style. CATS personnel thought that >the problem was with the new Western Digital SCSI controller and how >'reselection' was handled. I turned off reselection on one, then both >.....[stuff deleted] Service centers have received a bulletin concerning this problem on the A2091. A fix will be (or recently has been) released. Check with your dealer/service center for the current status. You will need to bring your controller in to have the offending IC replaced. This is a known problem. I believe it will be covered as an in-warranty repair. As it should be. A3000s have a similar, but unrelated problem with multiple SCSI devices. At least in the early units that were shipped. -Chuck -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Chuck Joslin Commodore-Amiga Education Market Specialist AmiComp Computer Center Orlando, Florida (407)366-2000 BBS (407)366-6336 Only Amiga!