for all the FASTLANE SCS Z3 user

[Kin-Hell]

SIR-GERMAN wrote:
i need some help because i think i am going crazy .
i just buy a fastlane and i got a seagate barracuda 4 gigas 68 pins , so i got the connector to 50 pins but it did not work .
the board does not see it .
ok then i went to ebay i got a ibm 17 gigas 80 pin , and i buy  
the connector to 50 pins . ok os 3.9 sees the hardrive but i does not let format or partition .
ok i went and i buy a new quantun altas 9 gigas 80 pins i got the connector to 50 pins and again 0s 3.9 does not see it again like the seagate .
then i went and  i got rom 8.5 for the fastlane , still same result .
i try a old 1 giga ibm 50 pins and it work ok , and i try a 50 cd rom work ok .
wich hard drive should i buy ??
anyone can tell me what are they using in the fastlane ?
thank for your time

What Amiga are you using the Z3 in & what version Buster chip does it have?

[Kin-Hell]

Okay, these cards had LOTS of issues with different CPU's.
Like the Z3 needs to be on firmware 8 or above to use in an A4000 with 060 CPU. You appear to have 8.5 so this is ok.
Also, there are some issues with certain SCSI drives on certain SCSI controllers. Largely, the Z3 should conform to most SCSI II drives but there may be compatability issues as well as obvious performance issues with SCSI III drives.
It is after all, a SCSI II card, though DCE usually got things right.

Z3 Info

As an example, if you are using an A3640 card version 3, you are probably experiencing DMA issues, especially if the Z3 has No onboard RAM.

Also, you will need OS3.9 Hard Drive toolbox to Prep & format drives of that size but ideally, you should be using the Prep software that came with Card.

you can get the software from:

here:

and here:

Best of luck!  :-)

[Kin-Hell]

dnelsonfl wrote:
How much memory you have on the Fastlane isn't going to affect the SCSI.

It will BIG time if he has NO RAM on the Z3 & his Buster is a Rev 9. Without the Rev 11 Buster, this card will NOT access DMA correctly, but I concur, if his termination isn't right, he will have issues if using more than 1 device. Terminating the Hard Drive on a Single Device setup will be ok, though he will need to Terminate the Cable with an Active Terminator if he is using more than 1 SCSI device on the Bus. Sometimes, terminating the Last device is not always sucessful & an Active Terminator Pack on the cable itself is the only solution

[Kin-Hell]

SIR-GERMAN wrote:
can you tell me the jumpers for the fastlane  if i am using in internals devices ?
thank for your time

Have you Not read the Manual from my earlier Links? :smack:

Z3 German PDF Manual

Jumper Pics - English  

[Kin-Hell]

Sir German,

See your Pm's.
Email this man & explain Which type of hard drive you are trying to fit. He sells Amiga stuff & has a good knowledge of getting SCSI III drives to work. As far as I am aware, he sells the 50 - 68 pin convertors & I might be barking up the wrong tree, but the type you require might need a Molex connector to it.
Do check him out tho, he's a complete Star!  :-)

[Kin-Hell]

SIR-GERMAN wrote:
what is a molex connector ?
i am going to send a email to him, thank for your pm

A "molex" connector is the type of connector you shove into the Hard drive for its Power. I dont know if the hard drive takes it's power from this gizmo as well & at the same time, I could be talking from the wrong hole. I have had no need to employ one of these devices. Mail Marcin as I know he has sold these items from his site. Tell him Charlie sez "ello" & tell him I'll be writing soon! Thanks.

Best of luck!  :-)

*edit*   Cr4p, just looking at his site, I can't see the adapater I was thinking about. Dont forget to mention all your problems & the advice about the upper & Lower 8 bits being addressed correctly. Some very good advice there!  :-)

[Kin-Hell]

SIR-GERMAN wrote:
where do i buy that 50->68pin adaptor which terminates the upper Byte?
thank for your time

Hmm, without wanting to appear rude, it would appear you have a small amount of knowledge regarding the issues you are experiencing & despite lots of usefull help here, you still appear to be flapping around in the wind.

This Item will allow a 68Pin SCSI Drive to connect to a 50 Way Ribbon cable.

SCSI 50M-68M

As to it Terminating the Upper/Lower 8 Bits correctly, I don't know if this Item will do it. But as in my PM to you earlier, Email Marcin & ask him these questions regarding the 8bit termination. Point him to this thread if you are having communication issues. He speaks & writes Excellent English.

[Kin-Hell]

SIR-GERMAN wrote:
i find this adaptador in ebay
is that the one i am looking for ?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5126879820&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT

Yeah, probably, but if you use the Link from marcin's Website, it will only cost you $10.8199 USD instead of $24.95 USD & the Postage will be alot cheaper as well.

Chill out & stop rushing around like a headless chicken because that will just burn a hole in your pocket. :crazy:

*edit* Dont forget, you will also need to put an Active Terminator on the 50 way SCSI cable.

[Kin-Hell]

SIR-GERMAN wrote:
"the other option is to only have 68/80pin devices with a 68wire ribbon cable hooking them all together. then at least the upper 8 bits are terminated, and the host adapter with a 68-50pin plug is on the lower 8 bits."

i am going to try this one

fastlane 50 pin + 50 to 68 pin + 68 pin cable -------80 pin hardrive ----------80 pin hardrive ---------+ terminator
i think if i do it that way i dont have to terminated the upper 8 bit.
to use the 80 pin hd i have the connector 68to80 pin.
is that ok

This is strating to hurt........... :cry:  :shrug:  :mickeymouse:  :roflmao:

Have you had a reply from Marcin yet?

[Kin-Hell]

Seriously, & with all respect, Kick back a Chill about this.

Your Z3 SCSI II 50 way Ribbon cable will need terminating in accordance with the number & type of SCSI devices you have attatched to it. If you are going to confuse matters by adding SCSI III devices to SCSI II Controllers, you will need to terminate the SCSI III devices Upper/Lower 8 bit addresses through the Converters you attatch to the SCSI III Devices in order to get the SCSI II controller to talk to them with the correct Protocols, but ONLY when you have terminated the SCSI II Controller correctly. This can change depending on what type of SCSI devices you have on the BUS.

SCSI is a complex protocol to terminate properly. Normally, more than 1 SCSI device on ANY type of SCSI bus (1, 2 or 3),
then the SCSI standard says you have to terminate the LAST device in the SCSI chain with an Active terminator.
I have had a scenario with 2 SCSI drives and an Archive 250Mb SCSI Tape Streamer on the end of the Bus. If I put termination on the SCSI Bus (the cable), the tape streamer would NOT fucntion & that was on an Octogon SCSI card with RAM.

SCSI in the real world does NOT always conform to SCSI Standards & a guy I know as a Systems Manager on UNIX will confirm what I'm saying here.

Some of this stuff with SCSI is a "suck-it-and-see" scenario. Give Marcin chance to reply & see where you go from there!

[Kin-Hell]

You are more than welcome, everyone replying on this thread is trying to help you, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

 :-)

[Kin-Hell]

Sir-German;

Any news or advances for you yet?

[Kin-Hell]

Sir-German, are you conversant with SCSI Protocols & how to set SCSI configurations up?