AmigaOS 4.1 Classic CSPPC UW-SCSI install problem

[HammerD]

I am having a problem with AmigaOS 4.1 Classic and my Cyberstorm PPC UW-SCSI interface.

The setup is:-
Amiga 4000 desktop in tower case.
Cyberstorm PPC with 128MB memory.
Mediator 4000Di (WINSIZE set for 512MB).
Radeon 9200 PCI 256MB graphics card (I modified the Radeon to work with the 5V only mediator).
Realtek 8029 PCI network card.
IDE DVD Burner.
IDE Seagate 160GB HDD.
(I also have some R-IDSC SCSI to IDE modules which work fine with this setup).

The problem is that if anything is connected to the Cyberstorm PPC UW-SCSI bus (even just terminators), then AmigaOS 4.1 floppy+boot CD stops after displaying the "AmigaOS 4.1 Classic" splash screen on the Radeon card.

1. If I have nothing connected to the CSPPC UW-SCSI connector (unterminated) and both the DVD burner and HDD are on the A4000 IDE interface, it boots up fine and I can run in Live CD mode.
(Note: CSPPC has been setup with No MapROM, 70ns memory speed, all SCSI devices are default + cybppc.device 44.71)

2. If I add an unterminated UW-SCSI cable to the CSPPC UW-SCSI connector, it still boots fine.

3. If I terminate the UW-SCSI cable (one or both ends - yes, I know it needs to be terminated at both ends...), it stops at the splash screen.

4. If I move the DVD burner and HDD to the UW-SCSI cable using the R-IDSC modules, then it also boots up but again stops at the "AmigaOS 4.1 Classic" splash screen. This seems to indicate that the SCSI bus is working since it is booting from the AmigaOS4.1 CD!

5. If I boot using AmigaOS 3.9 floppy+CD with HDD & DVD on SCSI bus, this works perfectly. I can use HDTOOLBOX to see both the HDD & DVD drive on the CSPPC UW-SCSI bus.

I'm not sure exactly where the problem lies. The CSPPC UW-SCSI interface appears to work fine when using OS3.9. I've read that the cybppc.device under OS4.x is more strict with cable termination and setup, but there are no error messages or any indication from the boot sequence that anything is wrong, it just stops after displaying the splash screen when there is a terminated device on the CSPPC UW-SCSI connector. Is it possible to view some debug output on the serial port to help determine what is wrong?

I've tried various SCSI cables, terminations and SCSI settings and it does the same thing every time. I could just use the A4000 IDE interface and forget about the CSPPC UW-SCSI, however I would prefer to use it.

Any help would be appreciated. BTW, I also had a similar problem with AmigaOS 4.0 Classic and ended up just using the A4000 IDE...


Regards,
Stephen.

I'll need the serial debug log to be of any assistance.  Instructions for setting it up are here:

http://www.hd-zone.com/2011/05/how-to-setup-serial-output-debugging-on-amigaos-4-1-classic/

I have almost the same setup as you and it works.  I have active terminators on both ends of the SCSI cable and the scsi hard disk is not terminated nor is my scsi cdrom.

Darren

[HammerD]

Thanks.
Stephen.

I've sent the debug output to the author of the device driver...I will let you know what he says.  If you don't hear back from me in a couple days send me a pm.

thanks

[HammerD]

Could someone with a CSPPC who has successfully installed AmigaOS 4.1 Classic onto a UW-SCSI drive (or something on the UW-SCSI interface) try the boot floppy+CD with the UW-SCSI cable only terminated at one end please? Does it boot properly?

I'm trying to narrow down the problem and I need more information. From the debug output the cybppc.device is locking up after 'sending a request to target 1'.


Regards,
Stephen.

Yes, that boots here and appears to install fine. I went through a complete install, booting from floppy, then installed all the Extras programs after.

It is a Seagate ST39102LW UW SCSI drive.

http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=356e5a802efbd010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD&locale=en-US&reqPage=Legacy

I have:

ACTIVE Terminator --> CS PPC scsi Controller --> empty connector --> SCSI hard drive at end of cable.   The only jumper on the drive is force SE (single ended).  No other jumpers on the drive.

Although technically I think that is an invalid setup.

Darren

[HammerD]

Thank you Darren. I happen to have a Seagate ST39102LW UW SCSI drive as well, so I tried the exact same setup as you and it still stops at the splash screen. It sounds like there could be a fault with the SYMBIOS 53C770 chip, although it's odd that it works with AmigaOS 3.9.

Do you know what your SCSI boot setup is (from PPC boot menu)? I tried various options, but didn't appear to make a difference.

BTW, is your FlashROM cybppc.device version 44.71 (I know it uses a newer version in AmigaOS 4.1, just wondering)?


Regards,
Stephen.

AmigaOS 4 doesn't use the phase5 cybppc.device, so the settings in there are irrelevent.  Of course, you need the unit enabled in the CS PPC boot menu to cold boot from it, but once the OS4 kernel loads the cybppc.device.kmod from OS4 takes over and any settings in the CS PPC boot menu setup are not used  at all.  For the record I have it all set to automatic settings in the CS PPC boot menu.  Unit 0 enabled.

The FlashROM is the latest, same as you, 44.71.

There _can be_ some issues with hard drives that have been used in the past many times with existing RDB's and/or Amiga partitions.  If you have any way to totally wipe the drive and ensure there is no former RDB installed that might help.  It's possible it is  hanging up on that.

You may be able to do it with OS 3.9 - see what is in the RDB and if possible remove any filesystem in there just to see if it helps.   But in most cases people have had to totally wipe the drive on another computer (ie. Windows or linux box).

That is only a theory now but I would try it.  I keep an old adaptec PCI SCSI card around just in case I need to hook up the drive to my PC and access it to verify it's working or wipe it.

Darren

[HammerD]

Thanks Darren, I wasn't sure if the OS4.1 cybppc.device used any of the settings from the boot menu.

I will look into the RDB of the drive and remove any existing partitions. One other thing you could try (if you don't mind?):-

ACTIVE Terminator --> CS PPC scsi Controller --> empty connector --> nothing at end of cable.

On my setup this still fails with boot floppy+CD(IDE).

I just tried the ST39102LW drive with AmigaOS 3.9, checked the drive is using synchronous+16-bit transfers (using Phase 5 UnitControl) and then did some speed tests with the old SCSIBench. I can get >10MB/s transfers (speed bar goes off the screen) with no errors.


Regards,
Stephen.

Ok i just tried it and it worked.  The SCSI cable connected with an active terminator, then CS PPC scsi controller, then nothing but empty connectors.  Still boots.  I'm sitting at the Welcome screen now showing on my monitor...

So I'm not sure what is going on with your setup.... :-/

I suggest you post your issue in the official support forums which have just opened...

See here for instructions on signing up:  http://blog.hyperion-entertainment.biz/

Darren

[HammerD]

Hi, I'm italian I don't know english sorry.
My experience is very strange, I installed very easy and very fast AOS 4.1 Classic on my system with same hd but after installation, system don't boot.
Boot only with IDE devices, with scsi device nothing.

Hi there

I suggest you read (and translate with translate service like google translate) my tutorial on setting up your hard drive:

http://blog.hyperion-entertainment.biz/?p=210

Most common problems are:

1) no file system in the RDB, or if there is, DosType is set incorrectly
2) Boot priority not set high enough
3) Boot partition beyond the first 4GB of the drive
4) Boot partition >4GB

PS - please use the new Hyperion forums for technical support issues

http://forum.hyperion-entertainment.biz/

Thnx.