Adding SCSI drive to A4000

[Abou27]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to add a 9Gb SCSI drive to my A4000 via a GVP 2000-HC+8 board.  Now, I know that IDE drives use scsi.device and my boot IDE drive is unit 0.  But, can I access the SCSI drive with the normal scsi.device and a new mounlist or do I need a separate eg. gvpscsi.device?  I was trying to copy scsi.device to then rename the copy but can't find it in devs:  Also, I can view mountlists for my cd drive etc but not hardrive so slightly unsure what to copy.  Would I have to change more than the device and unit tags?  Finally, I am familiar with changing id nos on external scsi units but have no idea how to do this on internal ones!  I read somewhere that the unit no should be 6 for a genuine SCSI hd on the Amiga; is this true?

Sorry, for all the questions but I have been going round in circles getting conflicting information from various sources!  Many thanks for any help.



A4000D 3.9  

[X-ray]

I can help with some of the questions:

1) That 9gb won't be scsi.device, it will be gvpscsi.device.
2) To change the ID of the HD, you will need to use the jumpers on the drive. But if I was you, I wouldn't change anything yet: I would just see if the drive when connected to the GVP SCSI is recognised (have you installed the software for the card yet?) By the way, the HD doesn't have to be any specific ID, such as 6, it must just be a unique ID on that SCSI chain.
3) If there is a conflict between the ID of the HD and the ID of the GVP host controller, it will be easier to change the ID of the card because the jumper pins are clearly marked 'ID' on the card (I think they are J3, J4, and J5).
4) Don't worry about mountlists, just see if the drive can be recognised in HDToolBox. If it can, and you can partition it and quickformat it, you will have the drive available, no further tinkering needed.    

[Abou27]

Cheers X-Ray. Yeah, I've installed the software.  If I run HDToolbox, it lists gvpscsi.device as well as the normal scsi but there are no drives listed when I click on it.

Is gvpscsi.device likely to default to id 0 and therefore conflict with the normal scsi.device or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[X-ray]

When you click on gvpscsi.device and then click 'ok' (make sure "wide SCSI board" is NOT checked) does it not look like it is scnning any IDs or LUNs? I mean does the screen with the "Interface, Adr, LUN, Drive, and Size not show any entries at all?

It doesn't sound like a conflict between the board and the drive (but you can put a single jumper on one of the ID jumper pin pairs on the card, just to change it for giggles-sake). Otherwise you need to start asking whether the cables and power are properly connected, and also you will need proper termination because that card doesn't have autosensing termination. So if you have a SCSI ribbon with three connectors, the first one could be attached to the GVP card, the second one (the middle one) will be attached to the drive, and you must find a terminator and put that on the last connector, the third one. 50 pin SCSI ribbon cables are usually 'keyed' so you can't plug them in the wrong way around on devices, but make sure anyway that the stripe on your cable is towards the power connector on the HD.

Tell us if the jumper change and the cable/power check and termination help you or not.

[adz]

Abou27 wrote:
Cheers X-Ray. Yeah, I've installed the software.  If I run HDToolbox, it lists gvpscsi.device as well as the normal scsi but there are no drives listed when I click on it.

Is gvpscsi.device likely to default to id 0 and therefore conflict with the normal scsi.device or am I barking up the wrong tree?

No, the device ID is at the hardware level, not software, each SCSI chain is independent of the other(s). If you do indeed need to change the SCSI ID of the HDD, then the easiest way is to visit google and type in something along the lines of " Jumpers", obviously substitiuting with the model number printed on the hdd.

Edit...also be sure to check that the SCSI chain is terminated correctly.

[Abou27]

After I click on gvpscsi.device then 'ok', the next screen appears straight away - no evidence of looking for HDs like on normal scsi.device.  The screen is completely blank ie. no headings as well as no devices listed.  The cables seem fine: stripe at power end. I only have a double ended cable so termination may be the problem ie. board and hd, no other connectors.  Presumably putting a terminator on the external socket wouldn't help?

I will go and try the jumpers now.

Cheers.

[adz]

You can usually set termination on the device itself, usually there is a jumper labled TR or TE, if you close that, the device activiates its own terminator.

[Abou27]

Thanks guys.  I have just tried a drive from an A2000 (having put brain in gear and remembering it was there)and it was recognized fine.  I've checked jumpers and it seems that the termination one is missing. So, this must be the problem.  However, it needs midget jumpers, not normal ones so I will have to pay my electronics store a visit tomorrow.

Thanks again for your suggestions :-)




P.S. The problem drive also became pretty hot after being on for a while.  To the point where couldn't hold it for any length of time.  Surely this ain't normal?  Maybe duff drive?

[shaf]

It Mightr be a duff drive. If it is a 10,000 RPM SCSI Drive they usually run quite hot.

Can you give a Model # of the Drive I can help you Further.

Generally all IBM Manufactured SCSI Hard Drives run quite hot afer a little while and do not work on all Amiga SCSI Controllers, I've even had problems with then on PC Non Adaptec Controllers.

Cheers

Shaf

p.s. Some drives may have a 8-16 bit jumper, nust be set to 8 bit for SCSI I & II type controllers to work.

[adz]

Abou27 wrote:
Thanks guys.  I have just tried a drive from an A2000 (having put brain in gear and remembering it was there)and it was recognized fine.  I've checked jumpers and it seems that the termination one is missing. So, this must be the problem.  However, it needs midget jumpers, not normal ones so I will have to pay my electronics store a visit tomorrow.

Thanks again for your suggestions :-)




P.S. The problem drive also became pretty hot after being on for a while.  To the point where couldn't hold it for any length of time.  Surely this ain't normal?  Maybe duff drive?

Older drives that are rated at or above 7200RPM can get extremely hot, its usually best to provide some form or airflow for them in order to prolong their life.

[Abou27]

Hi

It's a Seagate drive and it does run at 7200rpm hence heat, I guess.  The model is st19171n. Link to info page:

http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/scsi/st19171n.html


The jumper pins for termination etc are very short and thin.  Normal jumpers don't seem to fit correctly!  Shop doesn't have any smaller so I suppose I will have to solder a wire across.  I salvaged a small one from an old printer for the term pin but it still ain't working.

Can anyone explain the Term. Power settings shown on the info page?  This is the bit I will have to 'make' a jumper for.  I was aiming for the default setting but don't know whether this is correct.:-)

Thanks for the ideas.

[Druideck]

I had a SCSI drive where I had to play with the
motor start option. It needed to spin up before
booting.

My two bits worth :/

[X-ray]

@ Abou

The reason why I suggested ribbon terminators instead of drive terminators is because I too have old SCSI drives that I can't get jumpers for, or specs (there are two here whose jumpers are unknown to me).
You might get those instead. Something like this:

http://www.stsi.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?page=STSI_4/PROD/SCSITerminators50/22175