A2000 hard drive lockup

[nineoc]

When attempting to re-install Pagestream 3.3a on my A2000, equipped with a GVP 040, on a formatted and partitioned IBM hard drive, the installer reported a write error on one of the partitions. As all that was on the drive was WB 3.1, I decided to repartition and reformat the drive.

HD toolbox repartitioned the drive okay, but when it came time to format the partitions, the drive locked up, and the hard drive light stayed on. I shut the machine down, removed the drive, and installed a second drive, setup with WB 2.1. My machine is also equipped with a ROM switcher. When booting with the 2.1 drive, the icons show on the desktop, but the clock icon freezes, and the hard drive light stays on.

I am concerned that perhaps a chip on the 040, which also has a SCSI controller built in to it, may have failed.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

[CLS2086]

Use FaaassttPrep from GVP and change the scsi firmware

[nineoc]

Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by firmware?
I am missing my copy of 040 Faaassttprep. Any idea where to get a replacement?

[Tahoe]

You can download the latest version of the G-Force 040 Combo disk straight from GVP's website: http://www.gvp-m.com/updatejapan.html

Are you using disks you have used earlier with that Accelerator? Are you sure Termination is set up properly?

[nineoc]

Thanks. This is not a new installation of the accelerator. It has been working fine in this machine for quite some time. These drives have also been working, but a problem arose during a program installation.

BTW: Is there a difference between the fastprep and 040 install disks? It has been quite some time since this was installed, I don't recall.

[Tahoe]

It would be best to use the Combo's install disk; as I am not quite sure wether this Accelerator needs any special libraries to work correctly...

[nineoc]

Thanks. Just found an install disk that has fastprep in the scsi drawer.

[nineoc]

All this has been helpful, but getting back to the original problem: The machine does not complete the bootup sequence, so I cannot use any disks.

My original query was in regards as to if the hard drive light staying on, and the clock icon locking up meant that there is a chip or other hardware failure?

If this is the problem, is there anyone still around that repairs GVP products?

[CLS2086]

Take off the HDD drive,just the drive, and try to boot on a WB3.1 floppy.
You'll have a big ramdisk and you'll be able to decompress the "DMS" on a floppy then you'll be able to test the component by one of the GVP tools.

[nineoc]

 Think I found the problem. This GVP 040 uses the revised omniscsi.device format, and worked for all these years without any other termination. Guess it decide that it had enough after these problems, and now requires a normal terminator. Added termination to the last device in the chain, and the system booted correctly.

Thanks to all who contributed. Could not have done it otherwise.