#New External HD
Ok – Tech Wizards
I've got me a problem, maybe somebody can help.
I've just aquired a 380meg Full Hieght Maxtor SCSI HD – with it's own
External case & power supply. This is going to be a great unit for me, if
I can get over a few problems I seem to be having.
I think I have a couple of different problems here and I will attempt
to explain them both in detail.
Problem 1) I think the Maxtor may have been damaged in shipment
somehow. Systoms appears that the drive itself is clicking as soon as
power is supplied to the drive. This is without a SCSI cable applied to
the drive. (just power) It's internal light blinks and sounds like the
head is knocking. Am I having a spinup problem? Do to problem #2 I can
not send any sort of commincation to the drive from the computer and I
have no docs on this drive, except a factory bad block list. I'm thinking
of trying to connect this drive up internally in order to send it a format
command of some sort (I just thinking maybe if I send is an instruction of
some sort it will jar the head into moving again – dumb idea, huh)
BTW – the case has an external number thingy to set the drive address,
however in my attempts to look at this drive I pull the jumper plug off
the back of the drive. Hmm, guess what – I have no idea which group of
nine pins, the six hole plug goes into? Nor the orienation (sp?) of this
plug. Does anyone have a clue – I can draw the pins if it would help.
On to problem #2
The SCSI cable for this box I purchase separately from Redmond – they,
of course know about the Amiga's 2091 port and about the parallel type
plug on the back of the external case. Anyway, as soon as I plug this
cable into the external 2091 port my DH0: and DH1: drives (internal) do
not function. This is with the cable just plugged into the port and not
conntected to the external drive. I'm not sure if I have a problem with
the cable, the 2091 card or what.
BTW – I have two internal drives connected to the card. One mounted on
the card, the other in the drive bay. They both, I believe still have
their terminators in. Should I take them out of one of them? But I
didn't think that this seems like a terminator problem. My thinking is
either there is some sort of short in the cable, or maybe a problem with
my card – like maybe I need a updated ROM (it's a pretty old card).
Well I've gone on to long. I'm hoping some one has a idea here. Don, I
addressed this to you just cause I know you know about drives. But really
if anyone has a clue, please pitch in here. Tonight I think I'll try to
hook up one of my internal drives into this external case, just to see if
the cable is working or not.
Let me know what you all think – Thanks.
OnLine since 1982
Roy Pahnke – Casper WY