SCSI is just SCSI?
21 messages in this thread
Well, the disc space that I thought would be more than enough on my A3000
at work is almost gone. I do have access to a 400mb area on the HP-UX box
it's connected to through NFS, but there are limits to what I can store
there.
So my question is: is SCSI always SCSI? See, Fry's Electronics often has
SCSI drives at bargain basement prices. Moreover, I know a few Mac people
who may want to get rid of drives cheap. Can I just hook one of these up
to the SCSI port on the A3000, format it and go? Seems like it should work
to me, but I'm told by one of my Mac-using friends that that isn't true of
Mac SCSI; there is some kind of configuration software that must already be
on the disk (though I don't know how it gets there if no Macs can recognize
it). This doesn't make sense to me, but I'd like to know if something
similar is true of Amiga drives.
MCR – San Jose, CA CIS: 76450,26
Internet: mcr@unison.com
Your Mac friends should take off their white gloves. 🙂 Yes, SCSI is
SCSI, and you can use the A3000's hard disk software to format and
configure the drive. Go for it! What kind of bargains can you get at
Frye's?
John,
I'm not sure anymore, since I stopped going in there after they dropped
the Amiga. But I remember helping someone I know find a hard disk, and the
best price she could find was at Fry's. $700 for 80megs. I think they've
even come down some since then, and the disk she bought came formatted for
a Mac with system software installed. If they sell one that doesn't have
all the "extras", I'd expect it to be less.
MCR – San Jose, CA CIS: 76450,26
Internet: mcr@unison.com
The lowest prices I've seen on hard drives are at Hard Drives
International (1-800-927-3178). They have an 80 Meg Seagate(24ms) for
$280. And for $620 you can get a 200 Meg Maxtor(15ms).
If you find any lower, please tell me.
Greg.
Greg,
Clearly, prices have come down more than I thought. At the time my
friend bought that drive $700 for 80meg was a bargain.
MCR – San Jose, CA CIS: 76450,26
Internet: mcr@unison.com
Wow! $700 for an 80meg drive, what a rip-off! You can buy a 210meg Quantum
for about $675, maybe less now. I would highly suggest you take your
shopping elsewhere!
John – K7KB (via Whap!)
try and find one. latest quotes i have as a dealer are over $700 for a
Q210 and no suppliers have any.
John,
This was some time ago. At the time $700 for 80meg was a bargain.
Moreover, it came with a considerable amount of software. But I'm
gratified to hear that prices have come down (considerably) since then. As
a rule, Fry's is less expensive than just about anybody in town. But their
selection is sometimes a bit weak…if you don't have a Mac.
MCR – San Jose, CA CIS: 76450,26
Internet: mcr@unison.com
not always! presently experiencing a weird problem putting a Rodime 3259T
onto a 3000 (internal OR external). Found the A3000's motherboard DOESN'T
HAVE the terminator resistor packs installed and also that the SCSI chip is
marked 'proto' (prototype). The drive (a 210Meg 3.5 inch) works PERFECT on
my A2000/68040/TrumpCardPro, but hangs and freezes unpredictably on the
3000. Gold Service will have to help solve this one. best advice is be
cautious with A3000 SCSI. learning the hard way. The drive is absolutely
known good, other drives work OK on this 3000 also (tried a Rodime 44meg,
no problem). This is a fast drive and I think the lack of motherboard
terminators is a real no-no and probably is causing this weird problem.
Dan,
I checked my A3000 mother board and it does have resistor packs sockets
numbered RP802, RP803 and RP804. Looking at the schematic made me think
that the packs would only be installed if there were NO internal SCSI
devices. They were empty on my machine that came with a 105mb internal
drive with RPs installed on the drive. I have an external case with a
Syquest555 and a 3M MCD-40 tape drive. The tape drive is last and also has
RPs installed. Maybe your problem IS related to motherboard rev or chip
rev.
….Mark
thanks, mark. motherboard rev is 9/03 and many of the chips have september
1991 date codes, making me believe this is a pretty recent motherboard,
etc. indeed I do wonder why the resistor pack sockets are empty. my
understanding (please anyone who is REALLY an expert correct me) is that
the SCSI buss standard is for ACTIVE termination at BOTH ends. I am well
aware of many idiosyncratic situations in which wierd termination
combinations have worked or have been 'required' in order to make something
work. I am, however, confused why the resistor packs (yes, marked
RP802,803,804) are NOT installed on the A3000 MB at the factory. Also, the
MB silkscreen is NOT marked with an unequivocal location for PIN 1 of the
resistor ladder packs (making a careful person such as muself cautious
about just trying the 50/50 insert-correct chance). The other thing I think
may be a trouble-maker is the 'proto' marking on the 33C93A SCSI chip (with
a 9/91 date code). look forward to getting back on here with some answers
after Gold Service gets together with my customer, Rick Cunningham.
I am not a REAL expert either. It looks like the internal SCSI connector
is in parallel with external connector and that the internal terminator
sockets are for the internal "branch" only. The SCSI host may represent
the other end of the chain and be permanently terminated. Lets get Dave
Haynie on here for the real answer.
My 3000 was made over a year ago and has the same config as yours except
for the chip and motherboard revs ie. empty RP802,3,4 sockets.
….Mark
SCSI IS pretty much SCSI. If you are talking about an external drive
you will just need a cable to the external SCSI port. Internally a 50 pin
connector on the ribbon cable should be available on your machine. There
is only one power connector on the wire harness for a hard drive so you
will need a "y" connector. Internally any 3.5" half height drive will
work. The HDToolbox software that came with your system does a good job of
identifying the drive configuration, formatting and partitioning it with a
minimum of head-scratching. Previous junk on the hard drive should be no
problem. Piece-of-pie unless you have an Apple!
….Mark 74335,1677
Mark,
I don't understand what the problem with hooking just any SCSI drive to a
Mac is, then. But it sounds like it's not a problem for me. I just hope I
can do this _and_ buy a new video card _and_ a new monitor _and_ DPaintIV
(I haven't upgraded since DPaint I) _and_ all the other stuff I want for
Christmas. <g>
MCR – San Jose, CA CIS: 76450,26
Internet: mcr@unison.com
I don't know what would be different about hooking a SCSI drive to a
Mac. Come to think of it; a friend of mine fixed a Mac SE that had a dead
drive. He just stuck a Seagate 157N in there that had been in an Amiga. I
don't know the details but he got it working and he is no Mac expert.
….Mark
Anything from an Amiga, is bound to make a make better… <G>
– via Whap!
Mark,
Courieser and courieser….
Sounds like I haven't heard the whole story. But I'm not likely to
pursue it; I only cared if I could hook any SCSI drive to my A3000. Sounds
like I can. I'm happy.
MCR – San Jose, CA CIS: 76450,26
Internet: mcr@unison.com
not so fast. see my reply to john foust. have recently experience a
situation exactly contrary to your assumptions. without actually trying
it, i'd say don't jump to conclusions. i assumed as you did, but have been
proven wrong. the a3000's controller and motherboard and chip revs may be
all important in determining which drives work and which don't. have also
had a report of 200 meg maxtor causing problems.
Dan,
I didn't jump to a conclusion but only jumped to a possible answer. I
have found that there is always a new wrinkle to setting up a computer with
peripherals. Right now I am having trouble with a 486/33 clone running
UNIX. The Adaptec controller will only work with the Wren 5 613mb drive
when they both are at id#7 ?! I have replaced the eprom on the 150mb tape
drive and tried all id#s and fooled with terminator packs but still don't
have tape working. Grrr. A working tape backup is a MUST with UNIX. Maybe
you are not holding your mouth 'just so' when you boot up the computer.
….Mark
righto! will try smiling and frowning simultaneously!
That's it! Don't hurt yourself.
….Mark