*BSD News Article 47507


Return to BSD News archive

Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc
Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!simtel!hookup!noc.tor.hookup.net!metrics.com!tomh
From: tomh@metrics.com (Tom Haapanen)
Subject: Re: Quantum Grand Prix 4301S with BSDI?
Organization: Software Metrics Inc.
Message-ID: <DCEos8.G46@metrics.com>
References: <3umm86$fjf@news.trytel.on.ca> <DC86op.7yu@eclipse.sheridanc.on.ca> <DCBp9q.77J@metrics.com> <3v8i2u$nnr@web1.bga.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 1995 03:09:43 GMT
Lines: 34


dpm@web1.bga.com (David P. Maynard) writes:
> Either contact Quantum tech support or get a new disk controller.  The
> Atlas (and presumably the Grand Prix) drives are "too fast" for the
> 154X and 174X controllers with sync SCSI enabled.  I got new Atlas
> firmware and tools from Quantum and was able to get an XP2150 running
> with a 1740 under BSD/OS 2.0.  [...]

Yes -- it's becoming apparent that this is the issue.  Adaptec said that
Quantums and some Seagates have this "problem"; other drives do not, 
according to them.

> As I understand it, the problem arises because the Quantum drives have
> what they call "ESP."  Instead of just caching the whole track, they
> pre-compose the actual SCSI response in anticipation of an upcoming
> request.  When the cache hits, the answers drops on the bus faster
> than the older Adaptec cards can handle it.

The technology is nice, but it's unfortunate that with this, SCSI is no
longer as universally compatible as it was.  :(  It *would* be nice if
there was a jumper on the drive to disable this feature, too.

> The Buslogics controllers work fine with the drives.  The drive should
> also work if you disable sync SCSI, but that would be a shame to do
> with the super-fast Grand Prix/Atlas.

Our 1742A is a veteran of many disks and definitely non-returnable by now.
I'll be returning the Grand Prix instead, I think, and replacing it with
either a Micropolis or a Conner -- and praying that it works!  :)

-- 
[ /tom haapanen -- tomh@metrics.com -- software metrics inc -- waterloo, ont ]
[ "everything that can be invented has been invented."                       ]
[                        -- charles h. duell, u.s. patent commissioner, 1899 ]