Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:33629 comp.periphs:2045
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sun-barr!texsun!texbell!vector!attctc!ttsi!root
From: root@ttsi.UUCP (Super user)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.periphs
Subject: Re: Help !! Problem with SCSI hard drive in Everex STEP.
Summary: New timing roms and more
Keywords: SCSI, Everex, Adaptec, help!
Message-ID: <45@ttsi.UUCP>
Date: 23 Aug 89 20:20:37 GMT
References: <10388@fluke.COM>
Reply-To: root@.UUCP (Super user)
Distribution: na
Organization: Tandem Telecommunications Systems Inc.
Lines: 76

In article <10388@fluke.COM> blew@tc.fluke.COM (Bob Lewandowski) writes:
>I am having major problems putting an Everex STEP 386/20
>system together using a Imprimis/CDC SCSI interface hard drive
>and an Adaptec SCSI controller. The drive is a Wren V half-height,
>Model 94221-190 (s/n 3007861) which is spec'ed to be 190 Mbytes

When I first setup my Everex 386/20 and the Adaptec Controller, AHA1540A
I had ton's of unexpected problems. The disk would format, but weird
files would show up in the root directory, file data would be lost occaisionally
and the system was basically un-useable. I worked the heck out of an old
Ampex drive I had laying around until the problems were cleared up.

Bob,
 If you have an older 386/20, from say, September 1988, you're going to have
problems with the Adaptec controller. The problem stems from the bus timing
between the controller and the 386 motherboard. Adaptec is trying to 
squeeze every ounce of performance out of the bus, and that means they
are using first-party DMA. I spoke with Adaptec, Everex, Adaptec, Everex
and so on for a month. Everex solved the problem by supplying me with new
timing roms for the motherboard, which completely cleared up the problem.
 One caveat is that you must run the board at 20MHZ and not any slower,
for some reason, the interface doesn't work at slower CPU speeds. 

 Check with Everex for the support.

>all. The system won't boot from the hard disk either.

To boot, you'll need to setup the MB to no hard disks installed.

>If the drive and the controller are put in a 286 AT clone the drive
>can be formatted correctly but only to 177 Mbytes again. It works OK
>in the 286 and can be moved to the Everex 386 where it will boot the
>system and seems to function normally. Attempting to re-format in the
>Everex produces the same result as described above.

I don't know about this, my CDC Wren V HH SCSI formats to 177 MB.

>Another curious thing about the drive is that CoreTest indicates that
>the average access time is about 22 mS and the track-to-track is about
>8 mS. The 94221 is supposed to be 18 mS and 4 mS. This is the second

I can't answer this one. The CoreTest shows the same on my drive. 
I can say: I AM DAMN DISSAPOINTED WITH THE ADAPTEC SCSI CONTROLLER. I expected,
and was sold, highest performance, best of everything when purchasing
the controller. I had 2 months of nightmares and poor response from 
Adaptec's technical support. For that matter, I called today 6 times.
Twice I was disconnected, once I was connected to another customer waiting
for tech support, and three times the line was busy. Is it different for
anyone else? Perhaps it's a busy month.

You might be interested in the fact the controller I received AHA 1540 A
has the capability of moving command and status ports around, but geeez,
you need NEW ROMS, to change it. THIS MAKES THE AHA 1540 incompatible with
systems that use the ROLAND MPU401, the industry standard MIDI interface.

That's perfect, when Ensoniq and other keyboard manufacturers are building
SCSI interfaces for their keyboards. You can't use the Adaptec with the
Roland without the changing the SCSI command and status ports, which
you can't ask for from Adaptec. *candle* off.

>Anyone out there been through this ??  How about ANY suggestions ??
>Is there perchance a SCSI controller the has good speed and actually
>works in an Everex ?  CDC was chosen for it's legendary reliability,

I have a WESTERN DIGITAL ESDI controller using an ESDI CDC drive that
indicated 2x the performance of the Adaptec - CDC combination. That 
should be embarressing to Adaptec.

As far as show ROM and disk caching, you should be able to use those
with the SCSI controller setup. Although, you already know that the 
CDC has caching.


-Good Luck,

-alex