Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!usc!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!gryphon!jdm From: jdm@gryphon.COM (John Mesiavech) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: A2000, HardFrame, SyQuest Summary: Can be done, sure. Caveats follow. Message-ID: <23175@gryphon.COM> Date: 7 Dec 89 05:42:49 GMT References: <5450@nigel.udel.EDU> Reply-To: jdm@gryphon.COM (John Mesiavech) Organization: Trailing Edge Technology, Redondo Beach, CA Lines: 111 In article <5450@nigel.udel.EDU> rlcarr%athena.mit.edu@cunyvm.cuny.edu writes: > >As it stands now, I will be buying a HardFrame/2000 and a 40 meg SyQuest >drive as soon as I have the cash. Some questions: > >[note: if you are not familiar with the SyQuest, then mentally substitute >``generic 5.25" half-height SCSI hard drive'' for SyQuest, as many of my >questions are more about 5.25" drives in general than specifically about the >SyQuest] A Nota Bene brom John: I'm assuming that by "SyQuest" you mean the Syquest SQ555 44MB removable platter drive. If not, much of the below will still apply, but I'll be talking specifically about the SQ555. As a (very!) proud owner of one, AND as a person who has 3 SCSI devices on the Hardframe's bus, can perhaps help out. > >1) It would seem that it is easy enough to install the HardFrame itself. >Just gotta plug it into the bus. Is this so? Yep, plug it in. Don't put the cover back on just yet though, keep it open through the formatting of the first cartridge. There's an autoboot jumper that must be set once the first cart is formatted, that allows the Hardframe to autoboot. Otherwise it doesn't even try. > >2) I want to mount the SyQuest in the 5.25" drive bay in my A2000. Will >it fit? Do I have to buy a cable to connect the HardFrame to the SyQuest, >or does such a cable some with the SyQuest and/or HardFrame? It'll fit just fine, uses standard mounting screws. The cable to connect the FIRST SCSI device internally comes with the Hardframe, if you have a 2630 or similar card it may be a bit short. Since you're eventually going to add a second device, you'll want a longer cable with two connectors. Might as well do it at the start, since you'll have to do it later. To make a SCSI cable, you need a 50-pin ribbon of the requisite length (you'll have to figure out how long...know that from slot 1 to the 5.25" bay with no obstructions is 1ft, with a card in the way is 1.5ft. ) Six feet should do it, and is the max length of a interdevice cable anyway. Crimp two IDC connectors onto this cable, making sure that they're all oriented properly. If this is all Greek to you, find someone with cable-building experience or contact a cable company. > >3) How hard is it to mount the SyQuest in the A2000 (assuming it fits)? >Assuming it is a 5.25" half-height drive, is the mounting standard, or >is there the chance that drilling and other evil things will have to be >done? How do I power it from my A2000? Does the A2000 power supply >have a plug for a hard drive, or does it have to be hacked around with. It's not hard. THe A2000 5.25" bay has side-mount slots in the bay. Just insert the drive into the bay, use the scres inthe side-mount holes, and you're done. No drilling or other nonsense required. THe A2000 power supply has two taps for drives, of the standard 4-pin D type. > >4) Should I give up and just have my dealer install the thing (assuming he >would - which he might not because I am buying neither the SyQuest nor the >HardFrame from him - dealer is the Memory Location. I bought my A2000, >SupraRAM, and 2nd floppy from them though - how is TML on cases like this >anyway?). Dunno about TML, but if he has a problem with this, I'd stay away from him in future. If you're halfway mechanically competent, the project is easy. If not, there IS a possibility of scorching the drive controller, the Hardframe, or the A2000 or combinations thereof. > >5) If I later (hopefully) get a second SyQuest, it will be put in an external >chassis. How do I get connect the HardFrame to the external SyQuest >(HardFrame ad says it can drive 7 SCSI devices, so there must be a way to >do this)? It's not hard (that's my setup), but you have to make sure that: a) Both Syqyests have different device numbers (set by jumpers ont he back b) Only the LAST drive ont he bus (in this case, the one in the external case) has the terminating resistors on it c) THat both drives are connected to the Syquest byt the same cable. Connect the cable to the external drive, then open up your Amiga and remove the termination resistor packs from the back of the Syquest insid the Amiga. Set the drive int he chassis to a different SCSI device number than the one in the Amiga, and off you go. > >6) If this line of questioning suggests other important areas I am >oblivious to, please de-oblivi-ize me. :-) > >And since hard drives are a relatively common thing, the answers to this may >have general interest, so consider replying to amiga-ug@athena.mit.edu >rather than only me. > >Thanks much! > >-- >Rich Carreiro - Most Biased Boston Celtics Fan! "So long, farewell, and may -- 0-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-0 | There once was a signature here, but I dunno where it went. | | ------------------------------------------------ | | jdm@gryphon.COM -- or-- !hplabs!gryphon!jdm | 0-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-0