Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!tron!beser
From: beser@tron.UUCP (Eric Beser)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386
Subject: Re: Help needed with ISC 2.2 installation.
Summary: SCSI problems with disk and system hang
Keywords: ISC install blues
Message-ID: <617@tron.UUCP>
Date: 20 Jul 90 11:43:46 GMT
References: <860@augean.ua.OZ.AU>
Organization: Westinghouse Electronic Systems Group, Baltimore, MD, USA
Lines: 43

In article <860@augean.ua.OZ.AU>, gvokalek@augean.ua.OZ.AU (George Vokalek) writes:
> 
> Another problem:  ISC claim to support the TMC830 SCSI adaptor
> from Future Domain.  However, with this adaptor and a Maxtor
> drive plugged into my machine, the BOOT diskette from ISC would
> hang at the point where it should ask for the INSTALL diskette.
> I know the drive is OK since it works fine under DOS.
> 

I am having the same problem with my PRIAM 738 scsi disk and my esix 
system. The culprit (thanks to information supplied from ESIX tech
support) is a command sent during the initialization that is not
supported by the disk - or is not handled correctly by the driver.

During bootup, during driver initialization, the driver sends an
inquiry command, followed by a test unit ready command. It is this
test unit ready command that may be different and causes my PRIAM to\
turn on the disk light and hangs the system, because it never comes
back. This problem occurs in rev D of ESIX but not in REV C. This
problem does not happen with the Seagate Disk. My PRIAM disk which is
about 4 years old probably interprets this command differently.

Now for the solution. ESIX customer support is studying the problem, and
will take suggestions. I suggested that they put a define in space.c of
the driver that disables the second command checking. That will solve
the problem for the short run. I would love to see other suggestions
that solves the problem in the long run. It is so refreshing that you
actually talk to individuals that know and understand unix and really
know their product when you call ESIX customer support. Whatever they
are doing, I hope they continue, because I have nothing but praise for
the way our problems (which have been many) have been handled. By the
way ESIX does not have a support contract yet, and I suspect that they
would give the same treatment to anyone.

This may or may not help your problem, I don't know what kind of support
contract you bought from ISC and whether or not you can get the customer
or the vendor to change his driver. Good luck.

Eric Beser                    beser@swars.bwi.wec.com
(301)-765-1010

"Captain I think we can do it."
"Make it so, number one!"