Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!sumax!thebes!polari!lampi
From: lampi@polari.UUCP (Michael Lampi)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: PROBLEMS CONNECTING MAXTOR HARDDISK ON DN2500
Summary: Check cables and terminators
Message-ID: <2449@polari.UUCP>
Date: 30 Aug 90 16:42:21 GMT
References: <90239.151505A430@HASARA11.BITNET>
Organization: MDL Corporation, Bellevue, WA 98008 (206) 643-7333
Lines: 26

In article <90239.151505A430@HASARA11.BITNET> A430@HASARA11.BITNET Jeroen
Heijmink of (Dept. of Mol. Biology, Section of Mol. Cytology) writes:
>I tried to expand our disk capacity with a MAXTOR XT4380S 380Mb scsi drive
>connected to Apollo DN2500. Results :
>Sometimes it works (formatting, booting from disk etc.) and sometimes it
>doesn't (I then get errors like 'controller not found' when running 'TE'
>with the node shut).
>
It sounds like you might be having general SCSI bus communications problems.
I'd suggest you check the cable(s) between the DN-2500 and the Maxtor. Make
sure that they don't exceed 6 meters in length (total), that they are shielded
(copper braid and/or foil; having both is best), that they are twisted pair,
and that the connectors are tightly secured.

Another trouble area is with termination. There should be a set of terminator
resistors at each end of the SCSI bus, and none in between, for a total of
two sets of terminators. If you have internal disks, then the terminators
should be on the last disk inside and on your Maxtor disk outside (assuming
the Maxtor is at the end of the SCSI cable). The terminator on the DN-2500
cpu board should be removed. However, if you have no internal disks, then
the terminator should remain on the cpu board and on the Maxtor disk.

As far as SCSI ID's are concerned, don't use ID 7, which is reserved for the
DN-2500.

Michael Lampi