Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cunixf.cc.columbia.edu!beecher From: beecher@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Ben Beecher) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware Subject: Re: MAC IIfx problems with non-Apple SCSI devices? Message-ID: <1990Nov15.164926.581@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> Date: 15 Nov 90 16:49:26 GMT References: Distribution: comp Organization: Columbia University Lines: 38 In article lindahl@arrisun3.utarl.edu (Charlie S. Lindahl) writes: >I have a friend who recently upgraded to an IIfx from a Mac II (the >Apple standard upgrade). He has a Rodime internal drive, and an >external CMS drive. > >He was told by CMS technical support that he needed a 50-pin connection >for any SCSI device to be used on a IIfx, and that the "motherboard >would be damaged by prolonged usage" if a 25-pin SCSI device was used. > >What is the story? Can anyone verify? >-- >Charlie S. Lindahl >Automation and Robotics Research Institute >University of Texas at Arlington >Internet EMAIL: lindahl@evax.arl.utexas.edu I had the same problem when I got my IIfx a couple of months ago. My Mac has an internal disk which works fine. When I connected my 20MB Cutting Edge external drive (25 pin SCSI port) the Mac would not power up. It shut itself off automatically after about 5 seconds. Same thing happened when I connected my Porta-drive CD ROM drive even though the CD ROM drive has a 50 pin SCSI port!! The technical support person at Porta-drive suggested I try a 6 foot SCSI cable, but that didn't work. She told me the IIfx uses a new architecture which is too fast for the drive to communicate with (yikes!) Cutting Edge drives are made by CMS. I tried several different cabling combinations for the hard drive, the CD ROM drive, and both together. No luck. Then I bought a Micro-Net 44MB removable drive (50 pin SCSI port) and it works fine with the IIfx. I daisy chained the CD ROM drive off the Micro-Net and it works now too. Still no luck with the Cutting Edge drive, which has a 25 pin SCSI port. Ben