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From: U39648@uicvm.uic.edu (From The Mind Of)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Subject: Re: MCA SCSI controllers ?
Message-ID: <91144.093920U39648@uicvm.uic.edu>
Date: 24 May 91 14:39:20 GMT
References: <1991May22.164103.1@cc.helsinki.fi>
 <91143.075027U39648@uicvm.uic.edu> <1991May23.223620.1@cc.helsinki.fi>
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Lines: 48

>    Not in my eyes either. I went and asked the dealer about the ProCom card.
>    He recommended it because it had a standard SCSI interface and IBM doesn't
>    (according to him). So, are there different SCSI interfaces ? I mean is it
>    possible to hook 3rd party drives etc to the IBM adapters ? He also
>claimed
>    that one has to power-up external SCSI drives before the computer for the
>    IBM adapters to recorgnize them. Otherwise the PS/2 won't boot. He said
>    that the ProCom adapter has no such problems.
>
>    One other thing: anyone have info on the internal fax/modem for the PS/2
>    L40SX (Group III ? MNP ? $$$ ?) or the docking station (space for 2nd hd ?
>    connector for full-size keyboard ?) ?

Well, the third party drive I installed into a 65SX with the 16-bit
SCSI adapter was a Seagate 157N, a 3.5" SCSI drive.  Totally standard.

The IBM SCSI controller has two SCSI connections, an internal one and
an external one.  All I did to get the drive to work was plug it in
to the cable hooked up through the internal connector (it fit just fine),
hooked up power from the 65SX's power supply, and they using jumpers on
the Seagate drive, set it to SCSI ID 5.  (The adapter is 7, the IBM drive
already in the computer was 6)  This leaves room for devices 4 through 0.

Then, I booted reference and ran auto-configuration.  That was it, the
new drive was drive D.  And I already told you how easy it was to low
level format it... the computer even figured out the make and the drive
size automatically.

I was VERY pleased with the adapter.  It sounds to me like your dealer
may just get a higher commission from selling the other SCSI adapters.
I like the IBM one only because it's the first SCSI adapter I've seen
that just appears to work with no fussing about.

So as for cable differences, the third-party drive plugged right into
the cable already in the 65SX/SCSI adapter.  The power for the drive
plugged right into the standard power cable in the 65SX.

Note that if you have a 50/50Z/55SX/70 you'll need to also get a
case and power supply for the SCSI drive along with a cable that hooks
up through the external SCSI connector on the adapter.

- Darius
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