Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!sei.cmu.edu!fs7.ece.cmu.edu!o.gp.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!sk2f+ From: sk2f+@andrew.cmu.edu (Seth D. Kadesh) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: scsi cable frustrations Message-ID: Date: 11 Jun 91 20:39:12 GMT Organization: Class of '92, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 62 What's that 800 number to complain about Apple dealers? You might remember I was having trouble with my RamFast/Quantum setup (see: Quantum hard drive AAARRRGGGHHHH :-) I spoke to Andrew at CVTech (he's the guy that designed the RamFast [I think]). He's a very nice person - very helpful and knowledgable too. I explained my problem to him (directory information was destroyed, other weird stuff), and he suggested I replace the cable running from the RamFast to my drive. I bought the cable from A2-Central, and apparently some of the cables they made were no good. So I called up A2-Central, and they offered to buy back the cable from me (everyone so far has been very nice), and I buy a new cable from Altech. I get the Altech cable today, and find that it's a standard Mac SCSI cable - db25 male to a centronics 50 male. Great. All I need is something that goes from a male centronics 50 to a 50 pin "header" connection - what you see on the drive. This is not a standard cable. (A quick aside - I should be able to do things the "Apple way" now. I just need to buy the othewr cables. Anyone have the "official Apple SCSI cables"? How well do they work, and what exactly do they comprise?) So I go looking for a cable that fits this description. Altech offered to replace my cable with a correct one, but I didn't want to wait (and I'm afraid that they might not get the order correct). I called a couple of places that make cables, but they either siad they couldn't make it, or they wanted a minimum of $75 (bulk). So I tried the local Apple dealer. Big mistake. I call them up, and I explain to the guy what I need: I say "Hi. I need to get a SCSI cable for my Apple IIGS" The guy says "What kind of drive do you have?" I say "A SCSI drive" and try to explain to him that I need a cable to go from the drive to a centronics connector. He says "Where did you buy the drive?" I say "mailorder company" He says "Where did you buy the card?" I say "mailorder company" He says "and you expect me to connect them?" I was trying to ask the guy about the cables the Apple sells, and he's getting so hostile, I debated whether it wouldn't be more worthwhile to hang up on him, and send my cable by to Altech! So if anyone has that 800 number handy..... I ended up calling Andrew (CVTech) back and telling him my problem. He suggested someplace that I could order the correct cable from, and told me how to make one myself. I ordered the parts today, so hopefully I will have a working cable within the next week! Whew. Just double checking with you hardware gurus out there: from the 50 pin centronics (female) to the 50 pin header connector (to the drive), all pins go straight through (pin 1 to pin 1, ... pin 50 to pin 50)? Why are there 50 pins in the SCSI cable, if there's only 25 pins coming out of the RamFast? -seth tHe mAd ScienTisT, and other carnations ----------------------- sk2f@andrew.cmu.edu | everything seems so easy this way but I'm going under tmSatCMU@DRYCAS.BITNET| fast, I'm slipping away, am I so crazy? - Marillion