Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!hsdndev!cmcl2!mcclb0.med.nyu.edu!huff
From: huff@mcclb0.med.nyu.edu (Edward J. Huff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Sys7 + SCSIProbe3.0 + Syquest = HANG!
Message-ID: <1991Jun17.070840.1@mcclb0.med.nyu.edu>
Date: 17 Jun 91 11:08:40 GMT
Sender: notes@cmcl2.nyu.edu (Notes Person)
Organization: NYU Chemistry, 31 Washington Place, NY, NY 10003
Lines: 47
Nntp-Posting-Host: mcclb0.med.nyu.edu

Some points regarding Syquest drives and SCSI Probe 3.0
(The reported problem was a hang upon dismount when using SCSI Probe 3.0
to mount Syquest cartridge, but not if APS Power Tools application was
used to mount the cartridge.)

1.  The exact behavior depends on the driver which the formatting
software writes on the disk.  In my experience, the first driver
loaded seems to stay around, at least judging by the Icon displayed.
I surmise that SCSI Probe just loads the driver from whatever
cartridge you insert.  Does anyone know for certain?

Therefore, it would be interesting to hear exactly which driver
James Glidewell (jbg@wsc-sun.boeing.com) was using, vs. the
driver used by Richard L. Cox (coxr@ecn.purdue.edu).

2.  By the way, some driver software is not compatible with system 7.
A long list of disk driver software was posted a few weeks back.
I have an APS drive and a Mass Microsystems drive on another system,
and I needed new software from Mass Microsystems (which they sent
free, so I finally got a little for the very inflated price I
paid a few years ago).  The APS software received early this
year is supposed to be OK.

3.  Using an earlier version of SCSI Probe and the APS driver, 
I once encountered the case where a "Please insert the disk xxx" 
modal dialog box was up, but I needed to get to the control panel 
to run SCSI Probe to mount the disk, and couldn't.  Maybe the
command key mount option of SCSI Probe 3.0 would fix this, 
I haven't tried it.  Using the Mass Micro drive with the APS
driver and SCSI Probe 3.0, leaving the Mass INIT out of the
system folder, I have been finding that the second cartridge
inserted comes up without manual intervention.

I had trouble other times if I had an application open on the
cartridge, and wanted to get some data off another cartridge.
I ejected the first, mounted the other, then got a "Please insert"
dialog, and eventually had to reset the system.  I conclude that
Syquest cartridges cannot be reliably treated "just like floppys".
Especially avoid using the eject command vs. trashing the icon.
Be sure to quit applications loaded from the cartridge before
ejecting it.

Does anyone out there really know what is going on in the
driver software?  Is the SCSI interface on all drives the
same, or do some drives need different software?  How different
are the drivers from various manufacturers?  Can I use a format
program from one manufacturer on a different manufacturer's drive?