AHA-2490UW Dual SCSI Controller User's Guide

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Understanding SCSI

SCSI (pronounced "scuzzy") stands for Small Computer Systems Interface. SCSI is an industry standard computer interface for connecting SCSI peripherals (such as a hard disk drive, CD-ROM drive, or scanner) to a common SCSI bus.

A SCSI bus is an electrical pathway that consists of a SCSI adapter card (such as the AHA®-2940UW Dual) installed in a computer and one or more SCSI peripherals. SCSI cables are used to connect the peripherals to the SCSI adapter card.
For the SCSI bus to function properly, SCSI IDs must be assigned to SCSI devices (SCSI peripherals and SCSI adapter card), and the SCSI bus must be properly terminated.

SCSI IDs

Each peripheral attached to the AHA-2940UW Dual, as well as the AHA-2940UW Dual itself, must be assigned a unique SCSI ID number from 0 to 15. A SCSI ID uniquely identifies each SCSI device on the SCSI bus and determines priority when two or more devices are trying to use the SCSI bus at the same time.

Refer to the peripheral's documentation to set the SCSI ID. Here are some general guidelines for SCSI IDs:

  • With the AHA-2940UW Dual, internal SCSI peripherals can share SCSI IDs with external SCSI peripherals, eliminating SCSI ID conflicts between internal and external peripherals. For example, you can have one internal and one external peripheral with SCSI ID 3. You cannot, however, have two internal peripherals or two external peripherals with SCSI ID 3.
  • For internal SCSI peripherals, the SCSI ID usually is set by configuring a jumper on the peripheral.
  • For external SCSI peripherals, the SCSI ID usually is set with a switch on the back of the peripheral.
  • SCSI ID 7 has the highest priority on the SCSI bus. The priority of the remaining IDs, in descending order, is 6 to 0, 15 to 8.
  • The AHA-2940UW Dual is preset to SCSI ID 7 and should not be changed. This gives it the highest priority on the SCSI bus.
  • Most internal SCSI hard disk drives come from the factory preset to SCSI ID 0.
  • If you have 8-bit (Narrow) SCSI peripherals, they must use SCSI IDs 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. SCSI ID 0 is recommended for the first SCSI hard disk drive.
  • If you are booting your computer from a SCSI hard disk drive connected to the AHA-2940UW Dual, the Boot Target ID setting in the SCSISelect utility must correspond to the SCSI ID of the peripheral you are booting from. By default, the Boot Target ID is set to 0. See the "Boot device options" section in this guide to change the Boot Target ID.

SCAM Protocol

The AHA-2940UW Dual supports the SCSI Configured AutoMatically (SCAM) protocol, which assigns SCSI IDs dynamically and resolves SCSI ID conflicts automatically when you start the computer. If your computer includes SCSI disk drives or other peripherals that support SCAM, you do not need to manually assign SCSI IDs to these peripherals. To enable SCAM support, see the "Configuring the AHA-2940UW Dual with SCSISelect" section of this guide.

Terminating the SCSI Bus

To ensure reliable communication on the SCSI bus, terminators must be installed (or enabled) on the devices at the physical ends of the SCSI bus. The terminators on all devices between the physical ends must be removed (or disabled).

Since the method for terminating a SCSI peripheral can vary widely, refer to the peripheral's documentation for instructions on how to enable or disable termination. Here are some general guidelines for termination:

  • Termination on internal SCSI peripherals usually is controlled by manually setting a jumper or a switch on the peripheral, or by physically removing or installing one or more resistor modules on the peripheral.
  • Termination on external SCSI peripherals usually is controlled by installing or removing a SCSI terminator. On some external peripherals, termination is controlled by setting a switch on the back of the drive.
  • By default, termination on the AHA-2940UW Dual itself is automatic (the preferred method). To change the termination setting on the AHA-2940UW Dual, see the "Configuring the AHA-2940UW Dual with SCSISelect" section in this guide.
  • Most SCSI peripherals come from the factory with termination enabled.

Using the AHA-2940UW Dual and SCSI Peripherals

This section provides useful information on using the
AHA-2940UW Dual and your SCSI peripherals. For specific information, refer to the documentation that came with your SCSI peripheral.

Using SCSI peripherals

Hard disk drives

Every SCSI hard disk drive must be physically low-level formatted, partitioned, and logically formatted before it can be used to store data. SCSI hard disks are physically low-level formatted at the factory and do not usually need to be formatted again.

If you connected a new SCSI hard disk drive to your SCSI adapter card, you must partition and logically format the drive. For DOS and Windows® (3.x and 95) use the DOS FDISK and FORMAT commands (see your computer, DOS, and Windows documentation). For other operating systems, see your operating system documentation.

If both SCSI and non-SCSI (for example, IDE) disk drives are installed, then the non-SCSI disk drive is typically the boot drive. If your computer supports BBS (BIOS Boot Specification), both SCSI and non-SCSI disk drives can coexist and you can specify which drive to boot from. Refer to you computer documentation for more information.

If you are booting from a SCSI hard disk drive in a non-BBS computer, make sure the Hard Disk (or Drives) setting in your computer's CMOS setup program is set to None or No Drives Installed so the computer will not attempt to boot from a non-SCSI drive. See your computer documentation for details.

Scanners

You may need to install the scanner manufacturer's proprietary software drivers. See your scanner's documentation for details.

Installing multiple SCSI adapter cards

You can install multiple SCSI adapter cards in your computer; you are limited only by the available system resources (for example, physical PCI slots, IRQ settings, I/O port addresses, BIOS addresses, and so forth) not used by other cards installed in your computer.

Each SCSI adapter card you install forms a separate SCSI bus with a different set of SCSI peripherals. SCSI IDs can be reused as long as the ID is assigned to a peripheral on a different SCSI adapter card (for example, each card can have a peripheral with SCSI ID 2).

If you have two or more SCSI adapter cards, enable the BIOS on the boot SCSI adapter card only; disable the BIOS on the remaining cards.

Connecting the LED connector

Optional feature

Most computers have an LED disk activity light on the front panel. If you choose to disconnect the cable from the LED connector on the motherboard and connect it to the LED connector on the SCSI adapter card, the LED on the front panel of the computer will light whenever there is activity on the SCSI bus.

If you are using non-SCSI disk drives (for example, IDE), you may not want to connect your computer's LED to the SCSI adapter card, since the LED will no longer indicate non-SCSI disk activity.

      A. LED cable
      B. LED connector
      C. Pin 1
      D. 2-pin LED cable

Using SCSI and IDE (or EIDE) peripherals

All Adaptec SCSI adapter cards can co-exist with another controller (IDE, EIDE, RLL, etc.) installed in the computer.

If you have both an IDE hard disk drive and a SCSI hard disk drive, the IDE drive is typically the boot drive. In this case, disable the BIOS on the SCSI adapter card (see the "Advanced configuration options" section in this gude). If your computer supports BBS (BIOS Boot Specification), both SCSI and non-SCSI disk drives can coexist and you can specify which drive to boot from. Refer to your computer documentation for more information.

You cannot connect an IDE peripheral to a SCSI adapter card, or a SCSI peripheral to an IDE card (controller).

Disable the BIOS on the SCSI adapter card if no SCSI hard disk drives are installed (see the "Advanced configuration option" section in this guide).

Replacing a non-Adaptec SCSI adapter card with an Adaptec SCSI adapter card

SCSI is standard, but how data is translated on to a hard disk drive is not. Each SCSI adapter card manufacturer uses its own translation schemes for writing data to a disk. To use a hard disk drive previously connected to a non-Adaptec SCSI adapter card, low-level format the drive after connecting to the Adaptec SCSI adapter card. See the "Using SCSI disk utilities" section in this guide.

A low-level format destroys all data on the drive. Be sure to back up your data before performing a low-level format.


Configuring the AHA-2940UW Dual with SCSISelect

SCSISelect, included with the AHA-2940UW Dual, enables you to change SCSI settings without opening the computer or handling the card. SCSISelect also enables you to low-level format or verify the disk media of your SCSI hard disk drives. The following table lists the available and default settings for each SCSISelect option.

Note:

The default settings are appropriate for most systems. Run SCSISelect if you need to change or view current settings or if you would like to run the SCSI disk utilities.

>

SCSISelect Option

Available Settings

Default

SCSI Bus Interface Definitions:

Host adapter SCSI ID

0 - 7

7

SCSI parity checking

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled

Host adapter SCSI termination

Internal: Automatic, Low ON/High ON, Low OFF/ High OFF, Low OFF/High ON

External: Automatic, Enabled, Disabled

Automatic


Automatic

Boot Device Options:

Boot from

Internal Device First, External Device First

Internal

Boot SCSI ID

0 - 15

0

Boot LUN number1

0 - 7

0

SCSI Device Configuration:

Initiate sync negotiation

Yes (Enabled), No

Yes

Maximum sync transfer rate

10.0, 13.4, 16.0, 20.0, 26.8, 32.0, 40.0

External2: 5.0, 6.7, 8.0, 10.0, 13.4, 16.0

20.0

10.0

Enable disconnection

Yes (Enabled), No

Yes

Initiate wide negotiation3

Yes (Enabled), No

Yes

Send start unit command

Yes (Enabled), No

No

BIOS multiple LUN support

Yes (Enabled), No

No

Include in BIOS scan

Yes (Enabled), No

Yes

Advance Configuration Options:

Plug-and-play SCAM support

Enabled, Disabled

Disabled

Reset SCSI Bus at IC initialization

Enabled, Disabled4

Enabled

Extended BIOS translation for DOS drivesunder 1GB5

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled

Host adapter BIOS (configuration utility reserves BIOS space)

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled

Support removable disks under BIOS as fixed disks5

Boot Only, All Disks, Disabled

Boot Only

Display <Ctrl><A> message during BIOS initialization5

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled

BIOS support for bootable CD-ROM5

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled

BIOS support for Int 13 expansions5

Enabled, Disabled

Enabled

1Setting is valid only if BIOS multiple LUN support is enabled.
2Setting for external peripherals connected to the AHA-2940UW Dual/NE only.
3Option is not available for external SCSI peripherals on the AHA-2940UW Dual/NE.
4To diable reset Reset SCSI Bus at IC initialization, you must also disable Plug-and-play SCAM support.
5Settings are only available if SCSI adapter card BIOS is enabled.

Starting SCSISelect

To start SCSISelect:
  1. Turn on or restart your system.

    During the startup process, pay careful attention to the messages that appear on your screen.

  1. When the following message appears on your screen, press the Ctrl-A keys simultaneously (this message appears for only a few seconds):

    Press <Ctrl><A> for SCSISelect (TM) Utility!

  1. From the menu that appears, use the up and down arrow keys to move the cursor to the option you want to select, then press Enter.
Note:

If you have difficulty viewing the display, press F5 to toggle between color and monochrome modes. (This feature may not work on all monitors.)

Exiting SCSISelect

To exit SCSISelect:
  1. Press Esc until a message prompts you to exit (if you changed any settings, you are prompted to save the changes before you exit).
  1. At the prompt, select Yes to exit, then press any key to reboot the computer. Any changes you made in SCSISelect take effect after the computer boots.

Using SCSISelect settings

To select an option, use the up and down arrow keys to move the cursor to the option, then press Enter.

In some cases, selecting an option displays another menu. You can return to the previous menu at any time by pressing Esc.
To restore the original SCSISelect default values, press F6 from the main SCSISelect screen.

SCSI Bus Interface Definitions

Host Adapter SCSI ID - Sets the SCSI ID for the SCSI adapter card. The AHA- 2940UW Dual is set at 7, which gives it the highest priority on the SCSI bus. We recommend you do not change this setting.

SCSI Parity Checking - When set to Enable, verifies the accuracy of data transfer on the SCSI bus. Leave this setting enabled unless any SCSI peripheral connected to the SCSI adapter card does not support SCSI parity.

Host Adapter SCSI Termination-Determines the termination setting for the SCSI adapter card. The default setting is Automatic. We recommend that you leave this setting at automatic. If you want to change this setting, the following tables list the termination configurations if you have internal SCSI peripherals connected, or if you have external SCSI peripherals connected.
Internal SCSI Peripherials

If SCSI peripherals are connected to these connectors on the AHA-2940UW Dual...


...Use this Setting

68-pin internal connector only

Low ON/High On

50-pin internal connector only

Low ON/High On

50-pin and 68-pin internal connectors

Low OFF/High On

External SCSI Peripherials

If SCSI peripherals are connected to these connectors on the AHA-2940UW Dual...


...Use this Setting

50-pin external connector only
(AHA-2940UW Dual/NE)

Enabled

68-pin external connector only
(AHA-2940UW Dual/WE)

Enabled

Note:

You can connect SCSI peripherals to all three SCSI connectors on the AHA-2940UW Dual.

Boot device options

Boot From-Specifies whether the boot device is an internal or external SCSI peripheral.

Boot SCSI ID-Specifies the SCSI ID of your boot device.

Boot LUN Number-Specifies which LUN (Logical Unit Numbers) to boot from on your boot device. BIOS Multiple LUN Support must be enabled (see below).

SCSI device configuration

Note:

To configure settings for a SCSI peripheral, you must know its SCSI ID (see the "Using SCSI disk utilities" section in this guide).

Initiate Sync Negotiation - When set to Enable, initiates synchronous data transfer negotiation (Sync Negotiation) between the peripheral and SCSI adapter card. Leave this setting enabled unless any attached SCSI peripheral connected to the SCSI adapter card does not support synchronous negotiation.

Maximum Sync Transfer Rate - Determines the maximum synchronous data transfer rate the peripheral supports. If your peripheral is an Ultra SCSI or Wide peripheral, select a transfer rate of 40.0; otherwise, select a transfer rate of 20.0.

Enable Disconnection - When set to Yes, allows the SCSI peripheral to disconnect from the SCSI bus. Leave the setting at Yes if two or more SCSI peripherals are connected to the SCSI adapter card. If only one SCSI peripheral is connected, changing the setting to No results in slightly better performance.

Initiate Wide Negotiation - (For "Wide" SCSI peripherals only) When set to Yes, the SCSI adapter card attempts 16-bit data transfer (Wide negotiation). When set to No, the SCSI adapter card uses
8-bit data transfer unless the SCSI peripheral requests wide negotiation.

Note:

Set Initiate Wide Negotiation to No if you are using an 8-bit SCSI peripheral that hangs or exhibits other performance problems with 16-bit data transfer.

Send Start Unit Command - When set to Yes, sends the Start Unit Command to the SCSI peripheral at bootup. Enabling this option reduces the load on your computer's power supply by allowing the SCSI bus to turn on SCSI peripherals one-at-a-time when the computer boots. Otherwise, all SCSI peripherals turn on at the same time. Most peripherals require you to set a jumper before they can respond to this command.

BIOS Multiple LUN Support - When set to Yes, boot support for a SCSI peripheral with multiple LUNs is enabled. Leave this setting set to No if your boot device does not have multiple LUNs.

Include in BIOS Scan - When set to Yes, the SCSI adapter card includes the peripheral as part of BIOS scan; the peripheral becomes accessible through Int 13h.

Advanced configuration options

Note:

Do not change the advanced host adapter settings unless absolutely necessary.

Plug-and-Play SCAM Support - When set to Enable, the SCSI adapter automatically assigns SCSI IDs to SCSI peripherals that support the SCAM protocol (see the "SCSI ID" section in this manual). The default is Disable, but you can set it to Enable even if you have a non-SCAM peripheral.

Reset SCSI Bus at IC Initialization - When set to Enable, the SCSI adapter resets the SCSI bus whenever you boot your computer. Resetting the SCSI bus enables you to recover by rebooting your computer when it hangs (freezes up) for some reason.

Extended BIOS Translation for DOS Drives > 1 GByte - When set to Enable, provides an extended translation scheme for SCSI hard disks with capacities greater than 1 GByte. This setting is necessary only for MS-DOS 5.0 or above; it is not required for other operating systems, such as NetWare or UNIX. The extended translation scheme supports 2-GByte partitions on disk drives as large as 8 GBytes.
To partition a disk larger than 1 GByte controlled by the SCSI adapter card BIOS, use the MS-DOS FDISK command and specify a partition size that is a multiple of 8. (FDISK rounds up to the nearest whole multiple of 8.)

Caution!

Back up your disk drives before changing the translation scheme.

Host Adapter BIOS (Configuration Utility Reserves BIOS Space) - Enables or disables the SCSI adapter card BIOS.

  • Set to Enable if you boot from a SCSI disk drive connected to the SCSI adapter card.
  • Set to Disable if the peripherals on the SCSI bus (for example, CD-ROM drives) are controlled by software drivers and do not need the BIOS.

Support Removable Disks Under BIOS as Fixed Disks - Determines which removable-media drives are supported by the SCSI adapter card BIOS. Choices are as follows:

Boot Only - Only the removable-media drive designated as the boot device is treated as a hard disk drive.

All Disks - All removable-media drives supported by the BIOS are treated as hard disk drives.

Disabled - No removable-media drives are treated as hard disk drives. Software drivers are required because the drives are not controlled by the BIOS

Caution!

Do not remove a removable-media cartridge from a SCSI drive controlled by the SCSI adapter card BIOS while the drive is on. You may lose data. To allow removability of the media while the drive is on, install the removable-media software driver and set Support Removable Disks Under BIOS as Fixed Disks to Disabled.

Display <Ctrl> <A> Messages during BIOS Initialization - When set to Enable, the SCSI adapter card BIOS displays the Press <Ctrl> <A> for SCSISelect (TM) Utility! message on your screen during system bootup. If this setting is disabled, you can still invoke the SCSISelect Utility by pressing the Ctrl and A key s simultaneously after the SCSI adapter card BIOS banner appears.

BIOS Support for Bootable CD-ROM - When set to Enable, the SCSI adapter card BIOS allows booting from a CD-ROM drive.

BIOS Support for Int 13 Extensions - When set to Enable, the SCSI adapter card BIOS supports Int 13h extensions as required by Plug-and-Play. The setting can be either enabled or disabled if your system is not Plug-and-Play.

Using SCSI disk utilities

To access the SCSI disk utilities, follow these steps:
  1. Select the SCSI Disk Utilities option from the menu that appears after starting SCSISelect. SCSISelect scans the SCSI bus (to determine the devices installed) and displays a list of all SCSI IDs and the devices assigned to each ID.
  2. Use the up and down arrow keys to move the cursor to a specific ID and device, then press Enter.
  3. A small menu appears, displaying the options Format Disk and Verify Disk Media.

    · Format Disk - Allows you to perform a low-level format on a hard disk drive. Each hard disk drive must be low-level formatted before you can use your operating system's partitioning and file preparation utilities, such as MS-DOS FDISK and FORMAT. Most SCSI disk devices are preformatted at the factory and do not need to be low-level formatted again.

Caution!

A low-level format destroys all data on the drive. Be sure to back up your data before performing this operation. You cannot abort a low-level format once it is started.

    · Verify Disk Media - Allows you to scan the media of a hard disk drive for defects. If the utility finds bad blocks on the media, it prompts you to reassign them; if you select yes, those blocks are no longer used. You can press Esc at any time to abort the utility.


Troubleshooting

Have you reviewed the Troubleshooting Checklist provided in the AHA-2940UW Dual Installation Guide? You can resolve most problems by following the recommendations in the checklist. If you still experience problems, continue with this section.

Troubleshooting in Windows 95

When I start Windows 95, the system locks up when the Windows logo is displayed. How can I get the system to start so that I can verify that the SCSI adapter card is functioning normally?

  • Start or restart your computer. View the messages that appear onscreen.
  • When the message "Starting Windows 95" appears, press and release the F8 function key while the text is on your screen.
  • From the menu that is displayed, select Safe Mode. (It may take several minutes for Windows 95 to load.)
  • Verify the AHA-2940UW Dual software driver is loading properly (see below).

How can I tell if the AHA-2940UW Dual software driver is loading properly?

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Device Manager tab.
  4. Double-click the SCSI Controller icon. The software driver for the AHA- 2940UW Dual is listed twice as AHA-2940UW/NW Dual /AHA-394xAU/AUW/AUWD PCI SCSI Controller.
Note:

One listing of the driver is dedicated to internal SCSI peripherals, the other to external SCSI peripherals.

· If the driver is listed, the AHA-2940UW Dual driver is loading properly.

· If the driver is listed but has as exclamation mark inside a yellow circle, the software driver may be in conflict with other hardware using the same resources. Double-click the icon to see the device status and possible solutions.

· If the driver is listed but has an "X" inside a red circle, the AHA-2940UW Dual software driver is disabled and isn't loading (see below).

· If the SCSI Controller icon or the AHA-2940UW Dual software driver is not listed, reinstall the driver (see below).

Note:

Software upgrades (including downloadable drivers) for Adaptec products are available on the Adaptec Web Site at http://www.adaptec.com.

An "X" inside a red circle appears with the AHA-2940UW Dual software driver in Device Manager. What does this mean?

The AHA-2940UW Dual software driver is disabled and isn't loading.

To enable the driver:
  1. Double-click the AHA-2940UW Dual software driver in Device Manager.
  2. Click the General tab.
  3. Check the Original Configuration (current) box.

What if there is no SCSI controller icon under Device Manager, or the software driver for the AHA-2940UW Dual does not appear under Device Manager?
If the SCSI controllers icon or the software driver does not appear:

  1. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon in Control Panel.
  2. Select Yes on the second screen of the Add New Hardware Wizard to have Windows search for the AHA-2940UW Dual.
  3. Follow the onscreen instructions.

If Windows 95 does not detect the SCSI adapter card, run the Add New Hardware Wizard again:

  1. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon in Control Panel.
  2. Select No on the second screen of the wizard.
  3. Select SCSI controllers on the next screen.
  4. Select the model of your Adaptec SCSI adapter card.

If your Adaptec SCSI adapter card model is not on the list, you may be able to install SCSI adapter card driver from the Windows 95 CD-ROM (or from the Adaptec EZ-SCSI® Setup Diskette). Follow these steps:

  1. Place the Windows 95 CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive (or insert the Adaptec EZ-SCSI Setup Diskette in the floppy disk drive) and run the Add New Hardware wizard.
  2. Select No on the second screen of the wizard.
  3. Select SCSI controllers on the next screen.
  4. Click the Have Disk button, then click the Browse button.
  5. Look in the \drivers\storage directory of the CD-ROM (or the root directory of the EZ-SCSI Setup Diskette) and select the model of your SCSI adapter card.

How can I check the status of a resource (for example, IRQ,
Memory, I/O)?

  1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. Click the Device Manager tab.
  4. Click Computer, and then click Properties.
  5. On the View Resources tab, click the option button for the type of resource you want to check.
  6. The setting and the hardware using the setting is displayed.

    · If a specific resource is not listed, the resource is not used by a device.

    · If a resource is listed more than once, the resource is used by more than one device.

    · If a resource is used by an unknown device, the resource is used but the device using the resource cannot be detected.

How do I use the Hardware Conflict Troubleshooter in Windows 95?

  1. Click the Start button, then click Help.
  2. From the Contents tab, double-click Troubleshooting.
  3. Double-click If you have a hardware conflict.
  4. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the Windows Help window.

Other problems and solutions

The screen is difficult to read when I run SCSISelect.

Press F5 to toggle the display between color and monochrome modes. This may make it easier for you to read the screen.

My computer locks up when I press Esc to exit SCSISelect.

If this happens, turn your computer off and then on to reboot. Any settings you changed before you tried to exit the program were recorded in the EEPROM and are not lost.

When I tried to use the format/verify utility on a disk device, I got an Unexpected SCSI Command Failure pop-up box with a lot of error information. What does this mean?

This probably means that the utility encountered a problem with the disk device or medium, so it can't run. The following data appear:

  • SCSI Target ID of the device
  • SCSI CDB Sent (e.g., 2F 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00)
  • Host Adapter Status (e.g., 11h - Selection Timeout)
  • Target Status (e.g., 00h - Good Status)
  • Sense Key (e.g., 06h - Unit Attention)
  • Additional Sense Code
  • Additional Sense Code Qualifier

You can probably determine from the Sense Key information both the cause of the problem and its solution. Here are some of the more common Sense Key values and their meanings:

02h - Not ready
The medium is not ready to format. Check that the medium is inserted in the drive and spun up.

03h - Medium error
The disk medium may be defective. If it is a removable-media drive, try using a different disk. If it is a hard disk drive, the disk may by physically damaged. Verify and format the medium with SCSISelect.

04h - Hardware error
The disk drive may be defective. Read the hardware documentation and contact the manufacturer of the disk drive.

05h - Illegal request
The Adaptec formatting utility does not support a low-level format of this device. The device may already be low-level formatted by the manufacturer.

06h - Unit attention
The removable medium may be write-protected. Disable write protection and run the utility again.

The additional Sense Code field provides more information about the error. Check you hardware manual for explanations.

One of the SCSI peripherals on my computer don't allow me to disable termination. How can I attach it to the SCSI bus?

You might be able to attach this peripheral to the end of the SCSI bus so you do not need to disable termination on it. If this is not possible, contact the manufacturer of the peripheral for possible solutions.

I connected my computer's LED cable to the SCSI adapter card. Now the light stays on all the time and my computer hangs.

The red LED on the AHA-2940UW Dual normally lights up when there is activity on the SCSI bus. If the light stays on when there is no activity on the bus, it may mean that the internal SCSI cables are reversed. Turn off the computer and check the pin-1 orientation of the internal SCSI cable connectors.

Common error messages

"Device connected, but not ready"

The host received no answer when it requested data from an installed SCSI peripheral.

  • Run SCSISelect® and set the Send Start Unit Command to Yes for the particular SCSI peripheral.
  • Make sure the drive is set to spin up when the power is switched on. (See the documentation for the peripheral.)

"Start unit request failed"
The SCSI adapter card BIOS was unable to send a Start Unit Command to the peripheral.

  • Run SCSISelect and disable the Send Start Unit Command for the peripheral.

"Time-out failure during..."
An unexpected time-out occurred.

  • Verify the SCSI bus is properly terminated.
  • Verify all cables are properly connected.
    • Try disconnecting the SCSI peripheral cables from the SCSI adapter card and then starting the computer. If the computer successfully restarts, one of the SCSI peripherals may be defective.

    Obtaining SCSI Cables and Adapters

    High-quality cables are required in high-performance SCSI systems to ensure data integrity. Adaptec provides the highest quality SCSI cables designed specifically for use with Adaptec SCSI adapter cards. For purchasing information, contact Adaptec at 1-800-442-SCSI (7274), Monday to Friday, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Time).

    External cables

    Description

    Part Number

    High-Density 50-pin to High-Density
    50-pin Cable (1 m)

    ACK-H2H

    High-Density 50-pin to Centronics
    50-pin Cable (1 m)

    ACK-H2L

    High-Density 68-pin to High-Density
    68-pin Cable (1 m)

    ACK-W2W-E

    External connector diagrams









      External cable adapters

    Description

    Part Number

    High-Density 68-pin to High-Density
    50-pin External Adapter

    ACK-68P-50P-E

    High-Density 50-pin to Centronics
    50-pin External Adapter

    ACK-GCH2L

    Examples of Cabling Wide and Narrow External SCSI Peripherals

        A. Narrow device
        B. 50-pin cable
        C. Narrow device
        D. 50-pin cable
        E. 68-pin to 50-pin adapter
        F. Wide device
        G. 68-pin cable
        H. AHA-2940UW Dual

        A. Narrow device
        B. 50-pin cable
        C. Narrow device
        D. 50-pin cable
        E. 68-pin to 50-pin adapter
        F. AHA-2940UW Dual

    Internal cables

    Description

    Part Number

    5 position (4 peripherals + SCSI adapter card), standard 50-pin connectors (1.5 m)

    ACK-INT5

    5 position (4 peripherals + SCSI adapter card), High-Density 68-pin connectors (1.1 m)

    ACK-W2W-5I

    Internal connector diagrams



    Maximum cable lengths

    The total length of cabling on the SCSI bus may not exceed the maximum lengths listed in the following table. The maximum cable length for internal SCSI peripherals are independent of the cable length for external SCSI peripherals.

    Maximum Cable Length (Internal or External)

    DataTransfer
    Rate

    Maximum Peripherals Supported

    3 m (9.8 ft)

    Fast SCSI
    (10 MBytes/sec)

    7

    3 m (9.8 ft)

    Wide SCSI
    (20 MBytes/sec)

    15

    3 m (9.8 ft)

    Ultra SCSI
    (40 MBytes/sec for 16-bit,
    20 MBytes/sec for 8-bit)

    4

    1.5 m (4.9 ft)

    Ultra SCSI

    5-811

    1Ultra SCSI data transfer rates do not currently support more than eight devices.


    Notices

    Copyright

    © 1997 Adaptec, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Adaptec, Inc., 691 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035.

    Trademarks

    Adaptec, the Adaptec logo, AHA, EZ-SCSI, and SCSISelect are trademarks of Adaptec, Inc. which may be registered in some jurisdictions. Windows and Windows 95 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries used under license. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

    Changes

    The material in this document is for information only and is subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, Adaptec, Inc. assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein.

    Adaptec reserves the right to make changes in the product design without reservation and without notification to its users.

    Disclaimer

    IF THIS PRODUCT DIRECTS YOU TO COPY MATERIALS, YOU MUST HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OF THE MATERIALS TO AVOID VIOLATING THE LAW WHICH COULD RESULT IN DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES.


    Regulatory Compliance Statements

    American Users:

    This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

    • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
    • Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
    • Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected
    • Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
    Caution!

    The Federal Communications Commission warns the users that changes or modifications to the unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

    Canadian Users:

    This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of Industry Canada.

    Le présent appareil numérique n'émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de Classe B prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par Industrie Canada.

    European Users:

    This Information Technology Equipment has been tested and found to comply with the following European directives:

    [i] EMC Directive 89/336/EEC amending directive 92/31/EEC & 93/68 EEC as per
    - EN 50081-1:1992 according to
    EN 55022:1995 Class B
    EN 61000-3-2:1995 or EN 60555-2:1986
    EN 61000-3-3: 1995
    - EN50082-1:1992 according to
    EN 61000-4-2:1995 or IEC 801-2:1984
    ENV 50140:1994 or IEC 801-3:1984
    EN 61000-4-4:1988 or IEC 801-4:1998
    [ii] Low Voltage Directive (Safety) 73/23/EEC as per EN 60950: 1992

    Japanese Users:

    This equipment is in the Class 2 category (Information Technology Equipment to be used in a residential area or an adjacent area thereto) and conforms to the standards set by the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment aimed at preventing radio interference in such residential area.

    When used near a radio or TV receiver, it may become the cause of radio interference. Read instructions for correct handling.

    Australian and New Zealand Users:

    This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZS 3548 set out by the Spectrum Management Agency.

    Caution!

    Disconnect power before servicing.

    Attention!

    Couper le courant avant l'entretien.