Re: SCSI HD connection questions, from a Complete Idiot[tm]

[vsp@unix3.netaxs.com (have clue--will travel)]

In article <3309@swuts.sbc.com>,  <JB3819@JB3819.SBC.COM> wrote:
>
>1) Yes.  You probably need another short cable and a terminator to hook
> to the far side of the disk drive.  Also, if it is an Apple SCSI card, 
> it also won't supply power to the terminator.  Depending on the
> age / maker of the hard drive in question, this could also be a problem.  
> If, OTOH, the card is a RamFast, it 
> can be strapped to supply the needed power to the terminator.

It's an Apple SCSI card, dated 1990.  (Not sure on the revision, but the
label on one of the chips says "341-0803 @1990 Apple" on it.)  The card is
currently in slot one, not being used; when I put it in slot 7 and tried to
boot a ProDOS utility, the boot sequence stopped dead until I put the card
back in slot one.  (Could be a bad card; I'll be testing this over the
weekend.)  All dipswitches are in the "down" position, if that rings
any bells.

Current configuration:  Apple SCSI card can go in any unused slot; I'd prefer
to put it in 6 or 7, as I never use AppleTalk and don't use my 5 1/4" drive
much if ever.  System cable going from that to a SCSI port; a terminator is
plugged into the other port.  SCSI ID counter on the back is set to 6. 

>Of course, the drive may not actually be a SCSI drive.  What kind of computer 
>did your parents have it hooked up to? 

It was in a Mac, taken out, given an external case and presented to moi
some time later.  Size and original manufacturer unknown.  It has two 50-pin
ports that my SCSI terminator and cable plugged into nicely, as well as a
SCSI ID counter; I'd like to give at least the drive the benefit of the doubt,
unless there's some major incompatibility between the drive itself and its
case.

As for the terminator, it's plugged directly into the other port; I'm not
sure why I'd need another cable, as this is my only SCSI device.  Whether
it provides power to it or not, I'm not sure, and less sure how to test this.

> Also, if it turns out to be a really 
>big drive, you'll have to partition it up into smaller pieces, one of which 
>must be 32MB or less to allow it to be formatted as a ProDOS volume for 
>booting, etc.  The rest of the partitions can be about any size if you're 
>willing to use HFS for those larger than 32MB (I've heard mixed results from 
>using HFS on GEnie's A2 BB).
>

I doubt it's huge, but I'm aware of the 32MB ProDOS limitation.  I can
live with that.  Large enough to hold system files and some oft-used utilities
will do nicely, thank you...

			jeff.   my needs are few, my wants are simple 

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