RE: SCSI Tape Drive Woes -- Need more help!

[GregS@dss.state.sd.us ("Schreurs, Greg")]

What ROM version do you have on your RamFast?  The most recent ROM (3.01e I 
think) has a problem with tape drives.  This sounds like the exact problem 
too.  Contact Sequential Systems for assistance. (I don't have their number 
handy, I am at the office.)

Greg
(gregs@dss.state.sd.us)
 ----------
From: info-apple-request
Subject: SCSI Tape Drive Woes -- Need more help!
Date: Tuesday, April 05, 1994 3:55AM

In a previous post (about a week ago) I asked for help with the
jumper assignments on a Cipher ST150S 2/90 Tape Drive. Well, I
contacted Conner tech. support (now handling Cipher products) and
got the jumper assignments all squared away. BUT I STILL CAN'T
GET THE TAPE DRIVE TO WORK!

Here are the problems as they stand:

1. RamFast Utility doesn't see the tape drive as an installed device.
   (i.e., When I select 'SCSIUtils', I don't get the listing of SCSI
    devices. I just get my hard drive which is the only other SCSI
    device that I have). However, if I power up with my hard drive
    turned off and then select 'SCSIUtils', I do get some info from
    the Tape drive to appear on the subsequent screen. (Proper SCSI
    ID, Device Name). FYI, I am pressing '0' when powering up in the
    above examples.
2.  When I power up my computer with the tape drive unit turned off,
    the computer locks up at the 'end' of the red "boot progress"
    thermometer. It appears to be hanging while perhaps trying to scan
    the SCSI bus. I didn't think it was necessary to have all SCSI
    devices connect to the chain powered on at all times. Is this an
    indication of a problem?

Various permutations I have tried:

1. Changing SCSI ID.
2. Changing physical position of the tape drive in the SCSI chain.
3. Enabling/Disabling tape drive supplying its own termination power.
4. Removed JP1 jumper on my RamFast rev. D card (no effect).
5. Booting with tape in drive or without tape (no effect).

Oh, one last thing. Does the capacity of the tape play a critical role.
Since this drive is named - Cipher ST150S I figured it probably handles
DC6150 tapes. But the only tape that I got with it was a DC6250 (250MB).

Finally, the computer:

ROM 01 IIgs, 4MB, Sys. 6.0.1, ZipGS, RamFAST rev. D 256Kb, SonicBlaster.

(All devices have had internal terminator packs removed. Termination 
provided
by external terminator plug.)

Thanks for any help -- I need all I can get!

Paul Schultz

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Internet: schultp@aa.wl.com
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