Re: ZIP Drive trouble...

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave Althoff) wrote:

>I have finally obtained and installed a SCSI ZIP drive on my IIgs. 
>Believe it or not, it worked on the first try
>
>But I have found a problem.  I'm using the Apple HS-SCSI card (though DMA
>OFF, so I guess it really isn't HS...) which I understand can handle
>ejectable SCSI devices.
>
>Well, when I was looking at a GS/OS Standard File Dialog, I got an
>incessant beeping noise from the computer.  Suddenly it dawned on me what
>was going on...I stuck a ZIP disk into the drive, it mounted, and the
>beeping stopped.  Apparently GS/OS kept checking the device to see if it
>contained any drives.  Or something like that.

Yup.  It has to do with the Apple SCSI driver.  I've learned
to live with it.  When I want to use the Zip drive, I turn it
on before booting up.  When I don't want to use it, I turn
it off.

>Is there any way to suppress this?  I mean, yeah, if I have a ZIP disk in
>the drive I want it to be available to GS/OS.  But what if there isn't
>anything in that drive?  Do I just have to live with the noise?  Or should
>I just keep a disk in that drive?  Or is there a system patch I should
>know about?

One way to completely fix the problem is to replace the
Apple SCSI driver with the Tulin one.  Some former Tulin
employee on Compuserve sells it for $20.

The driver solves another problem too: the Zip drive
deactivates itself after a period of time to conserve
energy.  When the IIGS tries to access it, an error occurs.
If it happens in some programs, data can get corrupted.
If it happens in the Finder, the Finder will ask you if
you want to format the Zip disk.

If you don't get the Tulin driver (like I have not) you will
have to listen for the Zip drive deactivating, then hit
the eject button and push the Zip disk back into the drive
after it has ejected.  People call this "goosing" the Zip
drive.  ;-)  It works and reactivates the Zip.

I've gotten so used to it now that it is second nature.