Re: Quatum Trailblazer on RamFAST?

[dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <Dpyr0D.n1t@serval.net.wsu.edu>,
mark lyon <o9938156@unicorn.it.wsu.edu> wrote:
> David Empson (dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz) wrote:
> : The specific model that didn't work was a Quantum Fireball (1080MB, if
> : I remember right).  I don't think anyone tried a Trailblazer (I was
> 
> The RamFAST also doesn't work with my Fireball 540MB.

The 540MB and 1080MB Fireball models will have almost identical
firmware in the drive - the larger one just has an extra disk platter.

> : It is quite possible that the Trailblazer has the same problem.  The
> : problem appeared to be that the Fireball requires the host to provide
> : a SCSI ID, which does not happen with a RamFast.  The Trailblazer was
> : released at about the same time as the Fireball, so it is likely to
> : have the same requirement.
> 
> Eeewww.  Is this a problem that can be fixed in a ROM upgrade for the 
> RamFAST?

At the very least it would require that the RamFast is assigned a SCSI
ID of its own (like every other SCSI card), and would limit you to
seven peripheral devices.  It could just use a fixed SCSI ID of 7.

Does the RamFast have any non-volatile storage (e.g. EEPROM) on the
card itself, or does it store all of its settings on the boot hard drive?

If everyting is stored on the hard drive, it would be difficult to
support a settable SCSI ID, because it cannot access the hard drive
until it knows its own SCSI ID.  Similarly, it would be difficult to
allow this feature to be enabled or disabled as required.


It should be possible to do this with a ROM upgrade, provided the
RamFast doesn't have any custom hardware which depends on its
particular implementation of the SCSI phases.  If they are done in
software, and a standard SCSI controller chip is used (NCR5380 or
similar), then there should be no problem.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand