Re: SCSII info

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

In article <j755290@pro-novapple.clark.net>,
Lee Raesly <lee@pro-novapple.clark.net> wrote:
> This is not a repost of an earlier message, but an expanded post. Several
> people said I had not given eoung info. Well, here is the new post:
>  
> Perhaps someone can help me. I am using a drive from Integraph. It is an
> Intergraph 156 MEG unit. I am using it on a gs. I formated
> it with Advanced Disk Utilities (ADU) from System 6.01
>  
> The card I am using is from AMR (a true SCSII) and sold by AMR with the
> Syquest drive.

Yours is the only instance of such a card I have ever heard of.  Are
you sure the card is MADE by AMR, and isn't just some other SCSI card
that they supplied?  Is there a manufacturer's name on it somewhere?
Any kind of ROM with a logo and/or serial number?

I've only ever heard of 3.5" drives made by AMR.

> So I guess that makes it an AMR Syquest SCSII card. ADU will
> format it, but only the first 32 MEGS. I am told that I need to run a
> low level formatter/particioning software.

What exactly did you do in ADU?  Did you click the Initialize button,
or try to Partition it?  The Initialize function should give you the
OPTION of doing an immediate low-level format (if there is only one
partition).

Assuming this mysterious card is compatible with the Apple SCSI card,
you should be able to partition the drive by clicking on the Partition
button, and set up as many 32 megabyte partitions as you need (or
larger partitions, if you want to put an HFS partition on there as well).

If you don't use the Parititon option, there will only be one
partition (occupying the whole disk), and you will be limited to 32
megabytes of it if you choose the ProDOS file system.

If this really is an oddball SCSI card, I suggest you buy a standard
one.  A second-hand original Apple SCSI card with Rev C ROM shouldn't
set you back more than $40 (if that).

There is NO software which supports arbitrary generic SCSI cards (this
is not possible, unless the card is software-compatible with an
existing card).

Your only hope is to find the software supplied with the card, or get
someone to write formatting/partitioning software specifically for
your card.  This is not likely to be easy.

> The two "generic" low level formatter/partitioners that I have been able to
> find (SCSII "HACKER" and "VANILLA" Formater/partioner) will only work with
> an Apple SCSII card. They both give me a message "Cannot Find Apple SCSII
> card" and error out!

SCSI Hacker only works with the original Apple SCSI card, not the
High-Speed card (unless there was a newer version, which I'm not aware
of).  Vanilla may have the same limitation.

> I am aware that an Apple SCSII card version C or D

There is no revision D of the original SCSI card.

> or the Apple High Speed would do it, as would the RAMFast card.
> However, I have NO money. Try living on Social Security with no cash
> reserves in DC. It can't be done! 

You're probably out of luck then, unless someone else has this card.


By the way: it isn't called "SCSII".  It is "SCSI" (only one "I").
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand