On 3 Feb, alan_at_nabeth.cxo.dec.com (Alan Rollow - Dr. File System's Home
for Wayward Inodes.) wrote:
> While the port driver for the NCR 810 family controllers
> often manages to cope with random 3rd party implementations,
> I think it is only actively tested with our built-in controllers
> and the KZPAA.
>
> If you don't mind the script transfer overhead of a simple
> minded NCR 810 family controller, get a KZPAA. Otherwise
> consider the KZPDA or single-ended KZPBA.
>
On 3 Feb, Dr. Tom Blinn, 603-884-0646 wrote:
> If you refer to the configuration information for the Personal AlphaStation
> 500au systems in Digital's Systems and Options catalog (available from our
> web site www.digital.com or in printed form from your local Digital sales
> office or reseller), you will see that only ONE SPECIFIC SCSI CONTROLLER is
> listed as a supported second controller for external storage on the system
> you have. (This information is in the May 1997 Supplement edition; there is
> different information in the November 1997 edition, which says that the "a"
> and "au" systems include a Qlogic Ultra Wide SCSI controller in the base
> system and that NO ADDITIONAL SCSI CONTROLLER IS SUPPORTED.)
> In the May 1997 catalog, the ONLY listed optional SCSI controller is the
> SN-KZPAA-AA, and it says a maximum of one (1) is supported. It happens that
> the SN-KZPAA-AA is based on the NCR810 controller chip, which is why when
> you "plugged an el-cheapo ROM less NCR 810A based PC controller in the
> machine" (to use your words) "it seems to be support by the driver".
He wrote also:
> If you ordered your systems in October, then the configuration rules that
> were in effect when you ordered your systems (the ones in the May 1997
> catalog) are probably the ones that apply.
> My reading of the current catalog (November 1997, US edition) on page 1.6,
> footnote 2 in the SCSI controllers section, it clearly states:
>
> 2. Each DPWS a and au systems include a Q-logic Ultra Wide SCSI controller
> in the base system. No additional SCSI controllers are supported.
On 3 Feb, Rene Martinez <martinez_at_intraserver.com> wrote:
> Try IntraServer Technology, Inc. at http://www.intraserver.com for Alpha SCSI
> solutions. Our ITI-3140U-U will work for you.
So my conclusions are that in our systems (ordered in October,
delivered end of December) a NCR 810A based controller is supported
because the only officially supported secondary controller is the KZPAA
which is based on that chip. For any currently available new systems no
secondary controller and therefore no external SCSI devices are
supported. Only third party solutions for external SCSI devices are
available currently.
Nevertheless I did try today another NCR 810A chip based controller
after I found out that the one I used the last time must be faulty
because SCSI probing with this controller also hangs in a PC. I plugged
in an ASUS SC-200 (810A chip but active termination instead of
passive). This time both the controller and the connected DAT drive
were recognized by the monitor and the machine booted successfully with
the GENERIC kernel. I could then build a customized kernel which also
allows me to access the tape drive without any further hassle.
Thank you for all your hints
Gerhard
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Received on Wed Feb 04 1998 - 17:50:49 NZDT