I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

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rcamp48
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I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rcamp48 »

Hello everyone:

I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am trying to prepeare for Atari ST use on a Windows 7 machine. I have installed the Adaptec adapter and cables for a couple of 2 Gig SCSI drives, but as this is a new field for me, I ave no idea how to get them to be recognized in Windows 7 Pro 32 bit , let alone formatting them so that they will be ready for my SH204 when I get it. Is there a program out there that will do both, format it for Atari and Windows 7? it has jumpers I selected it to be drive 1 , there is drive 1 and 2 as choices. The drive I am using is an Open Storage Solutions SO # 23252, I am using a 25 to 50 pin SCSI cable with it. Anyways surely there is a hardware guru that can get back to me on this one. Russ
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by exxos »

You can test format it on the PC assuming the PC sees the drive, if not, then that would be a epic...

Formatting should be in with HD10 on the Atari for example, where you can select TOS/DOS compatibility, Also not all SCSI drives are likely to work with with all host adapters, in particular if there are newer SCSI drives.
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rcamp48
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rcamp48 »

Unfortunately the PC does not even see the drive , Don says I have to set it up in the BIOS somehow, also I do not know if it is self terminated , I may need to get a 50 pin terminator for this. I do plan on using it with the SH204 somehow if it will work if not I have plenty of proper drives to choose from. The only thing I don't like is that Don (my local hardware guru has no choice but to store them in a trailer that is a little damp, just got them so I am not even sure if they work, but he wants me to test them for him. I am making a circuit board for my external floppy, any ideas on how to wire up the plugs, (male 34 pin, to female 34 pin) to work with a modern drive, only as 720 K..... I have heard about swapping wires on google , but have conflicting instructions from different sites. Once I have the external drive working I want to make a blitz cable, but hate to cut a new floppy cable in half, do you have the ends (female and male) for the floppy cables in stock? I ould rather order them than cut a good cable in half, although I have 2 of them....Russ
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rubber_jonnie »

If I'm being honest here, I don't entirely see what you are trying to achieve here. The SH204 you have is a very limited device (there is some detail on it here: https://translate.google.com/translate? ... rev=search ).

It can only be device 0 (Zero), so you can't connect any other drives, such as the UltraSatan you've ordered.

I assume you are removing the MFM/RLL adapter card from the SH24 with the idea of installing a SCSI drive? I can only suggest that you may find yourself in a world of hurt trying to make it work, regardless of if you can format the SCSI drives on PC or not.

I'd stick to the UltraSatan you've ordered.
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rcamp48
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rcamp48 »

I think you are right. I will stick to the ultra Satan. The only thing I.am doing now is testing the SCSI drives for Don on the PC. This I what I am dealing with.
Back of SCSI drive
Back of SCSI drive
1546524446298-858807432.jpg (69.07 KiB) Viewed 4167 times
rcamp48
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rcamp48 »

Now that I have shown a picture of the connectors does the bottom connector need a terminator for the PC? If so I can get one. Have given up thoughts of using enclosures with the SH204 even before I get one, will put in an rll or mfm drive the correct one , get it working then possibly sell it as I have an ultra satan coming, has anyone tested the Ultrta satan with 16 GB cards , other than a 32 MB card that's all I have.
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rubber_jonnie »

rcamp48 wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:09 pm I think you are right. I will stick to the ultra Satan. The only thing I.am doing now is testing the SCSI drives for Don on the PC. This I what I am dealing with.
That should be fine, but I'm familiar with enclosures like that, you will need a SCSI terminator on one of the two connectors shown in the picture, or it won't work. You need a Centronics type terminator (50 pin if I recall correctly), which you can probably find easily on eBay.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by exxos »

rcamp48 wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:56 pm Unfortunately the PC does not even see the drive , Don says I have to set it up in the BIOS somehow, also I do not know if it is self terminated , I may need to get a 50 pin terminator for this. I do plan on using it with the SH204 somehow if it will work if not I have plenty of proper drives to choose from. The only thing I don't like is that Don (my local hardware guru has no choice but to store them in a trailer that is a little damp, just got them so I am not even sure if they work, but he wants me to test them for him.
Can't he test the drives himself if hes trying to explain to you how to set them up ?

I've not touched SCSI for like 20 years.. but not only will you have compatibility issues with the drives and SCSI PC cards for example, but the drivers themselves in win7 might not even work with your card... IIRC SCSI was a pain to get working in XP.. Unless you really know how to debug this stuff, I would suggest you save yourself a world of pain and don't use a PC for this.

If you have a know working ST host adapter, then HD10 software should be pretty simple to use and you should see the drive pretty easily. Though not all SCSI drives will work with the old ST host adapters. So if the ST doesn't see it, it can be the drive is faulty, or the host adapter isn't compatible. Though if these are for ST use, they would be unsuitable either way anyway.
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rcamp48
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by rcamp48 »

He is way too busy himself and has asked me to do it and like you he has not touched SCSI drives for over 20 years. Thank for your help I will ask him for a SCSI terminator. After all he is trading me old parts and service work for this and has over 200 enclosures to test. And I am learning things, not the hard way like before. As for Atari I will get the SH204 working the way it was meant to be, and then use the Ultra Satan , it sounds like more fun and less space anyways.

On the other hand this is what I am working on today.
Project for external drive enclosures.
Project for external drive enclosures.
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stephen_usher
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Re: I have some new SCSI enclosures that I am testing

Post by stephen_usher »

rubber_jonnie wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:18 pm
rcamp48 wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:09 pm I think you are right. I will stick to the ultra Satan. The only thing I.am doing now is testing the SCSI drives for Don on the PC. This I what I am dealing with.
That should be fine, but I'm familiar with enclosures like that, you will need a SCSI terminator on one of the two connectors shown in the picture, or it won't work. You need a Centronics type terminator (50 pin if I recall correctly), which you can probably find easily on eBay.
Indeed, one of these terminators (or the single-ended version) needs to be at the end of the SCSI chain:
IMG_1242.JPG
IMG_1242.JPG (96.12 KiB) Viewed 4239 times
As for PC SCSI host adapters, Adaptec ones usually need the drive powered up and on-line at boot time to detect them. They're a bit pants. Unfortunately the Advansys ones were better but only supported as far as Windows NT 4, if you can find one.
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