[KayBee]

Hi Irixians,

My O2 has no CD-ROM, so that's where I plugged in my SCSI2SD V6. Parity, Termination, and SCSI2 enabled, block size 512.
I used Irinikus excellent conflict free install to do a well, conflict free install using an external SCSI CD-ROM.  I did use the O2 boot command since he is using a Tezro. I had no errors. After the install I chose to restart the machine and I get an empty blue gradient screen with an unmovable mouse cursor in the upper left. I let it sit like that for 40 minutes, nothing. I then repeated the whole procedure to make sure I haven't missed anything. Same result. 

If anyone has success, or advice I'd like to hear about it.

Thank you.

KB

[callahan]

I have not tried a SCSI2SD on my Octane. However, on my Indy it works fine as long as it's the only SCSI device. As soon as I add another device it refuses to post and fails to boot.

My guess is you're running into a similar problem.

[Raion]

Can't be done on an Octane without an adapter, and it'll be way slower than any NOS SCSI disk on ebay would be, and much more expensive.

The O2, I'm not sure how that would work. I don't even own an O2 anymore.

[KayBee]

Granted, my case might be unusual, speed isn't that important. I will be messing with C++, and in that workflow I am by far the slowest part of the workflow, not the machine. So on the O2 I have SCSI2SD working fine. With disks obtained from Chulofiasco, and an external CD-ROM drive, I was able to do a clean install of 6.5.30. In case anyone else wants to do somethings similar I'll mention my config:

SCS2SD from Inertial computing, with optional plastic tray(to keep bottom of PCB from shorting on anything metal.
Firmware 6.3
4GB SD Card
SCSI device 1
Block size 512
Termination enabled
SCSI2 mode enabled
SCSI2SD plugged into O2 CD-ROM ribbon cable(since I don't have a CD-ROM drive), this also powers the SCSI2SD
internal SCSI sled removed from O2.

One nice thing is once the SD card is set-up, it takes 5 minutes to clone. also, the O2 is really quiet now.

I haven't done any speed tests, I may do at some point. At the moment I am trying to get it working with an Octane, using an old DAT sled, with its SCA(80) to 50 pin adapter. No luck yet, Octane doesn't see it.

Cheers all.

KB

[nintendoeats]

I have not tried a SCSI2SD on my Octane. However, on my Indy it works fine as long as it's the only SCSI device. As soon as I add another device it refuses to post and fails to boot.

My guess is you're running into a similar problem.

I don't have this problem with my Indy (though I did have to downgrade the firmware to make the SCSI2Sd work reliably). Are you using a V5 or V6? Also, are you positive that you have all your termination correct?

[KayBee]

Hi nintendoeats,

Thanks for the response. Funny you ask if I am positive about termination, a minute ago I would have said yes because I am using a V6 in my O2, in the place of the CDROM drive, in the SCSI2SD utility I have termination active, and it works there without hardware jumpers etc. In the Octane I am using the standard SCA(80) system drive connector, going to an SCA(80) to 50 pin adapter, commonly used in DAT drive/floppy drive sleds in Octanes, then the SCSI2SD connected to that. In the SCSI2SD utility I again have termination enabled.

Currently, an hinv shows no SCSI devices connected, so it isn't being seen at all. Is that a symptom of incorrect termination?

I'd appreciate any further thoughts.

Thank you.

KB

[Raion]

There's no reason to use a SCSI2SD on an Octane. The Octane, unlike the Indy or Indigo2, is a LOW VOLTAGE DIFFERENTIAL SCSI bus, unlike the single-ended buses of the Indy, Indigo2 etc, and the HVD bus of some of the IRIS units.

Low-voltage differential devices, not buses, are generally backwards compatible. The bus in the Octane is probably not compatible, and that adapter you're using is a passive adapter. You cannot do this.

[callahan]

I also somewhat seriously doubt that it's possible to use a SCSI2SD on the internal SCSI bus due to the reasons Raion highlighted.

It should be possible on the external bus, which also should be bootable by changing the environment variables in the PROM.

Do you have an external enclosure you could use to test?

As others have mentioned, performance will be horrible; much worse than a $15 ebay 10k RPM disk. There is a noticeable improvement on my Indy going from a SCSI2SD v6 to a 10k RPM Fujitsu MAN drive.

[KayBee]

Yeah, this idea is illogical from an engineering point of view, but my whole retro hobby could be seen that way.  I respect you guys immensely, and your experience, and most of all your patience. I will continue to try to get this working, until I get bored of the idea, or if it has too many conditions.  One piece of anecdotal evidence keeps me thinking this is possible, with a 10" SCA(80) extender cable connected to the O2's primary HDD bay, to an SCA(80) adapter from a DAT sled, to the SCSI2SD (V6), and utilizing the molex power from the CDROM, I can boot and use the O2. Of course an Octane is not an O2, so there's that...

Cheers,

KB

[hamei]

Yeah, this idea is illogical from an engineering point of view, but my whole retro hobby could be seen that way.

Start with basics then. If you put a normal scsi device on that cable, is it identified ?

For checking scsi chains, I found a utility from Schillenberger (or whatever his correct name is, the CD-ROM burner guy) to be the most useful one. It's on his site, or was. Found stuff fast and correctly that was a pita with the SGI tools.

You need a compiler to do anything good. Seriously. It's not that difficult, definitely worthwhile.