Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller

Dave Wade dave.g4ugm at gmail.com
Tue Jul 14 15:24:40 CDT 2020


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ali <cctalk at ibm51xx.net>
> Sent: 14 July 2020 20:22
> To: 'Dave Wade' <dave.g4ugm at gmail.com>; 'General Discussion: On-Topic
> and Off-Topic Posts' <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: RE: Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller
> 
> > Ali,
> > Its been a long time, but I think the answer is no. A tape is not a
> > disk and uses a different SCSI command set to a disk. For example you
> > can't rewind a disk.
> >
> > I found a SmartArray 3200 manual here:-
> >
> > http://index-of.es/Tutorials/Proliant%201600/SmartArray3200.pdf
> >
> > and in the Q&A it says :-
> >
> > Q. Does the Smart Array 3200 Controller support SCSI tape drives and
> > CD-ROM drives?
> > A. No; the Smart Array 3200 Controller only supports Wide-Ultra2
> > SCSI,Wide-Ultra SCSI-3, Fast-Wide SCSI-2, and Fast SCSI-2 hard drives.
> >
> > So I would say not.
> 
> Dave,
> 
> RTFM - Read The Friggin Manual. :) That pretty much settles it. Thanks for
> finding that bit of info. I am going to throw in an Adaptec controller in
there
> and call it done!
> 
> -Ali

Ali,
No probs! It has been a long time since I worked for Compaq, but I remember
having huge issues with mixing tapes and disks and RAID controller
compatibility. 
We used to have a big spreadsheet that showed all the compatible
controllers/devices/operating systems, but even that failed us at times.
Oddly, my old Microchannel Cheetah RAID controller in my P390 supports tapes
and CD ROMS....
Dave





More information about the cctalk mailing list