22 Nov
2007
22 Nov
'07
8:48 a.m.
I've been attempting to get a MicroVax II set up with
a working, large hard drive. I have an Emulex QD33
Qbus SMD controller, and I'm trying to get it to work
with a Seagate Sabre 9720-1230 hard drive. It's listed
as being compatible with this controller in the
manual.
So far, I've gotten everything hooked up, and I can
get into the controller's firmware by depositing
various values at the >>> prompt. After entering the
relevant settings (from the manual) for the hard
drive, the controller will sort-of talk to the drive.
It shows it as being available, but when I try to
format it, the drive makes a buzzing noise for about
30 seconds, then I get the message that "This
operation timed out". When I answer the error message
with the enter key, the buzzing from the drive stops.
This buzzing sounds like fast seeking, but it's not
what I would expect a format to do, I am expecting
more of a slow clunk... clunk... clunk... tapping
noise as it seeks, and formats the drive. The CYL:
display on the LCD of the drive never increments. I've
tried various dip switch settings on the drive itself.
The drives I have were originally used with a Wang
computer system, but other than the faceplates being
painted "Wang light brown" I don't know what other
differences there might be. Their sector switches are
set for 22 sector, so I entered that into the
firmware. My next attempt, I'm going to try and change
it to the default listed in the Emulex manual - but as
long as the firmware and the drive agree, I don't
think it much matters.
I've tried different cylinder addressing modes, and
both SMD modes (dip switches on the back of the drive)
and no change. I've tried two identical hard drives,
and get the same result, so I don't think I've just
got a bad HDA. Both drives spin up and don't fault.
Any ideas?
-Ian
22 Nov
22 Nov
10:01 a.m.
Ian,
Keep me posted on how things work for you, I have several other QBUS
SMD controllers, so if I can help you out, let me know.
Curt
Mr Ian Primus wrote:
I've been attempting to get a MicroVax II set up
with
a working, large hard drive. I have an Emulex QD33
Qbus SMD controller, and I'm trying to get it to work
with a Seagate Sabre 9720-1230 hard drive. It's listed
as being compatible with this controller in the
manual.
So far, I've gotten everything hooked up, and I can
get into the controller's firmware by depositing
various values at the >>> prompt. After entering the
relevant settings (from the manual) for the hard
drive, the controller will sort-of talk to the drive.
It shows it as being available, but when I try to
format it, the drive makes a buzzing noise for about
30 seconds, then I get the message that "This
operation timed out". When I answer the error message
with the enter key, the buzzing from the drive stops.
This buzzing sounds like fast seeking, but it's not
what I would expect a format to do, I am expecting
more of a slow clunk... clunk... clunk... tapping
noise as it seeks, and formats the drive. The CYL:
display on the LCD of the drive never increments. I've
tried various dip switch settings on the drive itself.
The drives I have were originally used with a Wang
computer system, but other than the faceplates being
painted "Wang light brown" I don't know what other
differences there might be. Their sector switches are
set for 22 sector, so I entered that into the
firmware. My next attempt, I'm going to try and change
it to the default listed in the Emulex manual - but as
long as the firmware and the drive agree, I don't
think it much matters.
I've tried different cylinder addressing modes, and
both SMD modes (dip switches on the back of the drive)
and no change. I've tried two identical hard drives,
and get the same result, so I don't think I've just
got a bad HDA. Both drives spin up and don't fault.
Any ideas?
-Ian
11:56 a.m.
Ian Primus wrote:
I've been attempting to get a MicroVax II set up
with
a working, large hard drive. I have an Emulex QD33
Qbus SMD controller, and I'm trying to get it to work
with a Seagate Sabre 9720-1230 hard drive. It's listed
as being compatible with this controller in the
manual.
After entering the
relevant settings (from the manual) for the hard
drive, the controller will sort-of talk to the drive.
It shows it as being available, but when I try to
format it, the drive makes a buzzing noise for about
30 seconds, then I get the message that "This
operation timed out". When I answer the error message
with the enter key, the buzzing from the drive stops.
Is it possible that the drive's head restraint is still
activated/in-place?
That'd certainly cause the buzzing, with the voicecoil positioner
attempting to move the head when it's locked in place. These big old
drives with rather massive head carriage assemblies always had some
means by which the head could be locked into a home position for
transportation purposes. Sometimes it was an actual screw that was put
in place to hold the head in place, or some kind of cam-activated
mechanism that would lock the head.
Just a thought...
Rick Bensene
The Old Calculator Web Museum
http://oldcalculatormuseum.com
12:51 p.m.
--- Rick Bensene <rickb at bensene.com> wrote:
Yeah, I had thought about that too, but this drive
doesn't have a physical head lock - and the drive
seeks fine during it's power up self-test. Also, the
front panel diagnostics run fine - i.e. the random
seek test. Something's getting screwed up in the
command translation from the computer to the drive.
I've tried setting the drive to 86 sectors that's
listed in the Emulex manual as the default for this
drive. Same results. It actually tries/buzzes for a
good minute or so, not the 30 seconds I originally
thought. I've tried every combination of settings on
the drive I could think of. I am obviously missing
something... The drive is properly terminated, and I
double checked all the cables.
-Ian
After entering
the
relevant settings (from the manual) for the hard
drive, the controller will sort-of talk to the
drive.
It shows it as being available, but when I try to
format it, the drive makes a buzzing noise for
about
30 seconds, then I get the message that "This
operation timed out". When I answer the error
message
with the enter key, the buzzing from the drive
stops.
Is it possible that the drive's head restraint is
still
activated/in-place?
That'd certainly cause the buzzing, with the
voicecoil positioner
attempting to move the head when it's locked in
place. These big old
drives with rather massive head carriage assemblies
always had some
means by which the head could be locked into a home
position for
transportation purposes. Sometimes it was an actual
screw that was put
in place to hold the head in place, or some kind of
cam-activated
mechanism that would lock the head.
Just a thought...
6553
days inactive
6553
days old
3 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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curt＠atarimuseum.com -
ian_primus＠yahoo.com -
rickb＠bensene.com