*BSD News Article 17964


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From: guido@gvr.win.tue.nl (Guido van Rooij)
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
Subject: Re: Microcode bug in AHA1542C?
Date: 5 Jul 1993 18:08:18 GMT
Organization: Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Lines: 67
Message-ID: <219qmi$2ih@wzv.win.tue.nl>
References: <211cnr$gpp@cleese.apana.org.au>
NNTP-Posting-Host: gvr.win.tue.nl

newton@cleese.apana.org.au (Mark Newton) writes:


>I've recently bought an Adaptec 1542C so that I'd have something to plug
>my 170Mb SCSI disk into.  Things are not going smoothly, however.

>Writing to the SCSI disk causes hundreds of errors (including "partially
>allocated inode", "incorrect block count", "unknown file type", and
>many more) next time fsck runs over its filesystems.

>Rodney Grimes mentioned a microcode bug in some 1542C's that causes data
>corruption under UNIX and suggested that I call Adaptec tech support about
>it.  That's lead absolutely nowhere -- The closest thing that Australia
>has to Adaptec tech support is Tech Pacific, and they haven't the faintest
>idea about the problem is.

The rumour was that teh 1542C's contained a micro-code bug. But as
far as I know, it is due to the fact that the (early) 1542C's are
extermely sensitive to wrong cabling. I don't know the details
but I think you should check your cabling. The newer 1542C's shouldn't
have this problem anymore. (you can always ask o comp.periphs.scsi)

>[ termination seems to be ok - the resistor block is installed in the
>disk, and the internal termination is enabled on the controller.  The
>SCSI cable is about 1 foot long, which would tend to rule out the
>cable length as a cause (referring to some bug reports from a few weeks
>ago) ]
From all failure reports I've heart of it _was_ the cabling.

>The bug has been seen with Julian's SCSI drivers from the 0.2.4 patchkit,
>AND the original as0 SCSI driver that comes with 386BSD 0.1, so I can
>also rule out the device driver.

>The disk worked fine on the old Amiga too, so it isn't Quantum's fault.

>Hardware configuration, in case it's significant (and I don't think it 
>is):

>  Intel 486DX/33 + VLbus, AMI BIOS
>  IDE hard disk controller + FDC
>  Adaptec 1542C (FDC disabled)
>  Connor 240Mb IDE hard disk
>  Quantum ELS170S hard disk
>  16Mb RAM


>Any ideas?  Trekking off to my dealer to get a 1542B is going to be
>a real pain in the butt, so I'd prefer to avoid that.  If anyone can
>offer any suggestions (especially names of "the right people to call"
>for Adaptec support in .au) I'd be most appreciative.

>Thanks.

>   - mark
>-- 
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>I tried an internal modem,                newton@cleese.apana.org.au
>     but it hurt when I walked.                          Mark Newton
>----- Voice: +61-8-3224071 --------------- Data: +61-8-3222915 -----
Hope this helps,

-Guido
-- 
Guido van Rooij                 |  Internet: guido@gvr.win.tue.nl
Bisschopsmolen 16               |  Phone:    ++31.40.461433
5612 DS Eindhoven               |  ((12+144+20)+3*sqrt(4))/7 
The Netherlands                 |    +(5*11)=9^2+0