Date   : Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:25:36 +0200 (BST)
From   : johan@... (Johan Heuseveldt)
Subject: Hard Discs & SyQuest 44

Hi,

On Mon 30 Jul, Johan Heuseveldt wrote:
> On Sun 29 Jul, Ian Wolstenholme wrote:
> > On Sat 28 Jul, Johan Heuseveldt wrote:

> > > [two SyQuest 44MByte removable hard discs]
> > > 
> > > One [A] is labeled with 'POWERUSER', and is originally intended
> > > for an Apple computer. The previous owner told me so. It was fully
> > > recognised by the MDFS. Formatting it was very simple from the *FAST
> > > menu. In use it is a very fast drive. I couldn't notice the
> > > difference with the normal hard drive.
> > > 
> > > The other [B] is branded as 'PLI' and 'Infinity 40 Turbo'. At the
> > > underside a lable says 'Serial No. 6274' and 'Model No. INF40T'.
> > > The style of this case looks older than the case of [A].
> > > 
> > >         Size            Vendor    Product   Rev
> > >        -----------------------------------------
> > >   [A]   42 MBytes       SyQuest   SQ555     G2E
> > >   [B]   42 MBytes       SyQuest   SQ555     FFH
> > > 
> > > Does anybody know whether or not certain models are properly
> > > recognised by MDFS?
> > > (file server is version 2)

> > I have never had any trouble with using Syquest 44MB drives with the

[and for hard discs]
> > You might need to check the jumpers at the back of the drive, which are

[...]

> Yes. The [A] was realy a doodle to kick into life, ...

OK, I got the impression it just should be possible, so I looked into
it more carefully. Starting that I realised I couldn't tell which ID
I saw when connected to the Risc PC, so connecting it again.

First I did the same mistake during the tests with MDFS, not powering
down the drive when changing the ID. I remembered doing that for all
the selector options, before realising that, and had to do it all
again. But no success.

Now, at the Risc PC, the ID was number 6. Definitely wrong for MDFS.

After properly powering down for each other ID, I noticed the IDs
mostly did't change at all, so I opened the case.

Removing the drive from the housing, I tried to locate marks to
find the proper location for the ID jumpers, to determine the correct
position for the selector cable. But no marks at all.
After some attempts - and bizar results like seeing the drive five
times with IDs of 0,1,3,4,5 - I saw some light - I reckon, and opened
the good SyQuest, just to compare the situation there: The selector
wires there, were connected at (almost) the other side of the bank
of pins!

And that was the problem. Having ID 6, was just a coincedence.
Somehow I was content with that on the Risc PC, not noticing the ID
could not be changed!

After connecting the selector wires in the same way as in the good
SyQuest, the Risc PC shows that different ID numbers could now be
used. Reassembling drive and case and trying out on the MDFS gives
me a second working SyQuest 44MByte drive! Happy me.

Now I can check it out with a host adaptor and a Beeb!


Greetings,
Johan

-- 
Johan Heuseveldt <johan@...              >
  aka  waarland

  The best place is a Riscy place
 
Katz's Law: Men and women will act rationally when all
other possibilities have been exhausted.