Re: Archive Python DAT DDS-1 tape drive with recent Linux NCR53C8XX driver

Michael Wilhelm (mwilhelm@mydot.com)
Fri, 4 Sep 1998 17:51:57 -0500

>
> On Thu, 3 Sep 1998, Michael Meissner wrote:
>
> > (this is being sent to the scsi groups as well as the kernel groups,
> > please adjust replies accordingly).
> >
> > I've been struggling with recent linux kernels and my Archive Python
> > DAT DDS-1 tape drives. I have two computers, each equipped with 3
> > year old Archive Python DAT DDS-1 tape drives.
> >
> > The work computer (tiktok) originally looked like:
> >
> > computer
> > |
> > +--- TekRam 390F (Symbios 53c875 based UW controller)
> > | |
> > | +---- (external 68) ---- wide disk ---- active terminator
> > | |
> > | +---- (internal 50) -- disk -- disk -- active termiator
> > |
> > +--- TekRam 390U (Symbios 53c875 based Ultra controller)
> > |
> > +---- (internal 50) -- tape -- cdrom w/passive term.
> >
> > I discovered that versions of Linux with the 3.0 scsi driver installed
> > would continually reset the scsi bus when the first tape action (a
> > rewind, even though the tape usually sits at the beginning of tape).
> > The tape was originally set to SCSI-1 and no Parity via the jumpers.
> > Linux versions 2.1.105 and before worked fine with this setup and the
> > one below.
> >
> > In the course of rearranging the computer to move the two disks to an
> > external enclose and add a removable hard drive, I also played around
> > with the tape. I discovered that if I redid the cables for the tape,
> > switched to use active termination instead of passive termination, and
> > switched it to Scsi-2/Parity, it suddently started working again with
> > 3.0g driver. Here is the current configuration:
>
> Hmmm ....
> As the driver does, I do prefer a LOT the new SCSI BUS configuration of
> your system. ;-)
>
> There is some different default set-up in the new driver version, for
> example the NVRAM reading is now enabled and was disabled by default in
> previous version.
>
> [ ncr53c875-0: Tekram format NVRAM, ID 7, Fast-20, Parity Checking ]
>
I am having the exact same problems but to throw something else in is that
one of my drives does not suport disconnect. now on my 2940uw
controler on my pc i can turn on and off disconect on each drive.
but on this driver for the ncr53x810 i can only turn on or off the
disconnections for the entire chain. is there a way to turn it on on
one device?

> Could you check the device user setup of your controller. For
example,
> SCSI disconnections _must_ be enabled for the tape.
>
> > computer
> > |
> > +--- TekRam 390F (Symbios 53c875 based UW controller)
> > | |
> > | +---- (external 68) --- wide disk --- 2 narrow disks -- active term.
> > |
> > +--- TekRam 390U (Symbios 53c875 based Ultra controller)
> > |
> > +---- (internal 50) -- cdrom --- active terminator.
> > |
> > +---- (external 50) -- disk --- tape --- active terminator.
> >
> > Unfortunately, I was not so lucky with the home computer. The home
> > computer (wogglebug) orgiinally looked like this:
> >
> > computer
> > |
> > +--- TekRam 390F (Symbios 53c875 based UW controller)
> > |
> > +--- (internal 50) -- disk -- tape -- cdrom w/passive terminator
> >
> > I recently added a second disk and connected it as follows:
> >
> > computer
> > |
> > +--- TekRam 390F (Symbios 53c875 based UW controller)
> > |
> > +--- (internal 68) -- disk -- disk -- active terminator
> > |
> > +--- (internal 50) -- tape -- cdrom -- active terminator
> >
> > and switched the tape to Scsi-2/Parity as in the work computer. If I
> > used linux 2.1.105 (ncr 2.5f driver), it worked correctly.
>
> Could you have a look at the boot-up messages and check if 2.5f
> detects the NVRAM as 3.0g does. Here is the corresponding message:
>
> [ ncr53c875-0: Tekram format NVRAM, ID 7, Fast-20, Parity Checking ]
>
> You also could give driver 2.5f a try under pre-2.1.120-3. Just have
> to move driver files from 2.1.105 and make a kernel.
>
> > If I used a newer version such as 2.1.120_pre3 with the 3.0g version
> > of the driver, it hung when I accessed the tape. I borrowed an
> > Adaptec 2940UW from work, and determined it too didn't like the
> > Archives (though the latest beta drivers do support the drives
>
> [ ... ]
>
> > at did a mt rewind command. The scsi activity light went on and
> > stayed on. After awhile with nothing happened, I accessed the cdrom,
>
> This means that the driver did'nt go to WAIT RESELECT and so that the
> SCSI BUS was busy. Could be a hangup or just the tape that does not
> want to disconnect the BUS.
>
> > Sep 3 22:24:20 wogglebug login[714]: ROOT LOGIN ON tty1
> > Sep 3 22:24:37 wogglebug kernel: ncr53c875-0-<2,*>: asynchronous.
>
> This messages means that the tape reported SYNC features from INQUIRY
> and just refused the negotiation. If the tape did'nt reported SYNC, the
> driver 3.0g should have printed out:
>
> SYNC transfers not supported.
>
> What a strange SCSI device!
>
> > Sep 3 22:27:08 wogglebug PAM_pwdb[715]: (login) session opened for user root by (uid=0)
> > Sep 3 22:27:08 wogglebug login[715]: ROOT LOGIN ON tty2
>
> > Sep 3 22:28:10 wogglebug automount[607]: attempting to mount entry /mnt/cdrom> > Sep 3 22:28:40 wogglebug kernel: scsi : aborting command due to timeout : pid 4342, scsi1, channel 0, id 4, lun 0 Test Unit Ready 00 0
0 00 00 00
> > Sep 3 22:28:40 wogglebug kernel: ncr53c8xx_abort: pid=4342 serial_number=4369 serial_number_at_timeout=4369

>
> 40-10 = 30 seconds = SR (CD/ROM) driver timeouts.
> Bus hang or tape that does not disconnect. Note that the both situations
> do not make difference with regards to SCSI BUS signalling.
>
> Regards,
> Gerard.
>
>
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------------
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