2940U2W and WD Enterprise 2170 start unit problem

[Johnny Ray]

Hi all,

Recently added a Quantum Atlas 10K (mighty fine) to my system, and replaced a 2940UW with a 2940U2W. I have the Quantum as drive zero, ID 0 on the LVD segment, and a 3 year old WD Eterprise 2170 UW as drive 1, ID 1 on the Fast-UltraSE segment. The problem is during a cold boot up and the SCSI check, I usually get a "start unit request fail" message for ID 1. I obviously then don't have access to the hard drive. However, if I warm boot, there is never a problem, and the system is absolutely fine.

The send start unit command is enabled in the SCSI bios. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've tried most of the possible jumper settings on the hard drive, with the same results. No problems with the drive itself, since it functions fine on my Diamond Fireport controller (but I don't want to re-direct all my partions) in the same system. I suspect it's a compatibility problem with the 2940U2W, but figured I'd get a better and quicker answer from here than from Adaptec.

Thanks for any suggestions,

John

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PIII450 => 504 MHz, Asus P2B, G400MAX, PowerDesk 5.30, Aureal SQ 2500 (Vortex2), Klipsch Promedia V2.400 speakers, DirectX 7.0, Adaptec AHA-2940U2W and Fireport40 Dual UW SCSI controllers, Quantum Atlas 10K and WD Enterprise HDs, Plextor UtraPlex Wide, S&F 4012 CDR, the last ISA modem, etc.

[paulcs]

I typically hate "well, mine works" replies when you're looking for answers, as opposed to complaining, but you're wondering about potential compatibility issues.

I have an Adaptec 2940U2W controller with an IBM 4.5 GB LVD drive as the boot device on SCSI ID 0 and a two year old Western Digital Enterprise 4360 UW drive on ID 1. While our WD drives aren't the exact same model, they are of the same (two drive) series, so we have the same manual, and, I suspect, they have a lot in common.

Have you tried another cable?

I'm sorry I can't be of more help. I'm certainly no SCSI guru, but I suspect your drive *should* be compatible with your controller.

Paul
paulcs@flashcom.net

[Johnny Ray]

Paul,

Thanks for the response. By compatibility issue, I meant the controller with my specific drive, not necessarily the model. Our drives are essentially the same; mine has always seemed like it takes forever during the SCSI BIOS scan. The Quantum pops up immediately. The other controllers I've had would patiently wait for the negotiation, while the 29040U2W doesn't wait long enough.

First thing I tried was a different cable, check termination, jumpers, etc. The problem does seem to be getting worse, or maybe it's just annoying me more. I can switch it over to the Fireport that I have in the same system (works fine there), or not include it in the BIOS scan, but I really shouldn't have to do that and I will have to re-assign all my drive partitions.

John

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PIII450 => 504 MHz, Asus P2B, G400MAX, PowerDesk 5.30, Aureal SQ 2500 (Vortex2), Klipsch Promedia V2.400 speakers, DirectX 7.0, Adaptec AHA-2940U2W and Fireport40 Dual UW SCSI controllers, Quantum Atlas 10K and WD Enterprise HDs, Plextor UtraPlex Wide, S&F 4012 CDR, the last ISA modem, etc.

[Rags]

Hi John,

In your BIOS, there should be a "Boot Delay" option or something similar. Put a 2 or 3 second delay. Sounds like the HD is not spinning up fast enough before the check is made.

Rags

[Johnny Ray]

Thanks Rags, I was looking for something along that line, but can't seem to find it. I know one of my old SCSCI cards had something like that.

Oddly I did find some info from Adaptec that if you get the "start unit request failed" message, you should disable send start unit command in the BIOS (?!). Guess what happens when I do this? Yep...system just hangs at "SCSI 1:" during the SCSI BIOS. I've removed the WD hard drive (not the boot drive) from the SCSI BIOS scan since I'm not booting from it, but the HD is still occasionally not detected. Yep...brand new cable, terminated properly, etc. Once it DOES start, absolutely no problems.

Hmm....

John

[Guyver]

Check the drive parameters (jumpers) and find the jumpers controlling spin-up. Set the drive to spin-up automatically without delay. This should spin the drive up without waiting for a start-up signal from the controller. Also make certain that with the WD drive that you do not have the max synchronous communications rate above 40Mbit - I usually use 3x for my old Quantum Atlas IV drive just to play it safe.

And as always, verify termination on both cables. I prefer to use seperate Active Termination blocks to using the drives termination. Different drives required different termination configurations, and the Active units just seem to work better.

Guyver...

[Rags]

Hi John,

If you look in your P2B's BIOS, there should be a setting in there to delay the boot.

Rags

[kelin]

Exactly...there should be a "Enable Spin-Up" under the "Device Options". I am running the 2940U2W with the Atlas 10K(yeah, you are right about that...its a MIGHTy Fine Monster)...also, with it, I have my IBM Ultrastar UW on the UW bus...I didn't have any prob, cause I think I have my drive set to enable spin up...but check with WD to make sure that the jumpers on the WD is set...maybe, even with it set on the 2940U2W(I think its enabled at default) it won't spin up if the actual HD dosen't have it enabled...
As a person prior to me said, without actually having the problem...
ITs always worked fine for me...
Kelin
Pri Sys (98)
K7 650 on K7M
256 Megs HSDRAM PC133
Adaptec 2940U2W
Quantum Altas 10K SCSI-3
IBM Ultrastar UW
Max
Aureal Vortex 2 SQ
3Com NIC

Sec Sys(Linux, NT, and 98)
P3 450 on Soyo BA6 +III
128 Megs PC100 CAS-2
2 UDMA HDs (1 /66 and 1/33)
TNT
2 V2s
Creative Ensonic
3Com
NIC

[Johnny Ray]

Hey all,

Thanks for all your great suggestions. I had tried all that you suggested, whimped out, and just switched to the Fireport controller. But after all your posts, I had to go back and give it one more try. Sure enough, it works flawlessly now. I know, sounds like cable-connection problem since that's all I really changed, but I REALLY checked that the first time through.

And Guyver...thanks. All my friends think I'm crazy actively terminating my HD's, so its nice to know others do it too.



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PIII450 => 504 MHz, Asus P2B, G400MAX, PowerDesk 5.30, Aureal SQ 2500 (Vortex2), Klipsch Promedia V2.400 speakers, DirectX 7.0, Adaptec AHA-2940U2W and Fireport40 Dual UW SCSI controllers, Quantum Atlas 10K and WD Enterprise HDs, Plextor UtraPlex Wide, S&F 4012 CDR, the last ISA modem, etc.

[Guyver]

Glad you're working well now. And you're welcome.

Guyv

[This message has been edited by Guyver (edited 03 December 1999).]