Hi Group!

I have a problem regarding some old DEC and HP boxes (in actual case a
HP LC3). I install a drive but it will not be recognised by the
controller.

First try, the drive starts up but will not be recognised by the
controller (displays a "HA Config Error). No drive is be shown in the
start display. But if I go into the SCSI BIOS I can see all drives.

Second try, I installes the drive like above described. Then I have
installes WIN NT4. The installer recognised the controller and the
drives, I can install NT4. After the first reboot I get the message
"No System Found". The controller has not recognised the drive...

Third try, I booted with Diagnostig Assistant Disk. The ASPI8DOS.SYS
wouldn=B4d be loaded. In a HP report is described in this case no
controller is installed. But it is, I can see it and I can touch
it...;-) It can not be defect, because the NT4 installer can handle
it, create a partition, format the drive and copys data to it.

But in any case the box tells me, no HDD found, HA Config Error, and
in the BIOS I can see them all (incl. a CD-ROM)

This problem I have with several boxes as described above. I think all
of them have a 7880 onboard... So I think it is not a real problem. I
think it is a "how to"-problem...;-)

The SCSI-BIOS will recognise the drive with LVD AND SE jumper
settings. In any case it will not worked....

Who can help me? Please! I will not run the boxes with IDE
drives.......

Thanks a lot!
Marcus

Marcus wrote in news:1192407180.964012.60190@v23g2000prn.googlegroups.com
> Hi Group!
>
> I have a problem regarding some old DEC and HP boxes (in actual case a
> HP LC3). I install a drive but it will not be recognised by the controller.
>
> First try, the drive starts up but will not be recognised by the
> controller (displays a "HA Config Error). No drive is be shown in the
> start display. But if I go into the SCSI BIOS I can see all drives.
>
> Second try, I installes the drive like above described. Then I have
> installes WIN NT4. The installer recognised the controller and the
> drives, I can install NT4. After the first reboot I get the message
> "No System Found". The controller has not recognised the drive...
>
> Third try, I booted with Diagnostig Assistant Disk. The ASPI8DOS.SYS
> wouldn�d be loaded. In a HP report is described in this case no
> controller is installed. But it is, I can see it and I can touch it...;-)
> It can not be defect, because the NT4 installer can handle
> it, create a partition, format the drive and copys data to it.

> But in any case the box tells me, no HDD found, HA Config Error,

Which IINM is the sign of a very old bios.

> and in the BIOS I can see them all (incl. a CD-ROM)
>
> This problem I have with several boxes as described above. I think all
> of them have a 7880 onboard... So I think it is not a real problem.

> I think it is a "how to"-problem...;-)

Yeah, it obviously can't be the deliberately anonymous harddrive.

>
> The SCSI-BIOS will recognise the drive with LVD AND SE jumper
> settings. In any case it will not worked....
>
> Who can help me? Please! I will not run the boxes with IDE drives.......

So what is your bios version are your bios settings.
Also what are the *exact* messages.
,
>
> Thanks a lot!
> Marcus

Hi Folkert!

> So what is your bios version are your bios settings.
> Also what are the *exact* messages.

Thanks for your help. Here some detailed information.

The exact controller type is AIC-7880P.

The message that comes during the start sequence is "HA Config
Error" (I think it means Host Adapter...). Not more. No SCSI devices
are show.

The Version of the SCSISelect tool and the BIOS is 1.34S1 dated
24.03.99.

BIOS Settings are:
HA ID: 7
Parity: enabled (I THINK enabled at the drive and the CD-ROM, too...)
Boot device: 0 (the disk is device 0)

Initiate Sync Negotiation: Yes (does Sync means LVD??)
Max. Sync transfer: 40MB
Enable Disconnection: Yes
Initiate Wide Negotiation: Yes
Send start command: No (disk will start by power on)
Multiple LUN Support: No
Include in BIOS scan: No
(settings above for all ID=B4s)

But this detailes may be different in the other servers the error
occurs...

I hope I could give you some usefull information.

Regards!
Marcus

Marcus wrote in news:1192547311.250307.206420@k35g2000prh.googlegroups.com
> Hi Folkert!
>
> > So what is your bios version, are your bios settings.
> > Also what are the *exact* messages.
>
> Thanks for your help. Here some detailed information.

> The exact controller type is AIC-7880P.

Which is a SE UW SCSI controller.

>
> The message that comes during the start sequence is "HA Config
> Error" (I think it means Host Adapter...).

> Not more.

Really?

> No SCSI devices are show.

Now why would that be, one wonders .....

>
> The Version of the SCSISelect tool and the BIOS is 1.34S1 dated
> 24.03.99.

Yup, old, as expected.
It has the "Host Adapter Configuration Error SCSI BIOS Not installed!"
message when no drives are selected for BIOS inclusion.

And no, "HA Config Error" is from a still older bios version: 1.23

>
> BIOS Settings are:
> HA ID: 7
> Parity: enabled (I THINK enabled at the drive and the CD-ROM, too...)
> Boot device: 0 (the disk is device 0)
>
> Initiate Sync Negotiation: Yes (does Sync means LVD??)

Would it say sync if it meant LVD?

> Max. Sync transfer: 40MB
> Enable Disconnection: Yes
> Initiate Wide Negotiation: Yes
> Send start command: No (disk will start by power on)
> Multiple LUN Support: No

> Include in BIOS scan: No

.... could this be it ....

No, *of course* not.
That would be so downright silly.

Why wouldn't it show in BIOS scan when you so deliberately tell it not to, right?

> (settings above for all ID�s)
>
> But this detailes may be different in the other servers the error occurs...
>
> I hope I could give you some usefull information.
>
> Regards!
> Marcus

Marcus wrote:
> 
> [...]
> The exact controller type is AIC-7880P.

Here is a list of some Adaptec chips:
http://www.sandh.com/support/ad7xxx.htm

> The message that comes during the start sequence is "HA Config
> Error" (I think it means Host Adapter...).

Yes.

> [...]
> Initiate Sync Negotiation: Yes (does Sync means LVD??)

This has nothing to do with LVD (which is a physical layer). "Sync"
means to use synchronous data transfers (which is a protocol normally
called transfermode).

The default are asynchronous data transfers for compatibility, therefore
sync negotiation should be done to find the maximum speed that both
devices can support. This setting allows the HA to initiate this
negotiation. If you would set it to "No" a target device must initiate
the negotation itself or slow asynchonous transfers will be used with
it.

> Max. Sync transfer: 40MB

The AIC7880 supports synchronous transfers at 20MHz (20 megatransfers
per second), this is called the Fast20 or "Ultra" transfermode. Because
you have enabled wide negotiation too, this results in max. 40MBytes/s
because every transfer moves two bytes over a wide bus.

Because the AIC7880 is old and the Fast20 transfermode don't require a
LVD physical layer, it is unlikely that LVD is supported by this HA. In
other words you should limit the bus length to SE requirements.


Micha

Hello!

Many thanks for all the helpfull information! Well, the box is running
with its onboard controller! But please DON=B4T ASK MY WHY! I have done
"nothing".

I=B4ve set the negotiation (both) of "No" to reduce transfer rate to
20MB/sec. Without effect. And sorry, the SCSI scan was set on "Yes".
My mistake...  And yes, there comes the message "SCSI BIOS not
installed". My second mistake...;-) But I have unterstood it as an
information not as an error.

Then I have tried to make a BIOS update. The only one I could find was
an update for the server itself. OK, I tried...but the revision was
the same like the former BIOS. The SCSI BIOS was not updated. But...it
works! Don=B4t ask my why. Maybe someone has an idea? The only one I
have really "done" was a low level format of the disk. But this can
not be the real problem. The controller has not recognised the CD-ROM,
too...

OK, it works, thank you all!

Marcus

Hello!

Many thanks for all the helpfull information! Well, the box is running
with its onboard controller! But please DON=B4T ASK MY WHY! I have done
"nothing".

I=B4ve set the negotiation (both) of "No" to reduce transfer rate to
20MB/sec. Without effect. And sorry, the SCSI scan was set on "Yes".
My mistake...  And yes, there comes the message "SCSI BIOS not
installed". My second mistake...;-) But I have unterstood it as an
information not as an error.

Then I have tried to make a BIOS update. The only one I could find was
an update for the server itself. OK, I tried...but the revision was
the same like the former BIOS. The SCSI BIOS was not updated. But...it
works! Don=B4t ask my why. Maybe someone has an idea? The only one I
have really "done" was a low level format of the disk. But this can
not be the real problem. The controller has not recognised the CD-ROM,
too...

OK, it works, thank you all!

Marcus