Scsi troubleshooting

[brundepr]

Please, could someone help me to solve my problem?

I've installed an Adaptec AVA2906 SCSI adapter to drive a scanner.

But after the Bios Message of the adapter the PC hangs up.

CTRL+ALT+DEL reset the PC.

The main board is a Soltek SL-65FVB with a VIA VT82C/ 693A + 596B chipset.

What's wrong

Thank you for any help

[Rick]

That card should not give you any hassles Unless you have it or the Bios set to boot from the scsi device

You should first go into the Bios.
Set boot order ide-0 or what ever your bios lists as the master ide drive.
If you have scsi boot listed any where .
Set it to disable

Then find and set allow update in your bios.
This should allow your system to adjust to the new card and allocate resources to it.
Save the changes and exit.


If you have a win98/dos boot disk.
Use it to boot your system.
Then run the config2906 program on the supplied disk from the card.
Enable auto termination of the Card ( Should be the default setting But worth the check)
If listed disable boot device support ( a few cards have a scsi boot bios chip on board)

Exit and save the card settings
shut down the system

Then check the scsi id select of the device and or devices attached to the card. ( eternal scanners)
Set the first device at scsi id 1 NOT 0 (zero) and all others about that.(2-7)
Check the termination of the last device connected to the cable .
It should be terminated ( Normally done with a Jumper or cable end connector )
** Note a few devices on scsi chains only work at scsi select 7 **
you may need to use that for the scanner

With the devices powered up first
Start the system and allow it to power up.

[brundepr]

Thank you for your tips, Rick.

I'm going to try and let you know what's going on.

[brundepr]

I've set "C only" in the BIOS boot sequence

I've nothing about SCSI in the BIOS parameters

Results: Nothing changes, system always hangs up after BIOS message from the host adapter AVA2906.

Let me tell you that i've tried with an AVA 2904 to : the same following message is displayed "ADAPTEC AIC-7850 BIOS V1.11 (c) 1994 Adaptec, Inc. All Right Reserved" but with this model (AVA2904) a few seconds later OS is starting and Win98 installs dedicated drivers well. The trouble with this board is that my scanner isn't seen at all (the scanner is on when powering up the PC).

According to Adaptec support both cards are out of order.

I can't believe it!

What do you think about?

Thanks for your help

[Rick]

Have you attempted to boot with the card only installed.
No cable or devices attached ?

I have the 2906 installed in two systems.
Both work perfectly with win98-xp and Linux.

if the scanner isn't seen with the 2904
what are the settings on the scanner itself?
?ID, Termination


My old tape drive refuses to show up unless it is set at ID7
regardless of where or what else is connected.

How old is the scsi cable ?
Has it been twisted? One broken wire of the 50 can cause major head aches

[brundepr]

Thanks for your reply

Today, I'm going to test the AVA2906 on a friend of mine PC's to fix if it's the adapter board or my mother board configuration.

Thanks for your help

[brundepr]

Hi Rick,

today, i've made a huge step forward.

I've tried both adapter boards (AVA 2904 & 2906) on other computers and it was working perfectly. Actually, your right, no BIOS messages shows up!

So both boards seems to be OK!

Now I've to fix what's wrong in my BIOS or main board configuration.

I've send an Email to Soltek (mainboard manufacturer) to ask what to do.

I'll let you know further more.

Bruno

[Rick]

Good.
At least they work..
With luck they will have a bios update or better yet,
Be able to tell you where in the bios to find the setting to force it to stop loading or attepting to load a scsi bios first..

[brundepr]

Hi Rick,

I've contacted my motherboard manufacturer about my trouble.

He told me to update the bios with a file called 65fvbxp.bin

As it's not absolutely mandatory that I use the new PCI board, (I can laways use the old ISA slot AVA1505 board) I will not update my BIOS chip.

Again, Thanks a lot for your help

I wish you and your family Merry Christmas and Happy new year.

Best Regards

Bruno