This section describes how to install and configure the Dell small computer system interface (SCSI) device drivers included with your Dell PowerEdge 6400 computer system. These device drivers are designed to work with the Adaptec AIC-7899 Ultra3 (Ultra160) SCSI controller and the Adaptec AIC-7880 Ultra/Narrow SCSI controller (limited to narrow SCSI by implementation) on the system board.
The AIC-7899 and AIC-7880 application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are part of the Adaptec 78xx series of SCSI controllers. The Adaptec SCSI basic input/output system (BIOS), which is stored in your computer system's flash memory, links these SCSI device drivers to the AIC-7899 and AIC-7880 SCSI controller chips while booting or in the DOS environment.
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If you are using an optional Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller (PERC), use the same driver installation for a SCSI host adapter. |
For instructions on installing SCSI hardware devices such as hard-disk drives, tape drives, or CD-ROM drives, trained service technicians should see "Installing Drives in the External Bays" and "Installing Hard-Disk Drives" in the Installation and Troubleshooting Guide. After the SCSI devices are installed, install and configure any SCSI device drivers to enable them to communicate with your operating system.
SCSI device drivers are provided for the following operating systems:
See "Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD" for instructions on creating driver diskettes for your operating system. For instructions on configuring the SCSI device drivers, see the following subsections.
The BIOS for the integrated Adaptec AIC-7899 and AIC-7880 SCSI controllers includes the menu-driven SCSISelect configuration utility, which allows you to change SCSI controller settings without opening the computer. SCSISelect also contains SCSI disk utilities that let you low-level format or verify the disk media of your SCSI hard-disk drives.
Defaults for the integrated AIC-7880 SCSI controller are shown in Table
1 and for the integrated AIC-7899 SCSI controller are shown in Table
2. These defaults are appropriate for most Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
systems. Run SCSISelect only if you need to change any of the defaults.
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NOTES: To change the configuration settings, you must run the SCSISelect
utility twice—once for the AIC-7899 SCSI controller and once for the AIC-7880 SCSI
controller. The term host adapter is used throughout this section to refer to the integrated AIC-7899 and AIC-7880 SCSI controllers. If the AIC-7899 controller does not control the bootable hard-disk drive, you may want to disable its BIOS. Do not disable the BIOS for the AIC-7880 controller, because the device controls the CD-ROM drive. |
For situations in which you might want or need to change the defaults, see the descriptions of each setting in the following subsections. To change any of the defaults or to format or verify a disk, see "Starting the SCSISelect Utility."
Table 1. AIC-7880 SCSI Controller Settings
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| SCSI Bus Interface Definitions | |
| Host Adapter SCSI ID | 7 |
| SCSI Parity Checking | Enabled |
| Host Adapter SCSI Termination | Enabled |
| Additional Options | |
| Boot Device Options: | |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| SCSI Device Configuration: | |
|
20 MB/sec |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
|
No (Disabled) |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
| Advanced Host Adapter: | |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Verbose |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Boot Only |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see the Glossary. |
Table 2. AIC-7899 SCSI Controller Settings
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| SCSI Bus Interface Definitions | |
| Host Adapter SCSI ID | 7 |
| SCSI Parity Checking | Enabled |
| Host Adapter SCSI Termination | Enabled |
| Additional Options | |
| Boot Device Options: | |
|
A First |
|
0 |
|
0 |
| SCSI Device Configuration: | |
|
160 MB/sec |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
|
N/C |
|
No (Disabled) |
|
Yes (Enabled) |
| Advanced Configuration Option: | |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Verbose |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Disabled |
|
Enabled |
|
Enabled |
|
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see the Glossary. |
The basic host adapter settings are the SCSISelect settings most likely to require modification:
The boot device options allow you to specify the device from which to boot your computer:
The SCSI device configuration settings allow you to configure certain parameters for each device on the SCSI bus. To configure a specific device, you must know the SCSI ID assigned to that device. If you are not sure of the SCSI ID, see "Using the SCSI Disk Utilities."
Synchronous negotiation is a SCSI feature that allows the host adapter and its attached SCSI devices to transfer data in synchronous mode. Synchronous data transfer is faster than asynchronous data transfer.
The host adapter always responds to synchronous negotiation if the SCSI device initiates it. If neither the host adapter nor the SCSI device initiates synchronous negotiation, data is transferred asynchronously.
Normally, you should leave the Initiate Sync Negotiation setting enabled, because most SCSI devices support synchronous negotiation and because it allows for faster data transfer.
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NOTE: Some older SCSI devices do not support synchronous negotiation. This may cause your computer to operate erratically or hang if Initiate Sync Negotiation is set to Yes. Set Initiate Sync Negotiation to No for these devices. |
If the host adapter is set to not negotiate for synchronous data transfer, the maximum synchronous transfer rate is the maximum rate that the host adapter accepts from the device during negotiation. (This is standard SCSI protocol.)
Leave Enable Disconnection set to Yes if two or more SCSI devices are connected to the host adapter. This optimizes SCSI bus performance. If only one SCSI device is connected to the host adapter, set Enable Disconnection to No to achieve slightly better performance.
NOTE: Some 8-bit SCSI devices may have trouble handling wide negotiation, which may result in erratic behavior or a hang condition. For these devices, set Initiate Wide Negotiation to No. When this option is set to Yes, the host adapter attempts 16-bit data transfer. When this option is set to No, 8-bit data transfer is used unless the SCSI device itself requests wide negotiation. The effective transfer rate is doubled when 16-bit data transfer is used because the data path for wide SCSI is twice the size of normal 8-bit SCSI.
Setting this option to Yes reduces the load on your computer's power supply by allowing the host adapter to start SCSI devices one at a time when you boot your computer. When this option is set to No, the devices are allowed to start at the same time. Most devices require you to set a jumper before they can respond to this command.
NOTE: For many devices, if Send Start Unit Command is set to Yes, the boot routine time will vary depending on how long it takes each drive to start.
NOTE: The setting for BIOS Multiple LUN Support must be Enabled if a tape autoloader is connected.
The advanced host adapter settings should not be changed unless absolutely necessary. These values are set by Dell, and changing them may cause conflicts with the SCSI devices.
NOTICE: If a removable-media SCSI device is controlled by the host adapter BIOS, do not remove the media while the drive is on or you may lose data. If you want to be able to remove media while the drive is on, install your removable-media device driver and set this option to Disabled.
- Boot Only — Only the removable-media drive designated as the boot device is treated as a hard-disk drive.
- All Disks — All removable-media drives supported by the BIOS are treated as hard-disk drives.
- Disabled — No removable-media drives are treated as hard-disk drives. In this situation, software drivers are needed because the drives are not controlled by the BIOS.
NOTICE: Back up your hard-disk drive before you change the translation scheme. All data is erased when you change from one translation scheme to another.
The standard translation scheme for SCSI host adapters provides a maximum accessible capacity of 1 GB. To support hard-disk drives larger than 1 GB, the 78xx series host adapters include an extended translation scheme that supports hard-disk drives as large as 8 GB, with a maximum partition size of 2 GB under the DOS operating system.
It is not necessary to enable the Extended BIOS Translation setting if you are using another operating system, such as Novell NetWare.
When you partition a hard-disk drive larger than 1 GB, use the DOS fdisk utility as you normally would. Because the cylinder size increases to 8 MB under extended translation, the partition size you choose must be a multiple of 8 MB. If you request a size that is not a multiple of 8 MB, fdisk rounds up to the nearest whole multiple of 8 MB.
NOTE: Several SCSISelect options are not valid unless the host adapter BIOS is enabled. If you are booting from a SCSI hard-disk drive connected to the host adapter, the BIOS must be enabled. You should disable the host adapter BIOS if the system never boots to any devices connected to the host adapter.
You can start the SCSISelect utility by pressing <Ctrl><a> when the following prompt appears briefly during start-up:
Press <CTRL><A> for SCSISelect (TM) Utility!
The first menu displays the Configure/View Host Adapter Settings and SCSI Disk Utilities options.
SCSISelect uses menus to list options that you can select. To select an option, press the up- and down-arrow keys to move the cursor to the option; then press <Enter>.
In some cases, selecting an option displays another menu. You can return to the previous menu at any time by pressing <Esc>. To restore the original SCSISelect defaults, press <F6>.
To access the SCSI disk utilities, select SCSI Disk Utilities from the menu that appears when you start SCSISelect. When the option is selected, SCSISelect immediately scans the SCSI bus (to determine the devices installed) and displays a list of all SCSI IDs and the device assigned to each ID.
When you select a specific ID and device, a menu appears, displaying the Format Disk and Verify Disk Media options.
NOTICE: The Format Disk option destroys all partitions and data on the hard-disk drive.
To exit SCSISelect, press <Esc> until a message prompts you to exit. (If you changed any 78xx series host adapter settings, you are prompted to save the changes before you exit.) At the prompt, select Yes to exit, and then press any key to reboot the computer. Any changes that you made in SCSISelect take effect after the computer boots. (You can select No at the prompt if you are not ready to exit SCSISelect.)
This section provides the following information about installing the Dell SCSI drivers for the Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 operating system:
This section provides the information that you need to install and use the Dell SCSI drivers for the 78xx series of SCSI controllers with Windows NT.
The Windows NT 4.0 driver diskette that you create for the Microsoft Windows NT Server operating system contains the files that you need for driver installation. The scsi subdirectory on the diskette contains the following files to be used with Windows NT:
If you are installing Windows NT for the first time, see "Installing the SCSI Drivers While Installing Windows NT" to begin driver installation. If Windows NT is already installed in your system, see "Using Windows NT to Install or Update the Driver."
Windows NT Server 4.0 has SCSI drivers for the Adaptec 78xx series of SCSI controllers integrated into the operating system. When you load the operating system software, the drivers are automatically loaded. However, for proper operation, you must use the drivers on the diskette of drivers that you created from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD. To install these drivers, perform the following steps:
This section describes how to install drivers for the Adaptec 78xx series of SCSI controllers. If you are installing Windows NT for the first time, see "Installing Windows NT and the Driver for the First Time."
Perform the following steps only if Windows NT Server 4.0 is already installed:
After the system reboots, the new driver is active. Some drive letter assignments may have changed from the previous configuration.
If you need additional assistance, see "Troubleshooting for Microsoft Windows NT."
This section provides the following information about installing and updating the Dell SCSI drivers for Novell NetWare 4.2:
This subsection provides the information that you need to install and use the Dell SCSI drivers for Novell NetWare 4.2. The Dell SCSI drivers for NetWare support the Adaptec AIC-7899 and AIC-7880 SCSI controllers.
Before you begin installation of the SCSI drivers for NetWare, you must create a diskette of drivers for NetWare 4.2. "Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD" provides instructions for creating these diskettes.
The Dell SCSI drivers for NetWare are fully tested and approved for NetWare. The NetWare scsi subdirectory on the NetWare 4.2 drivers diskette that you create contains files to be used with NetWare 4.2. The files appear in the scsi subdirectory on the NetWare driver diskette.
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NOTE: Your system must have a bootable version of DOS installed before you can complete the Novell NetWare installation. |
This section describes how to install the system SCSI drivers at the same time you install NetWare 4.2. If NetWare 4.2 is already installed and you want to install or update the adpu160.ham and aha2940.ham drivers, refer to the NetWare User's Guide for installation instructions. Also, refer to the NetWare User's Guide for information about partitioning, creating a server name, and checking the Internetwork Packet eXchange (IPX) network number.
Before beginning, prepare your system with the Dell intraNetWare support diskette. Perform the following steps only if you are upgrading to NetWare 4.2 or installing it for the first time:
NOTE: Specific help text for each driver appears in the middle of the screen as you scroll down the list. The Loaded Drivers window below the list of available drivers displays the names of drivers that are loaded and operational. For a new installation, this list is initially empty. For a selective installation, the list shows the drivers already running.
NOTE: Typically, slot numbers for embedded devices are in the 10,000 range (for example, 10001, 10002), while optional host adapters correspond to the PCI slot numbers (for example, 1, 2, 3).
This section provides information on installing the SCSI drivers for the Novell NetWare 5.0 operating system. Instructions assume that NetWare 5.0 is installed and operational.
If you have not already done so, use the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD to create a NetWare 5.0 SCSI driver diskette. See "Using the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD" for instructions on creating the diskette.
If you are replacing an existing driver (for example, because it has become corrupted or an upgrade has become available), you must first remove the installed driver. To remove a driver, perform the following steps:
From the Additional Driver Actions menu, you can repeat steps 5 through 7 to uninstall an additional driver, start with step 5 of the next procedure to install a driver, or press <Esc> to exit.
To install NetWare 5.0 SCSI drivers from the NetWare 5.0 SCSI driver diskette that you created, perform the following steps:
NOTE: Typically, slot numbers for embedded devices are in the 10,000 range (for example, 10001, 10002), while optional host adapters correspond to the PCI slot numbers (for example, 1, 2, 3).
If you need additional assistance, see "Troubleshooting for Novell NetWare."
The subsections that follow provide procedures and tips on the following topics:
NetWare's nwconfig.nlm program lets you optionally format a hard-disk drive for use with NetWare. If you are using SCSI drives, the program allows you to low-level format several SCSI drives simultaneously. The NetWare format procedure is not the same as using fdisk or format under DOS.
NOTICE: You should not use NetWare to format a hard-disk drive that contains partitions for other operating systems because that information will be destroyed.
The aha2940.ham driver module fully supports removable-media disk drives, including magneto-optical drives. Removable media is treated as a standard SCSI hard-disk drive, with some exceptions:
These removable media options are supported by NetWare's monitor.nlm program.
To set up the removable media, perform the following steps:
Table 3. Drive Status Options
| Menu Option | Default |
| Volume Segments on Drive1 | Select for a list |
| Read After Write Verify1 | Hardware Level |
| Drive Light Status1 | Not supported |
| Driver Operating Status1 | Active |
| Removable Drive Mount Status2 | Mounted |
| Removable Drive Lock Status2 | Not Locked |
1 Valid for both removable and nonremovable SCSI drives.
2 Valid for removable media only.
The Read After Write Verify option is set to Hardware Level by default. This option cannot be specified in the startup.ncf or autoexec.ncf file. However, the default can be set on the command line. Refer to the NetWare User's Guide for information about using the load command-line options.
The available options are defined in Table 4.
Table 4. Read After Write Verify Options
| Option Setting | Function |
| Disabled | All writes to SCSI disk drives are executed with the SCSI Write command (0Ah or 2Ah). |
| Hardware Level | All writes to SCSI disk drives are executed with the SCSI Write and Verify command (2Eh) or (if this command is not supported by the drive) with the SCSI Write command (0Ah or 2Ah), followed by the SCSI Verify command (2Fh). |
| Software Level | Not supported. |
Mounting causes a drive to come online as a NetWare storage device. Dismounted drives are inactive and cannot be accessed.
Before you eject the current media, dismount it. When the mount status is Dismounted, eject the media. However, NetWare does not allow you to dismount media that are locked.
To insert your new media, wait for the drive to spin up, and then select the Removable Drive Mount Status option.
If your removable-media device supports the lock/unlock feature, you can lock the media. The media must be in the Not Locked state before you can eject it.
To be fully certified as NetWare "Yes, Tested and Approved," a drive and host adapter must both pass a qualification process that takes place before you see the product. The goals of NetWare testing are to simplify installation and provide the highest quality disk subsystem.
Adaptec 78xx series host adapters and their drivers are fully tested and approved for NetWare. This means that you can purchase a NetWare drive (certified as "Yes, Tested and Approved") from a vendor, connect it to your computer system or host adapter, partition it, and create a volume without any compatibility concerns.
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NOTE: Dell recommends using only Dell-tested drives. |
Adaptec's adpu160.ham driver module is flexible enough to allow you to connect SCSI drives that are tested and approved for NetWare as well as standard SCSI drives to a single host adapter. The driver registers each hard-disk drive accordingly.
Drive registration is a user-transparent process; no user interaction is required. You can tell that the drive has been detected as NetWare-tested and NetWare-approved if the message NetWare Yes Tested and Approved is included in the drive description string that appears when you run monitor.nlm (disk options).
Included with NetWare is a server-based tape backup utility called sbcon.nlm. This allows backup of server disk drives to a server tape drive. The sbcon.nlm utility supports Adaptec host adapters. To load the backup utility, perform the following steps:
To use a CD-ROM drive with NetWare 4.2, perform the following steps:
The CD-ROM drive is now ready to be accessed as a volume.
The boot manager for Windows NT Server 4.0 contains recovery logic to allow you to return to the last known good configuration. If you have changed your host adapter configuration and Windows NT Server 4.0 no longer boots, perform the following steps to recover it:
Any error that occurs while the driver is initializing prevents it from loading. If an error does occur, the driver causes the computer to beep and then display the following numbered error message:
xxx message
The xxx indicates the error code, and message is a descriptive line describing the error. The error codes are divided into three categories:
Specific error codes, such as those in the following subsections, appear only if you have installed the host adapters and drivers that generate them.
The following error codes alert you to error conditions caused by factors not related to the host adapter:
000 Failed ParseDriverParameters call
A call to NetWare's ParseDriverParameters routine has failed for some unknown reason. The command line contains errors, or you pressed <Esc> at the port or slot prompt.
001 Unable to reserve hardware, possible conflict
The driver failed in its attempt to reserve the host adapter's hardware settings (that is, direct memory access [DMA] and interrupt request [IRQ] settings). Another card in your system may be causing a conflict with the host adapter.
002 NetWare rejected card Failed AddDiskSystem call
The driver failed in its attempt to register the host adapter with NetWare. The file server may not have enough memory.
003 Invalid command line option entered > option
An invalid option was entered on the command line. The invalid option that was entered is also displayed.
004 Invalid command line, please enter correctly
The driver was unable to understand the command line options that you entered. Be sure that you have entered these options correctly.
The following error codes alert you to error conditions caused by factors related to the host adapter:
200 No host adapter found for this driver to register
No Adaptec 78xx host adapter was found in your computer for the driver to register. Be sure that the host adapter is properly configured and properly seated in the slot.
203 Invalid 'device' setting
You have entered an invalid slot setting on the command line. You can only enter slot numbers for valid host adapters. If you load without the slot option, you will be prompted to enter a valid value.
204 Invalid 'verbose' setting, use 'y'
You can only enter y for this option (verbose=y).
205 Invalid 'removable' setting, use 'off'
You can only enter off for this option (removable=off).
206 Invalid 'fixed_disk' setting, use 'off'
You can only enter off for this option (fixed_disk=off).
208 SCSI present but not enabled/configured for PCI
A host adapter is present, but its bus or device entry has not been enabled.