> > > > Also sometimes the kernel marks the disks as offline during
> > > > probing and the installer then can't find any disks.
> > >
> > > Mine are marked as offline, but they seem to work anyway, for normal
> > > use, I have not tried sysinst.
> > >
> > > sd0 at scsibus0 target 0 lun 0: <DEC, RZ24     (C) DEC, 211B> disk fixed
> > > sd0: drive offline
> > > sd0: async, 8-bit transfers
> > > sd1 at scsibus0 target 2 lun 0: <DEC, RZ24     (C) DEC, 211B> disk fixed
> > > sd1: drive offline
> > > sd1: async, 8-bit transfers
> 
> AFAIK all RZ-series drives require a start unit command from the host
> to spin up.  Didn't we used to send the command, then re-inquire for the
> geometry?
>
Yes but at least sd0 must have been spun-up before since I booted from it.

-hjalmar