Subject: Re: AS1200 with 53c875 symbios SCSI card, does not boot
To: Michael Carlson <mcarlson@Legato.COM>
From: Stephen M Jones <smj@cirr.com>
List: port-alpha
Date: 10/09/2001 12:29:05
> I have a AlphaServer 1200 with a 53c875 NCR/sym SCSI controller that 
> times out during booting off the install CD.

Michael

I had a similar problem with my 5305 (the AS1200).  Are you saying that
the onboard controller is timing out? That is normally where the CDROM
drive is attached to.  Check Manuel's suggestion regarding termination.

The device I had was a 53c875 based controller .. I basically could not
use it.  It was a dual channel SCSI adapter and during the booting of
the system, the bus would reset and time out.  I tried a number of
configurations but couldn't get beyond the timeout.  There are varying
clock speeds I found if you checkout the NCR driver code .. and I was
just suspecting that was the issue with that particular card.. the
drive attempts to guess the clockspeed.

SO, my solution was to stop using the device and just go out and buy
a TEKRAM (53c875) controller.. I believe the designation is 950? or
950UA .. I could be wrong.. but that is what I had to do for both of
my 5305s.

Stephen