[rescue] CD-ROM errors on Indigo2

[Sheldon T. Hall]

Says Eric Webb ...
> On Wednesday 19 November 2003 01:08 pm, Sheldon T. Hall wrote:
> >
> > The same CD-ROM drive that boots your Suns will boot the I^2s.
>
> Can I challenge this, or get some help?

Yes.

However, I booted my first I^2 from the same CD-ROM drive that I have used
to boot my SPARCstation LX and Classic, so I'm pretty sure I'm correct about
the "you can use the same" bit.

Of course, SGI CR-ROM stuff is pretty arcane, which is why there's a whole
FAQ just on that....

> I have a Toshiba XM-5301B that works great in my Sparcstations.

I have two of those, both came in I^2s.

> But it's an internal and I have no sleds for my I2.

Oughta work externally.

> I also have a Toshiba XM-3401BMA in an external IBM-branded case
> (7210-005).

I know nowt about that variant.

> The case brings all of the jumpers to the back: ID bits, parity, PRV/ALW,
> Test and Termination.

But not 512/2048?

> So, I've tried both of these drives in the external case attached
> to my I2's external SCSI connector.  At first the power-on diags
> sensed a parity problem.  Okay, throw the dip switch and reboot
> everything.  Now I'm getting other errors:

Could be termination, or it might be the 512/2048 thing.

I _think_ recent (mid-nineties and later) Suns send out a mode switch
command, to tell the CD-ROM drive to change into the 512 mode, so a drive
that respects that will boot a Sun even if it's set for 2048.  I don't think
the SGIs send out that cmmand, which is why the CD-ROM drive has to be
physically set to 512.  I could be wrong, but I've heard this, and that
seems to be the way it's worked for me.

> Does the I2 care which ID the CD-ROM uses?

I don't think so.  You're entering the SCSI controller and target numbers,
so as long as it doesn't conflict with something else, you should be fine.

> Any idea if the Toshiba model numbers listed above will work?

I think the XM-3501B will work, if it is modified to use 512 byte sectors.

Geoff sent you a ref for the Toshiba site that describes the mods, but the
information on that site _does_not_agree_ with the drive I have in my hands.
This one came out of a rescued I^2, and, given that the machine was
otherwise all-SGI, with no signe of any changes, I suspect this CD-ROM drive
is as delivered by SGI.  It has the left-hand trace intact, and the right
one cut, i.e. opposite to the way
http://209.167.114.38/support/TechSupport/TSBs/300/tsb0366.htm has it.  It
boots my I^2 R10k just fine.

Where are you?  Maybe some Rescuelister is nearby, with a working drive....

-Shel