SCSIConfig ------------- SCSIConfig allows you to format and partition SCSI-devices, such as hard disks or removable drives, and to make them available to the system. Open SCSIConfig by double-clicking on the appropriate icon. The options for personally configuring your system are explained in detail in the following section. Connecting hard disks already operating on another controller to your Amiga and data-loss are described in a separate section. If you want to use disk drives already being used by the Amiga, you should read this section before experimenting. HDToolBox, which is delivered as part of the Operating System, may be used instead of SCSIConfig. This may be useful especially if SCSIConfig does not correctly recognize partitions on disk drives that were already RDB formatted by an alternate controller. Please refer also to the step-by-step instructions. Since HDToolBox uses the internal IDE controller as default it has to be startet from the shell with the correct devicename in order to make it operate on the SCSI controller. The syntax used is: 1> hdtoolbox DEVICENAME Both SCSIConfig and HDToolbox are programs which format hard disks or other SCSI-devices. Formatting means a complete loss of data, which is why you must proceed carefully with these programs and not experiment unnecessarily. Always check that you have selected the correct SCSI-device, before executing destructive steps such as new-formatting or partitioning. If you want to connect disk drives which are already operating on another controller and which contain data, then for security reasons, we strongly advise backing-up the hard drive BEFORE removing the old system. Each new connection of a hard disk which is already being used, involves a risk (even if it is very small) of data loss due to errors in the installation or commissioning. If it would take too long to back-up the data onto diskettes because of the large amount of data, then ask your dealer whether he can carry out the back-ups (e.g. on a streamer) and new installation for you, or whether you can rent a streamer, at a small charge. We accept no liability for loss of data on hard disks or SCSI devices used prior to being connected to th SCSI Controller. additional information ------------------------- Start SCSIConfig by double-clicking on the SCSIConfig icon and the following main window will be opened: This window contains the two truly "dangerous" buttons which must always be handled with care: "Save Changes" and "LowLevelFormat". This is why they are dealt with right at the start of this section. All alterations which you make to one of the other windows, will only be written to the disk drive with "Save Changes". If you have changed partition data or disk drive data, the old settings will be permanently lost by writing the new values to the disk drive. In many cases changing this data results in the loss of all the data files stored on the partitions concerned or the partitions themselves. The "LowLevelFormat" function physically formats the disk drive. If you execute this command, all the data stored on the disk drive will be lost. Nearly all SCSI disk drives no longer need to be Low-Level formatted by the user, as these drives are already physically formatted by the manufacturer. In general, it is only necessary to physically format new media for removable disk drives. As both the "LowLevelFormat" and "Save Changes" functions can have destructive effects, as described, they are both protected against being activated by mistake with two security steps. You can stop the procedure once it has been started by using CANCEL. If you confirm the procedure by clicking on OK in the second security step, the function will be executed, without fail. Now, back to the description of SCSIConfig. In the upper part of the window there are two lists. The right-hand list displays all the SCSI Controllers installed on your system, while the left-hand list shows all the devices connected to the controller selected. The buttons in the lower portion of the window execute various functions or open further windows. The functions are always executed on the device selected in the upper portion. To select a device, click once on the appropriate device, which will then change color. When you have selected the device, you can then apply the various functions described below, to the device. Please note that not all functions are applicable to all devices. For example, a CD-ROM cannot be reconfigured in ConfigDrive and SCSIConfig displays a message to this effect. Available gadgets are: *** Config Drive The ConfigDrive window, which appears when the ConfigDrive button is activated, is used to inform the system of the drive data. Theoretically you can take all the values here from the datasheet of your hard disk and type them in manually but this is normally not the case. To save you the work and to avoid errors, the "Reload Geometry" button has been provided. Click on this button and the drive data will be read so that the program can investigate a suitable geometry. This procedure is recommended for drives which have never been used on an Amiga before. The values investigated by the program will then be transferred to the appropriate fields. The values produced by SCSIConfig may be different from the figures on the datasheet for the SCSI device. This is normal, as SCSI devices are "intelligent" and the parameters are automatically translated correctly. You therefore need not, and in fact cannot, alter any of the values read in by "Reload Geometry", as you will otherwise alter the format-management within the drive. Do not use Reload Geometry on drives which have already been used on the Amiga, as these are established in the geometry defined in the RDB. If this geometry is altered by Reload Geometry, this will cause a complete loss of data. If you want to use a drive already formatted on the Amiga which cannot be automatically connected, you must use the geometry already determined in the RDB by means of Reload RDB. With Reload RDB you can reload the drive data which is stored in the Rigid Disk Block. This is sensible if you have made changes to the entries and want to cancel them or for connecting hard disks already formatted by the Amiga, whose RDB is not correctly recognised. Finally, this function may be required for older RDB's where the most important details are correct, but not all the information is available for automatic connection of the drive under AMIGA-DOS 3.0. By reading with Reload RDB and rewriting the RDB via Save Changes WITHOUT altering the size settings, this data can be updated to the latest version. This procedure is only to be used when a hard disk which is already RDB formatted is not automatically recognised on SCSI Controller. The Load Device and Delete Device buttons are used to bring in updates to device drivers. When phase 5 publishes a new driver, it will be accompanied by special instructions for using these buttons. Neither of these buttons are used at this moment in time. The two checkboxes "Synchron" and "Reselection" allow you to specify that a hard disk or another SCSI device is to be automatically switched into Synchronous or Reselection mode at system start-up. You can change these settings and store the changes in the main window without losing the existing data. For the meanings and advantages and disadvantages of the operation modes, please read the description of UnitControl. *** Information This button calls up various device data of the selected device. On the right-hand side there is a selection window, where you can select the type of information to be displayed (the so-called ModeSense-Pages). Not all SCSI devices return the same values to a request, so information offered to you here depends on the device. Select an information title and the corresponding parameters will be displayed in the left portion. You cannot alter any data here. The information given is generally only of interest to specialists and is not used in the daily operation of the devices. *** LowLevelFormat This executes the physical formatting of the device selected. As this operation definitely deletes all data stored on the device, including the partition information, two security steps take place before this operation is executed. You can terminate the execution of the Low-Level-Format by activating the CANCEL button. A Low-Level-Format can take an extremely long time, depending on the type, size and speed of the hard disk; formatting times of several hours are by no means unusual. As already explained, it is generally not necessary to Low-Level-Format hard disks; this is mainly required for removable drives or optical disks. Interrupting a LowLevelFormat could damage the data on the drive, so that it is no longer possible to address it. The internal administration data on the drive can be destroyed by interrupting the Low-Level-Format, so the drive no longer reacts to SCSI commands or returns totally nonsensical values. You should, therefore, NEVER interrupt a Low-Level-Format by a system reset or any other method. We also advise you that a Low-level-Format is a totally destructive measure, which will definitely cause a complete loss of data. Apply the Low-Level-Format o...
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