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authorRalf Baechle <ralf@linux-mips.org>1997-01-07 02:33:00 +0000
committer <ralf@linux-mips.org>1997-01-07 02:33:00 +0000
commitbeb116954b9b7f3bb56412b2494b562f02b864b1 (patch)
tree120e997879884e1b9d93b265221b939d2ef1ade1 /drivers/scsi/README.qlogicfas
parent908d4681a1dc3792ecafbe64265783a86c4cccb6 (diff)
Import of Linux/MIPS 2.1.14
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+
+RANDOM NOTES ON THE QLOGICFAS SCSI DRIVER
+
+This driver supports the Qlogic FASXXX family of chips. This driver
+only works with the ISA, VLB, and PCMCIA versions of the Qlogic
+FastSCSI! cards as well as any other card based on the FASXX chip
+(including the Control Concepts SCSI/IDE/SIO/PIO/FDC cards).
+
+This driver does NOT support the PCI version. Support for these PCI
+Qlogic boards:
+
+ IQ-PCI
+ IQ-PCI-10
+ IQ-PCI-D
+
+is provided by the qlogicisp.c driver. Check README.qlogicisp for details.
+
+PCMCIA SUPPORT
+
+This currently only works if the card is enabled first from DOS. This means
+you will have to load your socket and card services, and QL41DOS.SYS and
+QL40ENBL.SYS. These are a minimum, but loading the rest of the modules
+won't interfere with the operation. The next thing to do is load the kernel
+without resetting the hardware, which can be a simple ctrl-alt-delete with
+a boot floppy, or by using loadlin with the kernel image accessible from
+DOS. If you are using the Linux PCMCIA driver, you will have to adjust
+it or otherwise stop it from configuring the card.
+
+I am working with the PCMCIA group to make it more flexible, but that may
+take a while.
+
+ALL CARDS
+
+The top of the qlogic.c file has a number of defines that controls
+configuration. As shipped, it provides a balance between speed and
+function. If there are any problems, try setting SLOW_CABLE to 1, and
+then try changing USE_IRQ and TURBO_PDMA to zero. If you are familiar
+with SCSI, there are other settings which can tune the bus.
+
+It may be a good idea to enable RESET_AT_START, especially if the devices
+may not have been just powered up, or if you are restarting after a crash,
+since they may be busy trying to complete the last command or something.
+It comes up faster if this is set to zero, and if you have reliable
+hardware and connections it may be more useful to not reset things.
+
+SOME TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
+
+Make sure it works properly under DOS. You should also do an initial FDISK
+on a new drive if you want partitions.
+
+Don't enable all the speedups first. If anything is wrong, they will make
+any problem worse.
+
+IMPORTANT
+
+The best way to test if your cables, termination, etc. are good is to copy
+a very big file (e.g. a doublespace container file, or a very large executable
+or archive). It should be at least 5 megabytes, but you can do multiple tests
+on smaller files. Then do a COMP to verify that the file copied properly.
+(Turn off all caching when doing these tests, otherwise you will test your
+RAM and not the files). Then do 10 COMPs, comparing the same file on the
+SCSI hard drive, i.e. "COMP realbig.doc realbig.doc". Then do it after the
+computer gets warm.
+
+I noticed my system which seems to work 100% would fail this test if the
+computer was left on for a few hours. It was worse with longer cables, and
+more devices on the SCSI bus. What seems to happen is that it gets a false
+ACK causing an extra byte to be inserted into the stream (and this is not
+detected). This can be caused by bad termination (the ACK can be reflected),
+or by noise when the chips work less well because of the heat, or when cables
+get too long for the speed.
+
+Remember, if it doesn't work under DOS, it probably won't work under Linux.