A3000 with AztecMonster II SATA/SSD-SCSI Converter doesn't work

OoZic

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Hello fellow Amigans,

I ordered the Aztekmonster scsi-->ssd converter for my A3000 from Ebay (artmix) and got it delivered yesterday. Happy with the idea to use a modern SSD with my A3000 I started installing it right away.
Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/261345651089

aztecmonster_zpsb039a668.png

But sadly I run into problems with the converter.

When I install it with termination problems the A3000 hangs right away, the yellow led is constant on as soon as I power the A3000 on. This is logical and is suppose to happen normally.

When I install it with correct termination (as far as I can see and understand), the A3000 scsi controller communicates with the internal SCSI HDD on id2 (yellow led flickers while the HDD spins up and turns of for a short time when it goes to the next device), but as soon as it communicates with the Aztec the A3000 scsi controller hangs again with constant yellow led on. Just before it hangs I see a little orange LED on the Aztec controller lightning up for a very short time.

id's:

id2 = scsi HDD (not terminated)
id4 = Aztecmonster (tried both terminated and unterminated)
id6 = external scsi CD with termination

If I remove the scsi HDD and only use the Aztecmonster the problem stays the same, A3000 scsi controller hangs after a short time
If I remove the Aztec the A3000 boots up normally.

Connected to the Azrecmonster is a SSD with 4 FFS partitions. If I use a mechanical sata HDD (old 40 Gb from my PS3, I can hear the drive spinning up so it gets power.

Anybody else using the Aztecmonster SCSI-SSD converter with a A3000 or maybe another type Amiga?
Maybe anybody has some tips I can try to make this work? I already used the scsiprefs program to enable multiple Luns and Synchrone transfwer with no result.

Sadly I can't test the Aztec on my A1200 with Blizzard SCSI kit as the mobo is broken and I ordered a recapped replacement, but it hasn't arrived yet.

Please help?
 
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Amiga 3000 have old very weak scsi chip ! remember that , most modern scsi hd doesnt work
 
Do a test only with the convertor, so disconnect the external cd.

Amiga 3000 have old very weak scsi chip ! remember that , most modern scsi hd doesnt work

He's got the AM33C93A-16PC in it, if I am right.
 
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I think this problem is similar to that which exists with the AztechMonster SCSI to CF adapter.
A lo of people have that problem, maybe the usage of a newer SCSI.device will solve this. Try at least version 43.24.
Iny A3k, I have the latest SCSI-chip installed and all ROM updates of OS 3.9 BB2 in a kickflash OS4 and the device world great, other people made their own KS 3.1 including the same SCSI.device and the problem still exists...
 
Hello,

i dont have and i dont know this "aztec monster", but:

- the id number is not much important, only avoid to repeat the same number for more devices

- the old scsi chip of the A3000 dont support removable scsi device

- you can show a sketch with your devices and terminators (active or passive) attached to your SCSI chain, just for clarify

Regards and sorry for my english
Stefano
 
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Do a test only with the convertor, so disconnect the external cd.

Tried already, same symptoms, scsi hangs :(

Amiga 3000 have old very weak scsi chip ! remember that , most modern scsi hd doesnt work

He's got the AM33C93A-16PC in it, if I am right.
ATM I have the -08 proto in it and as I understand it is the same as the -16PC. In short time I will get the -16PC also, but I don't think it will make a difference...

One thing to mention also: I have the Apollo 3060 card inside that needs a special patch cable between the SCSI chip and one rom. See here:
http://www.canit.se/~glenn/apollopatch.html
For this one leg of the scsi chip is bend from the mobo... will this affect the usage of the converter?

Anybody knows what this patch cable does? Tried to find out but so far nobody can give the reason why this patch cable is needed....

Thanks everybody for all your answers so far :)
 
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The SCSI chip will most likely be just fine if it is the 08 version or the amd equivalent. If it is an older 04, it may give a bit of trouble.

You problem is going to be one of three things:
1. Termination. The Device and the 3000 Motherboard has to be terminated correctly. Make sure all 3 terminators on the mb are going in the proper direction and are seated properly. Keep the external scsi out of play until you resolve the issues. When ever I have had similar trouble, it almost ALWAYS is termination...
2. SCSI settings in the battery backed up area. Be careful here to read all the instructions before you start playing with the settings. Perhaps it doesn't like fast sync enabled. (edit see you did this already - make sure amenesia isn't on)
3. It just isn't compatible, I rate this a distant third. The 3000 SCSI chip recognizes many modern devices and works just fine. If your using any other adapters in conjuction to this one, it may be causing the problem. It could be the SSD or the adaptor. I see they sell it for macs, make sure Parity is set properly...

Also make sure the adapter is using a free SCSI ID.

Good luck.
 
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only avoid to repeat the same number for more devices

Funny thing is when I do repeat the number (put the Aztec on the same id as the HDD), the A3000 boots but HDtoolbox or simular program doesn't see it...

- the old scsi chip of the A3000 dont support removable scsi device

It does.... my ZIP and Syquest drives work normally under OS 3.1 and 3.9...

- you can show a sketch with your devices and terminators (active or passive) attached to your controller, just for clarify

Regards and sorry for my english
Stefano
I will try :)

English isn't my native language also, so no problem ;)
 
Hello,

another thing: termination of the scsi chain. The scsi chip is in the middle of this chain. If you dont have external devices, you need tu put an active terminator on the rear port of the A3000, or the right resistors on the sockets near the scsi chip.
The last device (phisically, not the id number) need to be terminated, with the right jumper. The jumper "power term", that is another thing, need to be activated only on one device of the chain.
The A3000 scsi controller is SCSI 2 (not fast). The first versions of the scsi chip (not the -08 )dont support removable devices.

Regards
Stefano
 
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I have an old Amiga 3000, that is in use in a Virtuality machine.
I want to change the old SCSI HDD to CF card for obvious reasons. I had my eye on the Aztecmonster, but reading this thread has made me question spending the money on it.

Can someone tell me in simple terms - will it work out of the box - it seems not after reading though,
if it does not - please state the mods I need to do to get it working as as single bootable CF drive.
The Virtuality machine does have a CD drive, but even after testing 3 different ones, it does not seem to work anyway, so I can remove that.

On that note, would a Aztecmosnter SCSI - Sata work for a CD drive, IN CONJUNCTION with the CF card ?

Thanks

Simon
 
OoZic,

I'm having the same problem as you, with my Amiga 3000. I have the older WD33C93A-PL-00-04 SCSI bus controller on my motherboard. I assume that's what's causing the problem with the SCSI bus hanging. I found a source of the newer revision WD33C93B-PL in California today. I had to order 5 of them to meet the minimum order requirements. I will likely list the remainder on eBay after I get them. I will post a link then. I was able to get my A3000 to boot by separating the RESET wire (pin 40) from the ribbon cable going to the Aztec Monster and briefly connecting it to ground during boot. I was also able to read the CF card ID using HDToolbox by connecting the reset to ground briefly. I will let you all know if the SCSI chip fixes my issue, otherwise I will probably put the Aztec Monster and all the SCSI chips up for sale on eBay if I can't get it working.
 
I just installed the newer WD33C93B SCSI controller IC in my A3000. My Aztec Monster board still causes the computer to freeze during boot. Has anyone ever successfully used an Aztec Monster in an A3000? If so, what version kickstart ROMs do you have? I'm wondering if that is the reason for the problems.
 
Well, the problem is not the A3000 SCSI controller IC. Artmix is sending me new firmware for the Aztec Monster, hopefully this will fix the problem. (That's if it ever gets out of customs in Chicago....)
 
As I wrote some posts before, the problem is not the SCSI chip! It is a bug in the SCSI.device! The A590/2091 have the same problem!
 
I have noticed it my friend, but I do not need it! As I wrote some posts before, I am using Kickflash with the SCSI.device 43.43 in it without any problems! ;)

And as stated in this a1k.org thread, there is a fix for the buggy SCSI.device, nothing else.
Without that new fix done by Matze it will not work!

So nothing is wrong in my post, because the non patched device is buggy! ;)
 
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Well, I got the new ROM from Artmix today. It still doesn't work. I tried what BlindGerMan said, I got the 43.45 scsi.device patch and set it up using LoadModule. The system still freezes when I try to open HDToolbox. If I send multiple resets to the Aztec Monster board, HDToolbox will continue to load, but does not list the Aztec Monster. I've been trying this with both an 8GB and a 32GB CF card. Is this possibly the issue? Maybe it can't be larger than 2 or 4 GB?
 
I'm trying to get a bit more advanced at troubleshooting this problem. I bought a PCI SCSI adapter that I intend to use to monitor the A3000 SCSI bus (using Bus Hound), and to test the Aztec Monster with WinUAE using SPTI. I created a custom ROM using WinUAE and Remus, using the latest (43.45) scsi.device. I burned it into my A3000 ROM ICs last night, and it works. I was able to partition and format a CF card after that, but I still had to reset the Aztec Monster several times during the boot process. I was also able to install OS 3.1 from floppies, and then boot from the CF card using this "reset method". I had to unplug my external CD-RW drive and connect an external active terminator. It mis-behaves badly with the CD-RW connected. I was not able to use any of the files that Matze provided, they all appear to be for the A590/2091. He has a link to some files supposedly for the A3000, but they don't seem to work, even in UAE. Maybe I am just doing it wrong. He also doesn't mention what he changed in the file. He mentions something about using the CDTV ROM because it doesn't have any code for SCSI reselection. From what I gathered, he seems to think it is a bug caused by the reselection phase, causing the DMAC to freeze up. I will report back with my bus monitoring results when my PCI card arrives.
 
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Kind of new to the building of ROMS etc. so I got me a Kickflash OS4 to experiment with the ROMS and scsi.device :)

But couldn't get the Kickflash to work and coyoteflash didn't recognie it, so did a search to find out the kickflash can't be put to the max in the zorro slot, but the gold connectors have to be a bit visible from outside. Did that
with the result of only a black screen, even after holding both mouse buttons for over a minute.

Thinking about what could be wrong now, I took out the most suspicious part, my Buddha controller (first edition with only the 2 normal ide connectors, not the flash edition) that I use with TrueIDE to boot from CF card. This way I could reach the Early Startup Screen and see the Kickflash is present. Adding the Buddha again gave the black screen again. Removing the kickflash again and adding the Buddha showed the Buddha in the Early Startup Screen. Same manufacturer number, different board number (one = 0, other = 10)

So it seems both cards can't work together, unless I need a rom upgrade for the Buddha or something. Only option is to use a SCSI drive to boot from and use coyoteflash that way to experiment with the kickflash :(

Is the 43.43 scsi device better or is the 43.45 better to experiment with?
 
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I have had good luck with acards ars 2000 sata to scsi devices. I have one 68 pin s csi on my c CSMKIII and a 50 pin in my 3000D.
 
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