3.07 How do I install a second controller?
Description
This item is from the PC Hardware FAQ, by Willie Lim and Ralph Valentino with numerous contributions by others. (v1.25).
3.07 How do I install a second controller?
[From: strople@ug.cs.dal.ca (PAUL LESLIE STROPLE)]
The following should solve about 95% (9.5?) of second controller problems, if only to tell you it can't be done! Generic Second Controller Installation:
1) Normally the MFM/IDE/RLL controller is set up as the primary, and the ESDI/SCSI as the secondary; One reason for this is because the ESDI/SCSI controller cards are usually more flexible in their set up and secondly this method seems to work (probably due to reason one). 2) Your primary controller is set up using all the normal defaults:
- Floppy at primary address(3F0-3F7).
- Hard disk enabled, at primary addresses (1F0-1F7), BIOS address C800 and interrupt 14. 3) Your secondary controller is set up as:
- Floppy drives disabled
- Hard disk controller enabled, secondary address(170- 177) and interrupt 15.
- NOTE: onboard bios set to D400, or D800 can be used, if there is a conflict. 4) Computer BIOS Setup:
- Any drive(s) on the primary controller (MFM/IDE), should be entered in the BIOS setup as usual.
- You DO NOT enter the drive types for the hard disks on the secondary controller, even if there are only two drives in the entire system i.e., if one drive on each controller you only enter the drive type of the hard disk on the primary controller -- the 2nd drive type is left as not installed (0). Operating System: If you do the above steps you now have the hardware setup correctly; your only other problem may be with the operating system. Different OSs handle secondary controllers differently; as well, different controllers handles same OSs differently (scared yet?). For example: with DOS you may require a device driver (available from the manufacture or through third party companies, such as Ontrack Computer Systems -- more on Ontrack later). Some flavors of UNIX handle a mixture of controllers better than others (e.g., IA 5.4 had probs mixing ESDI and SCSI controllers under certain conditions). Procedure: You should verify that your secondary controller, and associated hard drives, are working properly (you can try this by installing it as the primary system -- removing existing system first!). Follow above steps 1 to 4, pray, and turn on system! If it still won't work you may need additional drivers. First check with the supplier or manufacture (I know, for example, a DTC ESDI controller comes with the DOS drivers included, and it works perfectly). I am not sure of operating systems supported by Ontrack Data Systems. I know that their DOS driver can assist secondary controllers, even allowing two IDEs to co-exist. Likewise, the drivers can also install virtually any drive, regardless of what is supported by the BIOS. BIG NOTE: The features required in a secondary controller are normally not found on a $30.00 IDE controller. The best thing to do it, if possible, is to get a guarantee from the supplier/manufacture that if it doesn't work (and they can't make it) then they will take it back. Ontrack supplies a complete range of hard disk products and services -- from driver software, data recovery services, to media and data conversions (including tape backups). The product I know them from is DiskManager. Disk Manager is a utility for hard disk management. It will allow you to setup and install virtually any hard disk, regardless of disk's layout and BIOS options available. Disk Manager (version greater than 5.2.X, or there abouts) includes a driver for co-resident controllers. For driver to work the co-res board must be able to hit the above addresses and must be WD1003 AT command set compatible (this includes most IDE and ESDI boards). DM contains a number of features, including full diagnostics. You may not need to know the disk's geometry, as there are numerous layouts stored internally. All you need to do is select the correct model and DM does the rest. To contact Ontrack: U.S. (800)-872-2599; UK 0800-24 39 96 this is either an address or phone number! outside U.K. (but NOT U.S.) 44-81-974 5522
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