TK50-GA external SCSI tape unit + Microvax 3100 Desktop

From: Carlini, Antonio <Antonio.Carlini_at_riverstonenet.com>
Date: Mon Dec 3 15:07:30 2001

>It has two connectors of Centronics type. One is a
>large Centronics type connector, over the three
>MMJ connectors.

>The other one is, seeing the CPU in its back, at
>the LEFT, covered by one semiespheric cover.
>This is a "short" Centronics connector.

        I have a DV-31BTB-A which I know is a
        MicroVAX 3100 Model 20. Yours,
        according to the Systems & Options Catalogue
        I have, is a MicroVAX 3100 Model 10.

        On the back of mine there is (looking at the back):

        at the top middle: a DB37 labelled B2
          (this is a socket with 37 pins)
        (I don't think this is available on the Model 10)


        in the middle row (from left to right)

        a connector labelled (4-11), this is
        for an asynch card (DSH32 I think)
        This is the same "style" as the SCSI connector
        (i.e., no pins) but is smaller.
        It is *NOT* a SCSI connector.

        another DB37 labelled DB37
        this is over and slightly to the left
        of the 3 MMJ connectors.

        a final connector on the right, labelled with
        a diamond and a horizontal line through
        the right hand point. This is the SCSI connector.
        This connector is the only one that is identical
        to the connectors on the TK50Z. This is
        over the printer connector.

        Having said, if you have the right
        SCSI cable (i.e. the same connector
        at both ends) then I don't see
        how you can possibly have
        connected to the wrong place.
        (And it sounds like you have used
        the RIGHT hand connection and just
        are unsure what the other one is).

        BTW: The TK50Z box has two SCSI
        connections. It does not matter which
        one you use, but you *must*
        put a terminator on the other one if
        you expect the MicroVAX to see
        the tape drive.

        I've found a manual with pictures
        of the connectors. I can scan some
        pages on Wednesday and email them
        to you directly if necessary.

        So a few checks:

        -- are you using the correct (RIGHT hand)
           connector?
        -- Is the unused connector on the TK50Z
           filled by a terminator?
        -- What ID is the TK50Z set to?
            (Avoid 6 & 7 ... the CPU uses one
            of those ... I forget exactly which
            because it varied from system to system).
        -- Avoid any ID used by the existing drives,
           SHOW DEVICE will list these. The external
           SCSI bus may well be independent of the
           internal bus, in which case it will not
           matter, but again I cannot remember
           for this system.
        -- If it still does not work, what to the
           power up tests say? The error code
           (if any) should help to track this down.

        Antonio
        arcarlini_at_iee.org
Received on Mon Dec 03 2001 - 15:07:30 GMT