[rescue] StorageWorks

[BSD Bob the old greybeard BSD freak]

> Hi,
> 
> I'm hoping that someone here can help me understand this DEC Storage
> Works SWXSE-22 unit which i've just added to my toy collection.

If this is a storageworks shelf assembly of some kind, the following
may apply.  If this unit is different from the plastic shelves, sorry
for the bandwidth.

> The unit was dropped by the courier, so it isn't in great shape, but it
> seems operational.

Sad... jerks these package handlers, quite often.

> I have 4 disks, type RZ29B which are 4Gb or so, and two powersupplies. At
> one end is a module with 2 scsi connectors.

BE VEDDY VEDDY CAREFUL... those could be dssi connectors and if hooked up
to scsi..... not good?  The INTERNAL connectors on the usual storageworks
shelf thingy are scsi.  The thin board at one end may be a scsi-dssi
converter, such that the external connectors are dssi and not scsi.

> Having removed the one disk which has a broken connector, I've powered it
> up and hooked up a trusty AHA2940 to it to see whats what.
> 
> All of the disks are recognised, but only as 27Mb capacity (!) each.

Something is amiss.....

> I've removed the drive from the broken canister and tried that hooked
> directly up to the adaptec controller, and that verifies OK as a full 4Gb.

> So, I'm wondering if there is something strange about these arrays, or if
> i perhaps have a knackered backplane.

Strange you should ask.....(:+}}...  There are jumpers here and there
behind the fans.  There is a big ba350ugc.pdf file (search for) that will
explain how the jumpers are to be set, so that it can be one bus or two
busses, terminated, unterminated, etc., internally.

> It seems odd that it appears to work OK otherwise - the controller finds
> the drives and verifies succeed OK on the 27Mb that it thinks they are ;)
> 
> The unit was dropped on it's rear - smashing both fan assemblies into the
> back .. i assume that this is what broke the connector on one of the
> disks.

Oops... It could be the backplane is busted.  Remove the fans and check
the backplane for cracks.  If it is cracked, about all you can do is use
the drive modules.

> There seems to be little info about these on the web - one page i found
> did say that these can be configured to have one or two scsi busses -
> anyone have any details for this?

The jumpers set up 1/2/busses, and which connectors to use, how terminated,
etc.  See the ba350ugc.pdf file.

Good Luck!  They can be nice when they work, and bummers if something is
internally wacked.

That is all that comes to mind, offhand....

Bob