Well, we're actually dealing with a number of different components outside of just the Dell computer and the Antec card reader. In addition, we've got whatever PCMCIA SCSI card you're using and the JAZ drive.
Although they work together in a laptop, particularly with SCSI, some combinations of devices do not always play well together. For instance, at home I have a SIIG SCSI card, and at one point had a SyQuest EZ-Flyer 230 drive, UMAX 1200S scanner, Pioneer 32x SCSI CD-ROM drive and a Seagate 4.8 GB SCSI tape drive. Unfortunately, when the scanner was connected to the SCSI chain, the CDROM drive would disappear intermittently. Each device had it's own SCSI ID, and I tried multiple combinations of SCSI IDs. As long as the scanner was not connected, the CDROM drive would work, and the CDROM drive would work with the other two devices just fine. All four devices worked fine on another SCSI card. Unfortunately, although SCSI has many proponents (myself included) it does not have a firm standard to which all manufacturers must comply.
Taken from
PC Webopedia's explanation of SCSI, "Note, however, that the lack of a single SCSI standard means that some devices may not work with some SCSI boards."
I bring this up first because the specific combination of devices may
never work precisely as you expect do to any number of variables among them, and not specifically related to any one of them.
However, there are a few things you can check that might indicate such a problem exists, and that it isn't related simply to one component.
First, I'd be interested if the card detects properly after a reboot if the JAZ drive is disconnected from the SCSI card.
Second, I'd be interested if another PCMCIA card detects properly after a reboot, or whether it also needs to be stopped and then reinserted.
Third, Antec's site lists a simple procedure to ensure that the drivers are loaded properly. Check this list after a reboot, stop the card, reinsert it, and then check the list again. If there is a difference, it may indicate a driver problem. The procedure is as follows:
"
lease read the instructions below.
Go to MY COMPUTER>>CONTROL PANEL>>SYSTEM>>DEVICE MANAGER>>PCMCIA SOCKET>>PCMCIA COMPATIBLE>>DRIVERS
Finally, check Device Manager to determine what IRQ the card reader's ISA card is requesting and using. Enter the BIOS and reserve this IRQ. It may be as simple as a resource problem of some kind.
"First, I'd be interested if the card detects properly after a reboot if the JAZ drive is disconnected from the SCSI card." Answer: NO
"Second, I'd be interested if another PCMCIA card detects properly after a reboot, or whether it also needs to be stopped and then reinserted." Answer: No, same process for all PCMCIA cards. All PCMCIA cards when inserted for the first time, must be stopped and then reinserted (whether the card was in the reader when booting or not). When I reboot, I have repeat the process all over again...stop, eject and reinsert, presto...card recognized!
"Third, Antec's site lists a simple procedure to ensure that the drivers are loaded properly. Check this list after a reboot, stop the card, reinsert it, and then check the list again." Answer: this was one of the first things that I checked and there is no difference under all conditions with the PCMCIA card working or not i.e. following boot or reboot or after card is recognized. I also tried removing the PCMCIA controller in device manager and giving windows a chance to reinstall properly. Again, no conflicts anywhere...except since I noticed that I run into a problem with using PCMCIA card and a USB device at the same time.
Regarding your discussion about daisy chaining and past probs with SCSI...I am aware of the past probs with SCSI...having dealt with the horrors of setting up an old SCSI standard scanner. I don't run anything off the back of the SCSI chain from the JAZ drive for this reason and again, the problem occurs with other PCMCIA cards that don't work on a SCSI std.
Per your request, the Iomega JAZ Jet Fast SCSI card is recognized as an an "Adaptec APA/50/60 PCMCIA SCSI Host Adapter" after stopping and reinserting into my Antec.
I've not tried checking the IRQ and not really sure how to do that under Device Manager. But in checking things under Microsoft System utility, I've not found any problems with the IRQs. Can you give me a little more detail about what you are suggesting?
As I menitoned, I've noticed that my USB device (IntelPlay microscope) won't be recognized when I have a PCMCIA card installed and recognized. Which may indicate some validity to your idea that it could be a resource sharing problem. Right now, I get things to work, but its a big pain when forced to reboot or when getting started.
Ed Memi
P.S. Has this problem ever occured with anyone else...I am willing to toss the Antec (It only cost $50), but not sure another reader won't have the same problems. It definately keeps me up at night wondering.
- I've not tried checking the IRQ and not really sure
- how to do that under Device Manager. But in
- checking things under Microsoft System utility, I've
- not found any problems with the IRQs. Can you give
- me a little more detail about what you are
- suggesting?
This isn't done in Device Manager, but rather in the BIOS. In Device Manager, double-click on the listing for Computer. Determine which IRQ your Antec ISA card is using. Reboot the system, and at the blue Dell logo screen, press the DEL key until the system indicates it is "Entering Setup." Go to the Advanced screen, and choose Resource Configuration. Choose to reserve the IRQ that the Antec card wants.
- P.S. Has this problem ever occured with anyone
- else...I am willing to toss the Antec (It only cost
- $50), but not sure another reader won't have the
- same problems. It definately keeps me up at night
- wondering.
To be honest, I had never heard of Antec until you posted this, so I can't say I've heard of any particular problems with this device. A search on Deja.com didn't pull up many posts to newsgroups, so it doesn't appear to be a very heavy hitter.
Dell does install an SCM PCMCIA card reader in some Optiplex units for a few of our large customers. The current unit is PCI based, and this maybe something you want to look into as PCI devices typically seem to integrate better with each other.
David .
2 Intern
•
1.1K Posts
0
February 2nd, 2000 19:00
Well, we're actually dealing with a number of different components outside of just the Dell computer and the Antec card reader. In addition, we've got whatever PCMCIA SCSI card you're using and the JAZ drive.
Although they work together in a laptop, particularly with SCSI, some combinations of devices do not always play well together. For instance, at home I have a SIIG SCSI card, and at one point had a SyQuest EZ-Flyer 230 drive, UMAX 1200S scanner, Pioneer 32x SCSI CD-ROM drive and a Seagate 4.8 GB SCSI tape drive. Unfortunately, when the scanner was connected to the SCSI chain, the CDROM drive would disappear intermittently. Each device had it's own SCSI ID, and I tried multiple combinations of SCSI IDs. As long as the scanner was not connected, the CDROM drive would work, and the CDROM drive would work with the other two devices just fine. All four devices worked fine on another SCSI card. Unfortunately, although SCSI has many proponents (myself included) it does not have a firm standard to which all manufacturers must comply.
Taken from PC Webopedia's explanation of SCSI, "Note, however, that the lack of a single SCSI standard means that some devices may not work with some SCSI boards."
I bring this up first because the specific combination of devices may never work precisely as you expect do to any number of variables among them, and not specifically related to any one of them.
However, there are a few things you can check that might indicate such a problem exists, and that it isn't related simply to one component.
First, I'd be interested if the card detects properly after a reboot if the JAZ drive is disconnected from the SCSI card.
Second, I'd be interested if another PCMCIA card detects properly after a reboot, or whether it also needs to be stopped and then reinserted.
Third, Antec's site lists a simple procedure to ensure that the drivers are loaded properly. Check this list after a reboot, stop the card, reinsert it, and then check the list again. If there is a difference, it may indicate a driver problem. The procedure is as follows:
"
lease read the instructions below.
Go to MY COMPUTER>>CONTROL PANEL>>SYSTEM>>DEVICE MANAGER>>PCMCIA SOCKET>>PCMCIA COMPATIBLE>>DRIVERS
You should see the list of the following drivers:
1. SOCKETSV.VXD
2. PCCARD.VXD
3. FLS1MTD.VXD
4. FLS2MTD.VXD
5. SRAMTD.VXD
6. CARDDRV.EXE
7. CSMAPPER.SYS
Finally, check Device Manager to determine what IRQ the card reader's ISA card is requesting and using. Enter the BIOS and reserve this IRQ. It may be as simple as a resource problem of some kind.
ememi
7 Posts
0
February 3rd, 2000 00:00
In response to your questions:
"First, I'd be interested if the card detects properly after a reboot if the JAZ drive is disconnected from the SCSI card." Answer: NO
"Second, I'd be interested if another PCMCIA card detects properly after a reboot, or whether it also needs to be stopped and then reinserted." Answer: No, same process for all PCMCIA cards. All PCMCIA cards when inserted for the first time, must be stopped and then reinserted (whether the card was in the reader when booting or not). When I reboot, I have repeat the process all over again...stop, eject and reinsert, presto...card recognized!
"Third, Antec's site lists a simple procedure to ensure that the drivers are loaded properly. Check this list after a reboot, stop the card, reinsert it, and then check the list again." Answer: this was one of the first things that I checked and there is no difference under all conditions with the PCMCIA card working or not i.e. following boot or reboot or after card is recognized. I also tried removing the PCMCIA controller in device manager and giving windows a chance to reinstall properly. Again, no conflicts anywhere...except since I noticed that I run into a problem with using PCMCIA card and a USB device at the same time.
Regarding your discussion about daisy chaining and past probs with SCSI...I am aware of the past probs with SCSI...having dealt with the horrors of setting up an old SCSI standard scanner. I don't run anything off the back of the SCSI chain from the JAZ drive for this reason and again, the problem occurs with other PCMCIA cards that don't work on a SCSI std.
Per your request, the Iomega JAZ Jet Fast SCSI card is recognized as an an "Adaptec APA/50/60 PCMCIA SCSI Host Adapter" after stopping and reinserting into my Antec.
I've not tried checking the IRQ and not really sure how to do that under Device Manager. But in checking things under Microsoft System utility, I've not found any problems with the IRQs. Can you give me a little more detail about what you are suggesting?
As I menitoned, I've noticed that my USB device (IntelPlay microscope) won't be recognized when I have a PCMCIA card installed and recognized. Which may indicate some validity to your idea that it could be a resource sharing problem. Right now, I get things to work, but its a big pain when forced to reboot or when getting started.
Ed Memi
P.S. Has this problem ever occured with anyone else...I am willing to toss the Antec (It only cost $50), but not sure another reader won't have the same problems. It definately keeps me up at night wondering.
David .
2 Intern
•
1.1K Posts
0
February 3rd, 2000 02:00
- I've not tried checking the IRQ and not really sure
- how to do that under Device Manager. But in
- checking things under Microsoft System utility, I've
- not found any problems with the IRQs. Can you give
- me a little more detail about what you are
- suggesting?
This isn't done in Device Manager, but rather in the BIOS. In Device Manager, double-click on the listing for Computer. Determine which IRQ your Antec ISA card is using. Reboot the system, and at the blue Dell logo screen, press the DEL key until the system indicates it is "Entering Setup." Go to the Advanced screen, and choose Resource Configuration. Choose to reserve the IRQ that the Antec card wants.
- P.S. Has this problem ever occured with anyone
- else...I am willing to toss the Antec (It only cost
- $50), but not sure another reader won't have the
- same problems. It definately keeps me up at night
- wondering.
To be honest, I had never heard of Antec until you posted this, so I can't say I've heard of any particular problems with this device. A search on Deja.com didn't pull up many posts to newsgroups, so it doesn't appear to be a very heavy hitter.
Dell does install an SCM PCMCIA card reader in some Optiplex units for a few of our large customers. The current unit is PCI based, and this maybe something you want to look into as PCI devices typically seem to integrate better with each other.