Configuring an Adaptec AHA1510B card for use in an FT1200

The Apricot FT1200 server comes with an Adaptec AIC7880 Ultra Wide SCSI adapter built onto the motherboard. This device is suitable for running Ultra/Wide SCSI disks, but is not suitable for running SCSI-II tape drives. If a SCSI-II tape drive is to be installed into an FT1200 server, it is recommended that an add-in SCSI card be used, and by default this card will be the Adaptec AHA1510B (UF59378). In order to install the AHA1510B card, a number of configuration changes need to be made to the system, and these are documented below.

The Adaptec AHA1510B card is software configured, but also has a bank of 4 DIP switches. These should all be switched OFF (which specifies I/O 340h and adapter active). These switches should not be changed. All other configuration values are changed by using a DOS based configuration utility (1510CFG.EXE). This utility is found on the 1510 drivers disk supplied with the card, but is also available from File Area 41 of the Insight BBS (and Web site) in a file called 1510CFG.ZIP.

The default settings (taken from 1510CFG.EXE) for the 1510B card are......

Host Adapter Interface Definitions
Host Adapter Interrupt (IRQ) Channel.......... 11
Host Adapter DMA Channel...................... Disabled
Host Adapter SCSI ID.......................... 7

SCSI Channel Interface Definitions
SCSI Parity Checking.......................... Enabled
Host Adapter SCSI Termination................. Automatic

Additional Options
SCSI Device Configuration
All SCSI devices set to Initiate Sync Negotiation...... yes
Maximum Sync Transfer Rate..... 10.0
Enable Disconnection........... yes

Advanced Configuration Options
ISA Plug and Play Mode........... Enabled
Plug and Play SCAM Support....... Disabled

By default, the AIC7880 on the FT1200 will also use Interrupt 11, so it is recommended that the 1510 card be set to Interrupt 9, and that the 1510B's ability to support Plug and Play is disabled.

With both the FT1200 BIOS and the 1510B card set to factory default values, the 1510CFG program will see the 1510B card and will allow you to change the settings of the card. At this stage, the following steps are recommended....

1) From the 1510CFG initial menu, select
'Configure/View Host Adapter Settings'

2) From the Configuration menu, change the IRQ of the card from 11 to 9

3) From the Configuration menu, select 'Advanced Configuration Options' and change 'ISA Plug and Play Mode' to 'Disabled'

4) Exit 1510CFG and save changes

5) Re-boot the FT1200 and Press F1 to enter SETUP

6) From the 'Plug and Play' menu, select 'I/O Port Resources'

7) Page Down to the '340h - 343h' entry and change it from
'Plug and Play' to 'ISA Legacy'

8) Do the same for '344h - 347h', '348h - 34Bh', '34Ch - 34Fh', '350h - 353h', '354h - 357h', '358h - 35Bh', and '35Ch - 35Fh'

9) Press ESC then select 'Interrupt Resources'

10) Select Interrupt 9 and change it from 'Plug and Play' to 'ISA Legacy'

11) Press ESC twice, 'Save Settings', then 'Exit Setup'

Note: NetWare and NT should operate correctly with no further hardware changes (although changes to the NT Registry are needed and are documented in IPB 2274). If installing UNIX however, it may be necessary to change the ‘SCSI Parity Checking’ setting in 1510CFG.EXE from ‘Enabled’ to ‘Disabled’.

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