DPT SmartCache User Manual

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1-1
®
TM
SmartCache
DPT
TM
PM3011
ISA DISK CONTROLLER
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OCTOBER 1990
This document is the user's manual for Distributed Processing Technology's SmartCacheTM family of disk controllers. These caching disk controllers are designed for use with PC/AT compatible computers and include the PM3011/55 for ST506 disk drives, the PM3011/65 for RLL drives, and the PM3011/75 for ESDI drives. In addition, instructions for the installation of various operating systems are also provided.
Copyright ©1990 Distributed Processing Technology
DO-0803-004-A
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DPT MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRENTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS HEREOF AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
DPT products are covered by a one year limited warranty. Contact DPT or your DPT distributor for additional warranty information.
Further, DPT reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes from time to time in the content hereof without obligation to notify any person of such revisions or changes.
The information contained herein has been copyrighted by Distributed Processing Technology. No portion of this document can be duplicated in any form, or sold, without the express written consent of DPT. Failure to comply could entail legal action to remedy such violation.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided herein is correct, please notify us in the event of an error or inconsistency. Direct any comments to:
Distributed Processing Technology
Customer Service
132 Candace Drive
Maitland, Florida 32751 (U.S.A.)
Phone (407) 830-5522 • FAX (407) 260-5366
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER I Introduction
CHAPTER II Theory of Operation
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Cache Expansion Capability
2.3 Advanced Caching Algorithms
2.4 Automatic Disk Read-Ahead
2.5 Ordered Write-Back
2.6 Compatibility – Supports All Operation Systems
2.7 Optimum Drive Geometry Emulation
2.8 Controller Activity LEDs
2.8.1 LED Display During Controller Idle
2.8.2 LED Display During Controller Active
2.8.3 LED Display During Manual Self-Test
2.8.4 LED Display During Fatal Trap State
2.8.5 LED Display During Power-Up
CHAPTER III Hardware Installation
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Quick Installation Summary
3.3 SmartCache Models
3.4 SCSI Adapter Option
3.5 Floppy Controller
3.6 Computers
3.7 Disk Drives
3.8 SmartCache Accessories
3.8.1 Cache Expansion
3.8.1.1 Adding a Memory Module to the PM3011
3.8.1.2 Adding the MX3011 Expansion Card
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3.8.1.3 Adding Memory Modules to the MX3011
3.8.1.4 Cache Expansion Size Tests
3.8.2 Using High Capacity Disk Drives
3.8.2.1 User-Definable BIOS Types
3.8.2.2 BE3011 BIOS Table Expander Chip
3.8.2.3 Determining If a BE3011 Is Needed
3.8.2.4 BE3011 Chip Installation
3.8.3 Disk Mirroring Module
3.9 Jumpers
3.10 Cabling
3.10.1 Control Cable (34-pin)
3.10.2 Data Cable (20-pin)
3.11 Drive Select Numbering
3.11.1 ESDI vs ST506
3.11.2 Straight vs Twisted Control Cable
3.12 Drive Termination
CHAPTER IV: Drive Formatting
4.1 DPT Format Utility Introduction
4.2 Drive Formatting – Quick Summary
4.3 Comprehensive Drive Formatting Instructions
4.3.1 Getting Started
4.3.2 Special Keys
4.3.3 Initial Screen
4.3.4 Drive Number
4.3.5 Selecting The Drive
4.3.6 Entering Defects
4.3.6.1 Entering Defects for ESDI Drives
4.3.6.2 Entering Defects for ST506 Drives
4.3.6.3 Entering Defects Manually
4.3.6.4 Retrieving a Defect List Already Entered
4.3.6.5 Entering a New Defect List
4.3.7 Formatting The Disk
4.3.8 Setting The BIOS Type
4.3.8.1 Best Drive Configuration
4.3.8.2 User-Definable BIOS Option
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4.3.9 Calculating Drive Parameters
4.3.1.10 DPTFMT /CUSTOM
CHAPTER V Operating System Installation
5.1 PC/MS DOS
5.1.1 BIOS Requirements
5.1.2 DOS Disk Capacity Limitations
5.1.3 DOS Disk Partitioning
5.1.4 Accessing Over 528MB wit DOS
5.1.5 Installing DOS Step-By-Step
5.1.6 DOS Buffers
5.2 SCO Unix and Xenix
5.2.1 BIOS Requirements
5.2.2 Software Cache – I/O Buffers
5.2.3 Installing SCO Xenix Step-By-Step
5.2.4 Installing SCO Xenix GT Step-By-Step
5.2.5 Installing SCO Unix Step-By-Step
5.3 DOS and SCO Unix/Xenix Co-resident
5.3.1 Installing DOS and Unix/Xenix Step-By-Step
5.3.2 Booting Unix/Xenix or DOS
5.4 Novell NetWare 286 and 386
5.4.1 BIOS Requirements
5.4.2 Differences between Novell 2.0 and 2.1
5.4.3 Novell Software Cache
5.4.4 Installing NetWare Step-By-Step
5.4.5 Configuration and Installation of NetWare 386
5.4.6 Installing NetWare 386 Step-By-Step
5.5 Interactive Unix
5.5.1 BIOS Requirements
5.5.2 Installing Interactive Unix Step-By-Step
5.6 Pick Installation
5.6.1 BIOS Requirements
5.6.2 Installing Pick Step-By-Step
5.7 Optimum Cache Size
5.7.1 Determining Hardware Cache Size
5.7.2 Operating System Software Cache
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CHAPTER VI Troubleshooting Guide
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Diagnostics
6.2.1 Power-UP Diagnostics
6.2.2 Manual Self-Test
6.2.3 DPTFMT Certify
6.3 Physical Installation
6.4 Performance
6.5 DPT Format Utility (DPTFMT)
6.5.1 Error Messages
6.5.2 Questions About DPTFMT
6.6 BIOS Table Expander (BE3011)
6.7 Operating System Compatibility
APPENDIX A Specification
APPENDIX B Cable Specifications
APPENDIX C Jumper Settings
APPENDIX D Connectors
APPENDIX E Errata
APPENDIX F Assembly Drawing
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CHAPTER I
Introduction
The DPT SmartCache Disk Controller is the single most effective performance improvement tool available for disk intensive applications. In applications such as multi-user systems, engineering workstations, and network file­servers, well over half the time is taken up waiting for the disk. Reducing the disk access time is the key to breaking this disk bottleneck. SmartCache accesses data in as little as one-half millisecond – that's 50 to 100 times faster than a random disk access. Overall system performance gains of three to five times are common, with some programs running ten to fifteen times faster.
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CHAPTER II
Theory of Operation
2.1 Introduction
Disk caching is a technique which has been used for many years in mainframe computers to increase system performance. Most disk controllers have a RAM buffer to hold the data that is read from the disk until the computer can accept it into its own memory. Usually this buffer is big enough to hold only one sector (512 bytes) of disk data, although some "high performance" disk controllers can hold several sectors of data. A cache, on the other hand, not only temporarily holds the data while it is in transit, but retains the data until some time later when the computer might need it again. The SmartCache Controller even reads data from the disk before the computer asks for it, and stores the data in its cache in anticipation of the computer's future needs. Later, when the computer asks for the "cached" data the controller then retrieves it in a fraction of the time it would take to read it from the disk.
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Disk drives are mechanical devices. To retrieve data from a disk drive, the read/write head must first physically "seek" to the proper cylinder and then the disk must rotate until the desired data is in position under the head. Average seek times on drives range 15 milliseconds on the fastest, most expensive drives to 40 milliseconds on the least expensive drives. To that must be added the average rotation time which is typically 8 milliseconds regardless of the drive type. Therefor the total access time for high performance drives is 23ms.
In contrast, the SmartCache controller reads data from its cache within one-half millisecond. This means that SmartCache accesses data from cache 50 times faster than a "high performance" disk drive with a standard disk controller.
2.2 Cache Expansion Capability
The SmartCache controller's cache can be expanded incrementally as needed to maintain optimum system performance. To accomplish this, there should be enough cache to allow the most frequently accessed files to be stored in cache. Systems with many users generally need to cache more data than single-user systems. The same holds true for systems with large data files as opposed to small files.
In addition, SmartCache controllers use their cache to process ordered write-back sectors and read-ahead segments. Increasing the size of SmartCache's memory makes these features more efficient – a requirement for larger computer systems. Therefore, each system will require varying amounts of cache, and the amount of
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cache needed will change as the demands of the system increase.
SmartCache controllers come with 512 Kbytes of cache on the controller card. This is generally enough cache for most single-user environments such as CAD or desktop publishing. The cache can then be expanded in two Mbytes increments to up to 16 Mbytes*. With 16 Mbytes of cache, a single SmartCache controller could typically support a multi-user system or network file-server with as many as 64 users.
In addition to the standard on-board 512 Kbytes of cache, one MM3011/2 two Mbyte Memory Module or MM3011/4 four Mbyte Memory Module can plug directly onto the PM3011 SmartCache controller card, providing 2.5 Mbytes or 4.5 Mbytes of controller cache while not taking up any additional card slots.
If more cache is required, an MX3011/4 four megabyte Expansion Card can be added. This card occupies the PC bus slot adjacent to the SmartCache controller. A two inch ribbon cable provides the connection between the controller and the Expansion Card.
One ore two additional MM3011 Memory Modules, each containing 2 or 4 Mbytes of RAM, can also be added to the MX3011 four Mbyte Expansion Card, upgrading the MX3011 card's capacity to 6, 8, 10, or 12 megabytes of expansion cache. These modules plug directly onto Bay 1 or 2 of the MX3011 and do not take up any additional card slots.
* References to 16 Mbytes will be used when 16 Mbytes of expansion cache is installed. Maximum usable
cache size is actually 15.5 Mbytes due to microprocessor address limitations.
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Figure 2-1 Maximum Cache Configuration
PM3011 SmartCache Controller with one MM3011 Memory
Module plus MX3011 Expansion Card with two MM3011
Memory Modules.
With the one MX3011/4 Expansion Card and three MM3011/4 Memory Modules, the SmartCache controller can be configured with a maximum of 16 Mbytes of cache. Up to three 2 or 4 Mbyte MM3011 Memory Modules can be used in any combination, allowing the SmartCache to be configured with 0.5, 2.5, 4.5, 6.5, 8.5, 10.5, 12.5, 14.5, or 16 megabytes of cache memory. As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended that the system be configured with at least 1 Mbyte of cache for every four active users or tasks on the system.
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Drive 2
Drive 1
PM3011
MX3011
MM3011
Bay 1
MM3011
Bay 2
MM3011
0.5 MB
High Speed Cache Bus
(ribbon cable)
2 or 4 MB
2 or 4 MB4 MB 2 or 4 MB
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2.3 Advanced Caching Algorithms
Advanced caching features such as automatic disk read­ahead and elevator sorting during cache write-back increase disk performance to levels unobtainable by non­caching controllers. The controller's on-board 68000 microprocessor enables it to access the disk drive at the same time as the computer reads or writes to the controller cache. This simultaneous transfer of data between the computer, the cache, and the disk enables the system to maintain a very high level of performance, even when heavily loaded.
SmartCache controllers utilize a sector caching algorithm that assures maximum efficiency in heavily fragmented environments such as multi-user operating systems or networks. Most multi-user systems do not store disk data in large contiguous segments but instead break up disk files into many small fragments which are scattered all over the disk. In addition, the computer's time is also "sliced" into small fragments which are in turn allocated to each user. Because of this fragmentation of the disk space and computer time, the disk controller receives many requests to read and write data in widely scattered areas of the disk.
In order to contend with this disk fragmentation problem, the SmartCache controller maintains a sector cache which can simultaneously hold thousands of disk sectors from widely scattered areas of the disk. Each disk sector is stored in an individual cache page. Up to 32,000 disk sectors can be simultaneously cached in a fully loaded 16 megabyte controller. Yet only the sectors which are needed are cached, unlike track caching schemes which must always read or write entire tracks of data.
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Because of its powerful caching architecture and on-board 68000 microprocessor, the SmartCache controller accesses any cached data within one-half millisecond, regardless of the size of the cache. The design of some cache systems causes the cache search time and processor overhead to increase as the cache size increases. The SmartCache controller maintains the fast on-half millisecond access time regardless of the cache size.
2.4 Automatic Disk Read-Ahead
In addition to caching the sectors requested by the computer, the controller also caches sectors which have not yet been requested but which have a high likelihood of being requested in the near future. Since disk data is often grouped in "clumps" of sequential sectors on the disk, it is often beneficial to continue to read sequential sectors into cache following a sector that has recently been requested by the computer. After each read command, the controller quickly checks its cache to see if the next eight sequential disk sectors are present. If not, it continues to read ahead from the disk without missing a rotation until all eight sectors have been read into the cache. While this read­ahead operation is being performed, the computer does not have to wait for the data requested. As soon as the requested data has been read, the computer can start using it. Automatic read-ahead is then handled entirely by the controller, concurrent with other operations performed by the PC/AT.
The computer can also read or write other data to the cache without interfering with the read-ahead option. If the data that the computer requests is in cache, it is transferred between the PC/AT and SmartCache
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concurrently with the read-ahead operation.
If the computer wants to read data that is not in the cache, the controller immediately stops the read-ahead and services the new read operation. Automatic Read-Ahead never slows down the PC/AT since it is controlled independently by SmartCache's own 68000 processor over SmartCache's high speed cache bus in parallel with other system bus activity.
Disk read-ahead helps by pre-loading the cache with information which has a high likelihood of being requested by the computer in the near future. However, in order for disk read-ahead to be effective in a multi-user environment, it is necessary for the cache to store a large number of read-ahead sectors from many different areas of the disk. This is because multi-user and networking operating systems "time-slice" I/O requests from many different users or tasks. Data which has been cached by a read-ahead operation may not be accessed until many commands in the future when the same user or task has another chance to access the disk. This is why controllers or disk drives which store a small number of read-ahead segments may perform well on simple sequential benchmarks, but often do not provide real performance benefits in actual multi-user environments.
It is possible to adjust the number of sectors in disk read operations as well as monitor the number of cache hits which have occurred due to read-ahead. This is recommended only for OEMs who wish to fine tune the caching algorithms for maximum performance in a particular environment. For more information on this feature, contact DPT Customer Support.
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2.5 Ordered Write-Back
When using the SmartCache controller, disk write operations always result in a cache hit within one-half millisecond, which is 50 to 100 times faster than a write operation with a standard controller. The SmartCache controller then copies the cached data to disk in the background so the computer never waits for the disk write. In addition, data is written in order of increasing cylinder, head, and sector number, minimizing disk seeks and missed rotations, thereby speeding up the entire operation. This feature called Ordered Write-Back, eliminates much of the "head trashing" commonly associated with disk-intensive operations.
In effect, the controller acts as a sorting pipeline. Random sector writes come in from the computer, and sequential sector writes go out to the disk drive. Whenever the controller has not received a command from the computer for 250 milliseconds, it begins copying "dirty" pages to disk. (When data has been written into a cache page by the computer but has not yet been copied to the disk, the page is said to be "dirty".) Since the data is written back to disk in an ordered fashion, several seconds of controller idle time will normally result in all dirty pages being copied to disk, even through it may have taken much longer for the computer to write the data to the computer.
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The controller also writes bursts of ten ordered sectors back to disk whenever 50% ore more of the cache becomes dirty. These disk write operations occur concurrently with other cache read and write operations from the computer. As in disk read-ahead, the computer can also access other sectors in cache without interfering with the write-back operation. If the data that the computer requests is in cache, it is transferred to the PC/AT at the same time as the write-back operation is writing data to the disk. If the computer wants to write data, the this data can immediately be written to cache simultaneously with other data being written from the cache to disk.
It is possible to adjust the number of sectors written during disk write-back bursts, as well as the maximum percentage dirty limit. This is recommended only for OEMs who wish to fine tune the caching algorithms for maximum performance in a particular environment. For more information on this feature, contact DPT Customer Support.
2.6 Compatibility – Supports All Operating Systems
Since SmartCache controllers operate transparent to the operating system, special software drivers or ROM BIOS changes are not required. Operating systems such as 3COM 3+, 10NET, BOS, CCP/M, Concurrent DOS386, IGC VM386, Interactive Unix, Lifenet, Microport Unix, MS­DOS, MUMPS, Novell NetWare 286 and 386, OS/2, PC­Net, PC-MOS, Pick, Prologue, QNX, SCO Xenix and Unix, Theos, Thoroughbred, Venix, and Virtual Systems Quick Connect are all fully compatible with SmartCache controllers.
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2.7 Optimum Drive Geometry Emulation
ESDI and RLL disk drives gain an additional storage capacity because the are formatted with more sectors per track than the standard 17 sectors per track of an ST506 drive. However, some PC/AT compatible operating systems only support drives which are formatted with 17 sectors per track. SmartCache controllers are capable of automatically remapping the drive geometry so that ESDI and RLL drives appear to the system as standard 17 sector
-per-track drives.
In order to compensate for making an ESDI or RLL drive appear to have 17 sectors per track, the controller automatically increases the apparent number of heads and/or cylinders to yield the full drive capacity. During normal operation, operating systems requests for cylinder, head, and sector addresses within the limits that the OS supports are translated by the controller into the actual physical cylinder, head and sector addresses of the disk drive. As long as the operating system supports the increased number of heads and/or cylinders, the entire capacity of the drive can be utilized with the standard disk driver or BIOS. In fact, the SmartCache controller can emulate any drive geometry with up to 2048 cylinders, 64 heads, and 255 sectors per track.
When the DPTFMT disk format utility is run, the program analyzes the limitation of the operating system, ROM BIOS, and disk drive being used and instructs the controller to emulate the "best fit" drive geometry so that the maximum drive capacity can be utilized. The table in the section entitled Determining If a BE3011 Is Needed in the Hardware Installation chapter of this manual lists the maximum drive capacities of several popular operating systems
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2.8 Controller Activity LEDs
A 10-segment LED display on the controller provides a means to visually monitor the state of the controller. There are five different controller states which are indicated by the LED: Idle, Active, Self-Test, Fatal-Trap, and Power-Up.
2.8.1 LED Display During Controller Idle
When no commands are in progress and all disk activity has ceased, the controller enters the Idle State. This is indicated by a rotating bit pattern in LED segments 1 through 8.
2.8.2 LED Display During Controller Active
By viewing these LEDs the user can determine information concerning cache hits and misses, disk reads and writes, and PC/AT bus reads and writes. In addition several LEDs are provided for troubleshooting purposes
Table 2-1 LED Display During Controller Active
Segment Function 1 Busy
2 PC/AT Bus Transfer to Controller 3 PC/AT Bus Transfer from Controller 4 Cache Hit 5 Disk Read-Ahead Active 6 Disk Read 7 Disk Write 8 PC/AT Controller Reset 9 Controller Interrupt Pending to PC/AT 10 DRQ Asserted to PC/AT
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2.8.3 LED Display During Manual Self-Test
A push-button switch is provided on the controller to allow manually activated self-diagnostic tests. Momentarily pressing the switch when the controller is in an idle state will cause the controller to "arm" for self test. During this time, the controller will not respond to PC/AT commands and segment 1 through 8 of the LED display will flash five times per second. If the switch is pressed again within three seconds, the controller will execute a series of self­diagnostic routines. Results of the test are displayed on the 10-segment LED display. These routines continue to execute until the switch is pressed a third time. If no fatal errors were detected during self-diagnostics, the controller then re-enters the Idle State; otherwise a fatal trap state is entered. If the switch is not pressed within three seconds, the LED display will flash twenty times per second for three seconds. If the switch is pressed during this time, the controller will enter a diagnostics mode as detailed in the OEM manual. If the switch is not pressed, the controller will re-enter the idle loop.
Six self-test routines are executed by the controller during self-diagnostics. During the execution of each routine, the corresponding LED segment flashes intermittently. If an error is detected by any one of the self-test routines, the LED segment remains lit and the controller executes the next diagnostic routine. Once an LED segment is lit to indicate an error, the corresponding diagnostic routine is not executed again and the LED segment remains lit through the duration of the self-diagnostics. The controller continues to execute diagnostics in an endless loop until the self-test switch is pressed again.
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During self-diagnostics segments 1 through 10 of the LED have the following meaning:
Table 2-2 LED Display During Self-Test
Segment Function 1 Cache RAM Test
2 Sector Buffer Test 3 PC/AT I/O Register Test 4 Disk Protocol Controller Test 5 always off 6 Hardware Test (EPROM Checksum) 7 Disk Read/Write Test 8 always off 9 always off 10 always off
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2.8.4 LED Display During Fatal Trap State
If a fatal error is detected during the execution of controller diagnostic routines, the controller will enter the Fatal Trap State. Fatal errors are caused by controller or expansion RAM failure, or failure of other critical controller hardware. Disk drive ore PC/AT failure will not cause the controller to enter the Fatal Trap State. Fatal errors can be detected by Power-Up or Manual Self­Diagnostic tests.
In the Fatal Trap State, the controller alternately flashes LED segments 1 through 4 and segment 5 through 8, and will not allow the system to boot or respond to PC/AT commands. In this case, a manual self-test may be performed to determine the cause of failure. The Fatal Trap State is exited only by a PC/AT bus reset or by powering-down the PC/AT.
2.8.5 LED Display During Power-Up
During the power-up sequence, the 10-segment LED display on the controller displays the amount of expansion cache present in addition to the base 512k. The expansion cache size in megabytes is displayed as a binary pattern, with lit LEDs representing binary one. LED 1, the left most LED (see Appendix F), is the least significant binary bit. For example, if an additional 4MB of cache memory is installed, LED 3 will light. If 12MB of expansion cache are installed, LEDs 3 and 4 will light. If there are no cache expansion boards installed, then all the LEDs will go blank.
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CHAPTER III
Hardware Installation
3.1 Introduction
The procedure for installing the SmartCache controller is presented in two formats. First, a quick step-by-step installation summary, followed by a comprehensive installation guide.
3.2 Quick Installation Summary
1.Power-down the computer.
2.Remove any hard disk controller already present.
3.Connect all required SmartCache accessories to the controller.
4.Connect the floppy drive cable to connector J8. Pin one (indicated by a stripe or arrow) must be at the top edge of the controller.
5.Connect the 34-pin hard drive control cable to connector J5. All drive cables should be connected to the controller with pin 1 at the top edge of the controller. Pin 1 on the cable is indicated by a stripe or arrow.
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6.Connect the 20-pin drive data cable(s) to the SmartCache controller:
Connector J4 for the hard Drive 0, J3 for Drive 1, J2
for Drive 2 (PM3011/75 only) and J1 for Drive 3 (PM3011/75 only).
7.Connect the drive cables to the corresponding hard disk.
8.Install the SmartCache Controller in a sixteen-bit slot in the computer.
9.Proceed to the Drive Formatting chapter of this manual and continue with installation.
3.3 SmartCache Models
All SmartCache controllers are shipped from the factory with a floppy controller as standard equipment. The model numbers for the SmartCache controller differ according to the hard disk interface supported.
Table 3-1 SmartCache Controller Models
Model Interface PM3011/55 ST506 MFM
PM3011/65 ST506 RLL PM3011/75 ESDI
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3.4 SCSI Adapter Option
SmartCache controllers can be specially ordered from the factory with an optional SCSI adapter. The SCSI adapter is a SmartCache controller option which provides the hardware necessary to attach up to seven SCSI peripherals to the computer without using an additional computer bus slot.
Devices attached to the SmartCache SCSI adapter do not access the controller cache. Instead, all data is transferred directly to the PC bus. It is intended to be used with secondary storage devices such as SCSI tape, CD-ROMs and optical worm drives. The SmartCache SCSI adapter is not recommended for use with SCSI hard disk drives.
Device driver software is required for all SCSI peripherals connected to the SmartCache SCSI adapter. A Technical Reference Manual is available to developers and OEMs who wish to develop their own device drivers.
3.5 Floppy Controller
SmartCache's on-board floppy controller allows control of two 5¼ inch or 3½ inch, high or low-density floppy drives. SmartCache does not cache the floppy drives. The SmartCache floppy controller must be the only floppy controller operating in the computer. If there is another floppy controller either on the motherboard or in another slot, the SmartCache floppy controller must be disabled by changing its base address to the secondary location, or disabled by installing Jumper Y20 on the PM3011/75, or Y21 on the PM3011/55 and PM3011/65. SmartCache controllers can be specially ordered without floppy controller circuitry.
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3.6 Computer
The SmartCache controller operates in a sixteen-bit slot in any 80286 or 80386 AT-bus computer. All CPU clock speeds are supported. The controller's maximum bus transfer rate is 4MB/s.
3.7 Disk Drives
PM3011/55 MFM and PM3011/65 RLL controllers can control up to two ST506 disk drives. Any standard ST506 drive can be used with the PM3011/55 MFM controller.
Although most ST506 drives will also work with the PM3011/65 RLL controller, for best results, only ST506 drives which have been certified by the drive manufacturer for RLL recording should be used. This is because RLL recording requires 50% tighter tolerances than standard MFM recording for the data timing on the drive. Thus non-RLL-certified ST506 drives may cause an unacceptable number of media defects to be generated.
The PM3011/75 will control standard ESDI drives with data rates of up to 20MHz, and with capacities of up to 4GB per drive. Although up to four ESDI drives can be controlled by the PM3011/75 controller, most operating systems will only allow a maximum of two drives to be used without special software drivers. Four ESDI drives may be used with any operating system however, when the DM3011 Disk Mirroring Module has been installed and disk mirroring is enabled. In this case, the operating system will "see" two drives, but data for each drive will be mirrored onto a drive pair, thus providing disk fault­tolerance.
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3.8 SmartCache Accessories
There are several optional accessories available for SmartCache controllers. The installation of each accessory will be reviewed in this section. Optional equipment for the SmartCache controller includes:
BE3011 BIOS Table Expander Chip which plugs into the controller and allows certain operating systems to access disk drives with greater capacity than those in the standard BIOS. BE3011 chips are shipped as a standard accessory on all SmartCache controllers.
MX3011 Expansion Card or MM3011 Memory Modules to increase the cache size above the 512Kbytes that reside on the controller.
DM3011 Disk Mirroring Module which mirrors one or two pairs of drives together to create a disk fault-tolerance system.
The controller is automatically configured at power-up, hence there are no jumpers or switches when adding or removing an accessory. The only exception is when removing the BE3011 chip (reviewed in the section entitled BE3011 BIOS Table Expansion Chip later in this chapter) which requires Jumper Y7 to be removed.
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3.8.1 Cache Expansion
SmartCache controllers come with an integral 0.5 Mbytes of cache RAM. The SmartCache controller can be configured with a maximum of 16 Mbytes of cache by adding one MX3011 Expansion Card and up to three MM3011 memory modules. MM3011 Memory Modules come in both a 2 Mbyte and 4 Mbyte variety, both of which can be used interchangeably. (See the section entitled Cache Expansion Capability in the Theory of Operation chapter of this manual.)
One MM3011 Memory Module can plug directly onto the PM3011 SmartCache controller card, providing 2.5 Mbytes or 4.5 Mbytes of controller cache while not taking up any additional card slots. Appendix F contains drawings showing MM3011 connector locations on the SmartCache controller.
If more cache is required, an MX3011/4 four megabyte Expansion Card can be added. This card occupies the PC bus slot adjacent to the SmartCache controller. A two inch ribbon cable provides the connection between the controller and the Expansion Card. One or two additional MM3011 Memory Modules can also be added to the MX3011. These modules plug directly onto the MX3011 and do not take up any additional card slots.
There are many possible ways to configure the expansion cache since the 2 or 4 Mbyte MM3011 Memory Modules can generally be added to the PM3011 and MX3011 in any order. However, there are several unallowed configurations. Refer to the table of the following page for the various possible configurations for SmartCache expansion boards. The following section contains step-by­step instructions for adding Expansion Cards and Memory Modules.
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Table 3-2 Cache Size Configurations
MM3011 MM3011
MM3011 on MX3011 on MX3011
Total Cache on PM3011 MX3011 (Bay 1) (Bay 2) Allowed
0.5 MB none none none none yes
2.5 MB 2 MB none none none yes
4.5 MB none 4MB none none yes
4.5 MB 4 MB none none none yes
6.5 MB none 4 MB 2 MB none yes
6.5 MB none 4 MB none 2 MB yes
6.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB none none yes
8.5 MB none 4 MB 4 MB none yes
8.5 MB none 4 MB none 4 MB yes
8.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB 2 MB none yes
8.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB none 2 MB yes
8.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB none none yes
10.5 MB none 4 MB 2 MB 4 MB yes
10.5 MB none 4 MB 4 MB 2 MB yes
10.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB 2 MB 2 MB yes
10.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB 4 MB none yes
10.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB none 4 MB yes
10.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB 2 MB none yes
10.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB none 2 MB not allowed
12.5 MB none 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB yes
12.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB 2 MB 4 MB yes
12.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB 4 MB 2 MB yes
12.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB 2 MB 2 MB not allowed
12.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB none 4 MB not allowed
12.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB none yes
14.5 MB 2 MB 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB yes
14.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB 2 MB 4 MB not allowed
14.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB 2 MB not allowed
15.5 MB 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB 4 MB yes
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3.8.1.1 Adding a Memory Module to the PM3011
One MM3011/2 or MM3011/4 Memory Module can be added to the PM3011 SmartCache controller, increasing the on-board cache size to 2.5 or 4.5 megabytes. The MM3011 attaches to connectors J7 and J12 on the controller. All expansion memory is automatically sensed by the controller so no jumper settings or system setup changes are required.
3.8.1.2 Adding the MX3011 Expansion Card
One MX3011 Expansion Card can be used with the SmartCache controller. This card must occupy the adjacent PC bus slot and connects to the controller via a 60-conductor, two inch ribbon cable. To install the MX3011, follow the following instructions:
1.Place the MX3011 in a slot adjacent to the controller. An 8 or 16-bit slot may be used.
2. Connect the MX3011 to the controller with the cable provided with the MX3011. The cable runs from J1 on the MX3011 to J9 on the controller. The memory is now installed and ready to function.
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3.8.1.3 Adding Memory Modules to the MX3011
One or two MM3011/2 or MM3011/4 Memory Modules can be added to the MX3011/4 Expansion Card, increasing the expansion cache on-board the MX3011 to 6, 8, 10, or 12 megabytes. All expansion memory is automatically sensed by the controller so no jumper settings or system setup changes are required.
1.The first MM3011 added should be attached to Bay 1 (connectors J4 and J5 on the MX3011/4.
2.If a second MM3011 is installed it should be attached to Bay 2 (connectors J2 and J3) on the MX3011/4.
NOTE: The MX3011/2 is a two Mbyte half-populated Expansion Card which has been discontinued. Although it does not provide the two bays for plugging in MM3011 modules, it can still be used along with the one MM3011 which plugs directly into the PM3011 controller. For information regarding upgrading MX3011/2 cards to MX3011/4 cards, contact DPT Customer Support.
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3.8.1.4 Cache Expansion Size Tests
There are three methods to confirm that the expansion cache has been properly installed and is being recognized by the controller:
1. BIOS Table Expander Diagnostics (BE3011) – If a BIOS Table Expander chip is installed on the SmartCache controller, the amount of cache installed will be displayed on the screen during the power-up self-test sequence.
2. DPT Format Utility (DPTFMT) – The DPT Format Utility reports the amount of cache memory present each time the program is run. Cache size is displayed on the initial screen at the top left corner.
3. LED display – During the power-up sequence for a brief moment, the 10-segment LED display on the controller displays the amount of expansion cache present in addition to the base 512KB. (See the section entitled LED Display During Power-Up in the Theory of Operation chapter of this manual.)
The MX3011 Expansion Card and MM3011 Memory Module are sensed by the SmartCache controller in two independent ways. First of all, the controller senses a special configuration signal which indicates which boards are present. Then the controller tests the cache RAM on each board to assure that it is fully functional. If this test is not passed, the controller will enter the Fatal Trap State, flash the 10-segment LED (see the section entitled LED Display During Power-Up in the Theory of Operation chapter of this manual.), and will not allow the system to boot.
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3.8.2 Using High Capacity Disk Drives
Many operating systems such as DOS and Novell will only access a disk drive if there is a corresponding entry for that particular drive type in the system BIOS.
When using the SmartCache controller, the actual number of cylinders, heads, and sectors on the disk drive does not have to exactly match any of the drive types listed in the BIOS drive table. The DPTFMT format utility automatically examines the BIOS drive table and selects the "best fit" BIOS drive type which matches the total capacity of the drive being installed as closely as possible. It then tells the SmartCache controller to emulate a drive with the same number of heads, tracks, and sectors as that drive type. As long as the total capacity of the drive is the same or greater than the selected BIOS drive type, the drive can be used.
However, many BIOS tables do not include any entries with capacities sufficient for the new high-capacity drives. Therefore, a considerable amount of disk space will be inaccessible to the operating system.
For example, suppose you wanted to install a 380MB ESDI drive under DOS, which requires use of the system BIOS, but the largest BIOS drive type was 1024 cylinder, 15 heads, and 17 sectors, resulting in a capacity of 134MB. The operating system would only be able to access the first 134MB of the disk, and the remaining 246MB would be wasted.
Presently, there are two methods of correcting this condition of lost capacity:
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1. Using a user-definable BIOS type.
2. Using a BE3011 BIOS Table Expander Chip.
3.8.2.1 User-Definable BIOS Types
Some PCs have BIOSs which include a user-definable BIOS type which allows the user to create a BIOS type with any parameters desired. This user-definable BIOS type should allow the operating system to access the entire disk drive. Instructions for utilizing user-definable BIOS types are noted in the Drive Formatting chapter of this manual.
3.8.2.2 BE3011 BIOS Table Expander Chip
BE3011 BIOS Table Expander chips are shipped as standard configuration on all SmartCache controllers.
If your computer's BIOS does not have a user-definable BIOS type or a drive type with a large enough capacity for your drive, a BE3011 BIOS Table Expander chip will be required in order to access the drive's full capacity.
The BE3011 BIOS Table Expander chip provides additional high capacity drive types for the computer's ROM BIOS table. The BE3011 chip plugs directly in the C800H ROM socket on the PM3011 SmartCache controller. The BE3011 chip has over 300 drive types ranging from 60MB to 1200MB, beginning at type 48, following the possible 47 drive types supplied by the standard BIOS. With the BE3011, the computer's BIOS can support capacities up to the maximum capacity limits of any operating system.
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3.8.2.3 Determining If a BE3011 Is Needed
Some operating systems use the computer's BIOS drive type table and some do not. The following table lists various OSs, along with the maximum number of heads, tracks, sectors per track, and resultant drive capacity supported by that OS. If the OS uses the BIOS drive table then a BE3011 may be needed in order to support high­capacity drives. The BE3011 will allow the computer's BIOS to support up to, but not exceed, the maximum drive capacity for that OS as listed in the table below.
Table 3-3 Operating System Maximum Drive Capacity
Uses BIOS
Operating System Cyls Heads Secs Capacity
Table
Interactive 386/ix 2048 16 63 1057 MB
YES MS/PC DOS 1024 16 63 528 MB YES Novell 2.1 2048 16 63 1057 MB YES OS/2 1024 16 63 528 MB YES PCMOS 1024 16 63 528 MB YES Pick 2.2 1024 64 63 2114 MB YES Microport Unix 2048 16 63 1057 MB NO QNX 2048 16 63 1057 MB NO Theos 2048 16 255 4228 MB NO Xenix 2048 16 63 1057 MB NO
Novell 2.0 1024 16 17 142 MB
*
* Novell 2.0 will not operate with the BE3011. The DUB-14 from Golden Bow Systems is recommended
and like the BE3011, will socket directly onto the PM3011 controller.
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NOTE: Operating systems which are DOS overlays have the same physical disk parameter limitations as DOS. These include any operating system which is executed from the DOS prompt. Examples of DOS overlay operating systems include Alloy NTNX, Concurrent DOS386, Network OS, PC-MOS, PC-NET, and VM386
3.8.2.4 BE3011 Chip Installation
Typically, the operating system must be reinstalled if a BE3011 is added to an existing system.
NOTE: ALL DATA ON THE DISK WILL BE LOST AND SHOULD BE BACKED-UP BEFORE INSTALLATION OF THE BE3011.
1. Insert the BE3011 in the empty EPROM socket (denoted as 8K boot prom) on the controller with the notch facing to the left, the same direction as all the other chips. Refer to the assembly drawing in Appendix F for details.
2. Enable the BE3011 by installing Jumper Y7 on the PM3011 controller.
3. The following message appears at boot-up, indicating that the BE3011 is present:
BIOS Table Expander Vxxxxx Distributed Processing Technology (c) Copyright 1988, 1989, 1990
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As the system boots, one of the following messages will appear:
A. BTE Version Change, Call Customer Support.
B. BE3011 Detected! Finish Installation:
(1) Backup disk data if installed. (2) Run DPTFMT and Calculate Drive Parameters. (3) Reinstall data.
If the BE3011 is being added to an existing system with an operating system already installed then proceed with step 4 below. Otherwise go on to the Drive Formatting chapter of this manual.
4. Load DPTFMT.
5. Select the correct drive make and model. Do not reenter defects if the drive has previously been formatted.
6. Select "Option 3 – Calculate Best Drive Parameters". Do not reformat the disk if it has previously been formatted.
7. The optimum drive type will automatically be selected from the list in the BE3011 chip. DPTFMT will automatically select and set the drive type in CMOS. The type selected will usually be 1. Do not change it.
8. The final step is to reinstall your operating system.
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3.8.3 Disk Mirroring Module
The DM3011 Disk Mirroring Module, when installed on the SmartCache controller, will mirror one or two pairs of drives together to create a redundant, disk fault-tolerant system. Please refer to the SmartCache Mirroring Users Manual for installation instructions.
3.9 Jumpers
The SmartCache controller is shipped from the factory with all jumpers in default position and should not need to be changed. Refer to Appendix C for the default jumper positions.
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3.10 Cabling
All drive cabling with the SmartCache controller is the same as with a standard disk controller.
3.10.1 Control Cable (34-pin)
Attach the 34-pin control cable to Connector J5 on the SmartCache controller. Drive 0, the first logical drive, should be attached to the last connector (end of the cable) on the control cable.
3.10.2 Data Cable (20-pin)
The disk drive data cables must be connected as specified below. Refer to the illustration in Appendix F for connector locations.
Table 3-4 Data Cable Connectors
Drive SmartCache Connector
0 J4 1 J3 2 J2 (PM3011/75 only) 3 J1 (PM3011/75 only)
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3.11 Drive Select Numbering
All disk drive have jumpers or switches which allow the drive select number to be programmed for the drive. The drive numbering to be used is dependent upon the type of control cable used and the number of drives installed in the system. Drive numbering options are described below.
3.11.1 ESDI vs ST506
Confusion often results due to the differences in the drive numbering schemes found on ST506 disk drives (both MFM and RLL) and ESDI disk drives. This differences are inherent in the drive interfaces, not the disk controller. The ST506 interface is capable of supporting four drives, numbered 0 through 3 – the first drive being drive 0. The ESDI interface is capable of supporting seven drives, numbered 1 to 7 – the first drive being drive 1. In the following cabling descriptions, the drives are simply referred to as "first" and "second".
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3.11.2 Straight vs Twisted Control Cable
1. Straight control cable with no twists:
Drive 0 (C:) should be attached to the last connector on the end of the control cable, and the drive select should be set to the "first" drive (as described above).
Drive 1 (D:) should be attached to the middle connector on the control cable and the drive select should be set to the "second" drive.
2. Control cable with twisted end:
Drive 0 (C:) should be attached to the last connector on the end of the control cable, and the drive select should be set to the "second" drive.
Drive 1 (D:) should be attached to the middle connector on the control cable and the drive select should also be set to the "second" drive.
3.12 Drive Termination
Drive Termination is typically accomplished with a socketed terminating resistor on the disk drive. The drive attached to the last connector on the control cable must have a terminating resistor installed. All other drives installed should have the terminating resistor removed. Refer to the disk drive manual for a complete description of drive termination.
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CHAPTER IV
Drive Formatting
4.1 DPT Format Utility Introduction
Once the SmartCache controller and drive have been installed, it is necessary to perform a low-level format using the DPT Format Utility (DPTFMT). This utility program can be found on the SmartCache Utilities diskette provided with the controller.. The program runs under MS/PC DOS and is loaded by typing "DPTFMT" at the DOS prompt. Formatting the disk drives using DPTFMT is mandatory with SmartCache model PM3011/75. It is highly recommended, but not required, for models PM3011/55 and /65. In addition to providing a disk format optimized for highest performance, DPTFMT allows the SmartCache controller to provide a number of advanced disk management features not previously available on PCs. These are described briefly in the following pages:
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1 Defect Management – The SmartCache
controller handles all media defects automatically. It remaps data around the defects so the computer and operating system always "see" a defect free disk. Defects are remapped on a block­by-block basis, rather than remapping an entire track, ensuring that valuable disk space is not wasted.
ESDI disk drive manufacturers store a list of media defects on the disk itself. As part of the format process, the controller automatically reads this list, eliminating the need to type them in manually, saving time and reducing errors. Only ESDI drives have the media defect list stored on the disk. The defects for ST506 (MFM and RLL) drives must be input manually from the list supplied by the drive manufacturer.
2. Media Certification – After the low-level format has been performed, the controller will write and read several worst-case data patterns onto every sector on the disk. Any additional defects detected will be automatically remapped by the controller. The "Format with Certify" option of the DPT format utility is highly recommended for all installations.
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3. Automatic Sensing and Remapping of "Grown" Media Defects – Disk drives will often develop additional media defects during normal operation. The SmartCache controller senses these grown defects and remaps them to spare sectors on-the-fly. This means that any defects detected in the future will be automatically repaired and added to the defect list.
4. Best Fit Drive Emulation – The SmartCache controller has the ability to change the apparent number of cylinders, heads, and sectors per track on the disk drive, in order to emulate a disk geometry which provides the optimum capacity for the particular operating system and ROM BIOS being used. The DPTFMT format utility automatically examines the BIOS drive table and calculates the "Best Configuration" drive geometry for the operating system. It then tells the SmartCache controller to emulate a drive with that geometry.
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4.2 Drive Formatting – Quick Summary
This section provides a quick, step-by-step summary, and a comprehensive formatting guide.
1. Boot-up the computer under PC/MS DOS.
2. Place the DPT Utilities diskette in Drive A: or B:.
3. Type "DPTFMT" and press Enter.
4. Note the information displayed and press Enter.
5. Enter the drive number to be formatted and press Enter. If no drive type is set in CMOS, it will be set to type 1. Do not change it. The system will then automatically reboot and the formatting procedure must be restarted from step 1.
6. Insure that the correct drive make and model are selected and press Enter. In the case of ESDI drives, DPTFMT automatically identifies the drive manufacturer and model and highlights that selection (only EDSI drives can report this information). If enough information is supplied to guarantee automatic drive selection, this window will be skipped.
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7. If a PM3011/75 (ESDI) controller is being used, answer "No" to the prompt: "Do you want to enter additional defects?" These defects will be read from the disk automatically. If a PM3011/55 or /65 (ST506 MFM or RLL) is being used, answer "Yes". In this case you must enter all media defects from the list provided with the disk drive.
8. Select formatting "Option 2 – Format and Certify".
9. Press Enter when the format is complete.
10 Select the operating system to be installed on the
disk from the list provided.
11. Note the BIOS drive type selected by DPTFMT and record the information. DPTFMT automatically selects the "best fit" BIOS drive type which provides the most capacity.
12. If DPTFMT displays "Best Configuration" information, write it down and follow the instructions provided.
13. Prepare the computer to boot up the operating system to be installed and press Enter to reboot. If another drive is to be formatted press F5 to return to Step 5.
14. Go on to the Operating System Installation chapter of this manual and proceed with the operating system installation.
4.3 Comprehensive Drive Formatting Instructions
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Formatting and certifying a disk with DPTFMT is an extensive test of both the SmartCache controller and the disk drive.
4.3.1 Getting Started
DPTFMT will run under all versions of PC/MS DOS on high or low-density floppy drives.
1. Boot-up your computer with any version of PC/MS DOS. If the drive has not been previously formatted with the SmartCache controller, a drive error may be reported during boot-up. This is normal.
2. Place the DPT Utilities diskette in drive A: or B:.
3. Type "DPTFMT" and press Enter.
4.3.2 Special Keys
Esc displays the previous screen each time it is pressed
and will exit the DPTFMT program if pressed enough times. This allows you to use DPTFMT to obtain information about the system, such as the cache size, best drive configuration, etc., without actually formatting the drive.
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4.3.3 Initial Screen
[Section is missing.]
4.3.4 Drive Number
[Section is missing.]
4.3.5 Selecting The Drive
[Section is missing.]
4.3.6 Entering Defects
[Section is missing.]
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4.3.6.1 Entering Defects for ESDI Drives
[Section is missing.]
4.3.6.2 Entering Defects for ST506 Drives
[Section is missing.]
4.3.6.3 Entering Drive Defects Manually
[Section is missing.]
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4.3.6.4 Retrieving a Defect List Already Entered
[Section is missing.]
4.3.6.5 Entering a New Defect List
[Section is missing.]
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4.3.7 Formatting The Disk
[Section is missing.]
4.3.8 Setting The BIOS Type
[Section is missing.]
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4.3.8.1 Best Drive Configurations
[Section is missing.]
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4.3.8.2 User-Definable BIOS Option
[Section is missing.]
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[Section is missing.]
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4.3.9 Calculating Drive Parameters
[Section is missing.]
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4.3.10 DPTFMT /CUSTOM
[Section is missing.]
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CHAPTER V
Operating System Installation
[Section is missing.]
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5.1 PC/MS DOS
[Section is missing.]
5.1.1 BIOS Requirements
[Section is missing.]
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5.1.2 DOS Disk Capacity Limitations
DOS supports disk drives with a maximum of 1024 cylinders, 16 heads, and 63 sectors per track for a capacity of 528 megabytes per disk. This means that DOS cannot utilize the full capacity of a disk with more than 528 megabytes, including disks on which DOS is co­resident with another operating system, unless special software utilities are used. Software is available from companies such as Ontrack, which increases the maximum drive capacity supported by DOS to over one gigabyte. (A BE3011 BIOS Table Expander chip may also be needed when using high capacity drives with DOS, since quite often, high-capacity drive types are not listed in the BIOS drive tables.)
For example, Xenix supports drives with a maximum of 2048 cylinders, 16 heads, and 63 sectors per track for a capacity of 1057 megabytes. A 670 megabyte drive with both a DOS partition and a Xenix partition will only be able to access 528 megabytes, wasting 142 megabytes. With partitioning software from Ontrack and a BE3011 installed on the SmartCache controller, the entire drive can be used.
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5.1.3 DOS Disk Partitioning
By default, DOS will create partitions of up to 32 megabytes. If a larger partition is required the following options are available:
A. Newer releases of DOS, including DOS 4.0, have a
revised FDISK program which generates one partition of up to 528 megabytes.
B. Several software companies market packages
which break the 32 megabyte boundary. Disk Manager from Ontrack and VFeature Deluxe from Golden Bow have been tested and approved by DPT.
The Limitations of DOS described above are inherent to DOS and are not a result of using the SmartCache controller. The SmartCache controller can emulate drive geometries with up to 2048 cylinders, 16 heads and 255 sectors per track, for maximum capacity of 4.27 gigabytes per drive.
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5.1.4 Accessing Over 528MB with DOS
The Disk Manager software utility version 4.0 and later from Ontrack when combined with the BE3011 BIOS Table Expander chip from DPT can be used to access over 528MB per disk under DOS. Follow the steps below when using Disk Manager to exceed the 528MB DOS limitation.
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select Novell 2.1 from the list of operating systems provided. (The Novell 2.1 option does not limit you to 528MB.) DPTFMT will automatically select a BIOS type from the BE3011 which will provide access to the full capacity of the disk drive.
3. Press Enter to accept the BIOS type selected.
4. Press Enter once again to reboot the system and insert the DOS Boot diskette.
5. Insert the Disk Manager Utility diskette and run SWBIOS. This is the software driver provided by Ontrack to handle cylinders over 1024 and capacity over 528MB.
6. Run DM on the Disk Manager disk. This option will provide four partition configurations. If the provided partition configurations are not satisfactory, then run DM/M (manual mode). This will allow custom design of the partition table.
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7. Disk Manager will display the number of disk drives detected. Insure this information is correct and press Y to continue.
8. Disk Manager will offer a list of drives to select. Press Esc for Standard Drive. (Do not select the drive from the list provided by DM.)
9. Answer N to the question: "Do you wish to initialize this drive?"
10. Select the desired Partitions option.
NOTE: Disk Manager will increase the minimum Cluster size to 32KB so even the smallest files will occupy a minimum of 32KB of disk space. In systems with many small files, a large amount of disk capacity may be wasted.
Disk Manager automatically increases the DOS buffer size to approximately 12KB so a statement of BUFFERS=10 will take 120KB of system RAM. In order to conserve system RAM, it is recommended that the number of buffers be reduced.
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5.1.5 Installing DOS Step-By-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select "DOS" from the list of operating systems.
3. Boot-up under DOS.
4. Run FDISK or other partitioning software to create your partitions.
5. Format your disk with DOS.
5.1.6 DOS Buffers
With a SmartCache controller installed, do not include a BUFFERS statement in the CONFIG.SYS file unless specifically required by the application being used. Unnecessarily assigning buffers can degrade system performance.
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5.2 SCO Unix and Xenix
Installing SCO Unix or Xenix with a SmartCache controller is simple and straightforward. Review the BIOS Requirements section below and then follow the steps listed.
5.2.1 BIOS Requirements
Disk I/O for SCO Unix or Xenix is not dependent on the system BIOS and therefore is not limited to using only the drive types listed in the BIOS drive table. The exception to this is a system in which DOS and SCO Unix or Xenix are co-resident.
5.2.2 Software Cache – I/O Buffers
When configuring a SCO Unix or Xenix system with a SmartCache controller, the software cache, or I/O buffers, should be set to use approximately 10% of the system RAM. Increasing the I/O buffers to use more system RAM or eliminating them completely will reduce system performance. (See the section entitled Optimum Cache Size later in this chapter.)
5.2.3 Installing SCO Xenix Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select "SCO Unix/Xenix" from the list of operating systems.
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3. DPTFMT will report the "Best Configuration" parameters for the drive/operating system combination. Write these down because they will be needed later during the operating system installation.
4. DPTFMT reboots the computer. Place the Xenix N1 Boot Diskette in Drive A.
5. Xenix will warn: "During installation you may choose to overwrite all or part of the present contents of your disk" and ask if you which to continue. Answer "Yes" and Xenix will display the current CMOS drive parameters.
6. Select "Option 2 – Modify Disk Parameters" and enter the Best Configuration information from step 3 above.
7. Select the desired partitioning option.
8. Do not enter any defects when prompted to do so by Xenix. All defect management is handled by the controller.
9. Do not perform a Xenix Scan of the disk. If the "Format and Certify" option was selected during the DPTFMT low-level format, all bad blocks will have already been remapped by the controller.
10. Continue with the standard SCO Xenix installation procedure.
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5.2.4 Installing SCO Xenix GT Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select "SCO Unix/Xenix" from the list of operating systems.
3. DPTFMT will report the "Best Configuration" parameters for the drive/operating system combination. Write these down because they will be needed later during the operating system installation.
4. DPTFMT reboots the computer. Place the Xenix GT N1 Boot Diskette in Drive A.
5. Xenix GT will prompt with the question "What type of disk controller will be supporting this disk" and offer three options. Since the DPT controller emulates the WD1003 ST506 controller, choose "Option 1 – ST506 (Standard Disk Support)".
6. Xenix GT will warn: "During installation you may choose to overwrite all or part of the present contents of your disk" and ask if you which to continue. Answer "Yes" and Xenix GT will display the current CMOS drive parameters.
7. Select "Option 2 – Modify Disk Parameters" and enter the Best Configuration information from step 3 above.
8. Select the desired partitioning option.
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9. Do not enter any defects when prompted to do so by Xenix GT. All defect management is handled by the controller.
9. Do not perform a Xenix GT Scan of the disk. If the "Format and Certify" option was selected during the DPTFMT low-level format, all bad blocks will have already been remapped by the controller.
10. Continue with the standard Xenix GT installation procedure.
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5.2.5 Installing SCO Unix Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select "SCO Unix/Xenix" from the list of operating systems.
3. DPTFMT will report the "Best Configuration" parameters for the drive/operating system combination. Write these down because they will be needed later during the operating system installation.
4. DPTFMT reboots the computer. Place the Unix N1 Boot Diskette in Drive A. At the Unix "Boot:" prompt press Enter and the system will proceed until prompting for the N2 File System Diskette.
5. Insert the N2 File System diskette and press Enter.
6. Unix will provide Disk Initialization Information and offer three options for system initialization.
7. Select "Option 1 – Fully Configurable Instal­lation".
8. Unix will warn: "During installation you may choose to overwrite all or part of the present contents of your disk" and ask if you which to continue. Answer "Yes" and Unix will display the current CMOS drive parameters.
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9. Select "Option 2 – Modify Disk Parameters" and enter the Best Configuration information from step 3 above.
10. Select the desired partitioning option.
11. Do not enter any defects when prompted to do so by Unix. All defect management is handled by the controller.
12. Do not perform a Unix Scan of the disk. If the "Format and Certify" option was selected during the DPTFMT low-level format, all bad blocks will have already been remapped by the controller.
13. Continue with the standard SCO Unix installation procedure.
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5.3 DOS and SCO Unix/Xenix Co-resident
When installing DOS and SCO Unix or Xenix on the same disk drive, the maximum disk drive capacity of DOS is the limiting factor. A maximum of 528MB of Disk capacity may be used regardless of the actual physical disk capacity.
Refer to the table in the section entitled Determining If a BE3011 Is Needed in the Hardware Installation chapter of this manual, which lists the maximum drive capacity for several operating systems and specifies which operating system/drive combinations typically require a BE3011.
As a general rule, DOS and DOS-compatible operating systems require the BE3011 when using high-capacity drives.
5.3.1 Installing DOS and Unix/Xenix Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select "DOS" from the list of operating systems.
3. Boot-up under DOS.
4. Run FDISK or other partitioning software to create your partitions.
5. Format your disk with DOS.
6. Boot-up under Unix/Xenix.
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7. Do not select Modify Disk Parameters. Accept the CMOS parameters and proceed to step 8.
8. Create the Unix/Xenix partition and make it active.
9. Do not enter any defects when prompted to do so by Unix/Xenix. All defect management is handled by the controller.
10. Do not perform a Unix/Xenix Scan of the disk. If the "Format and Certify" option was selected during the DPTFMT low-level format, all bad blocks will have already been remapped by the controller.
11. Continue with the standard SCO Unix/Xenix installation procedure.
5.3.2 Booting Unix/Xenix or DOS
With the SCO Unix or Xenix partition active, you have the option of booting Unix/Xenix or DOS. When the "BOOT" prompt appears during boot-up:
1. Press Enter to continue to boot Unix/Xenix
2. Type "DOS" and press Enter to boot DOS.
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5.4 Novell NetWare 286 and 386
Before installing Novell NetWare 286 or 386, review the following information and determine if any additional hardware or software will be required to complete the installation. All of the information in this section refers to Novell NetWare 386 and NetWare version 2.1 and later.
5.4.1 BIOS Requirements
Novell NetWare is limited to the drive capacities supported by the system BIOS. If the disk drive being used is not supported in the standard drive types provided with the computer, a BE3011 is probably required. Refer to the table in the section Determining If a BE3011 Is Needed in the Hardware Installation chapter of this manual, which lists the maximum drive capacity for several operating systems and specifies which operating system/drive combinations typically require a BE3011.
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5.4.2 Differences Between Novell 2.0 and 2.1
The only significant difference in the installation of Novell NetWare 2.0 and 2.1 is the maximum number of cylinders, heads, and sectors per track supported. Refer to the table in the section Determining If a BE3011 Is Needed in the Hardware Installation chapter of this manual for details.
The BE3011 is compatible with Novell NetWare version
2.1 or higher. It is not compatible with NetWare version
2.0. The DUB14 from Golden Bow Systems is recommended for NetWare 2.0 installation requiring a BIOS table extension.
5.4.3 Novell Software Cache
Novell software can be divided into two categories: Directory Cache and File Cache. The directory cache must be left enabled. DPT recommends that the Novell file cache be set to the minimum possible value. Since Novell
2.1 automatically allocates all available system memory for file caching, the easiest way to limit the amount used is to lower the total amount of system memory. Two megabytes is normally recommended. Some additional system memory may be required, depending on the system configuration.
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5.4.4 Installing NetWare 286 Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select the version of Novell NetWare to be installed from the list of operating system options.
3. Boot-up under DOS.
4. Begin the Novell NetWare installation procedure.
5. Select "No" in response to the Novell drive formatting option.
6. Select a 0 Pass Compsurf with the I/Os set to 100 (this is only true for version 2.1). Since the controller has already performed a thorough media certification during the DPTFMT low-level format, only a zero-pass Compsurf is needed.
7. Continue with a standard Novell NetWare 286 installation.
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5.4.5 Configuration and Installation of NetWare 386
Please review the section on BIOS requirements regarding Novell NetWare in the preceding section. Novell is limited to the drive capacities supported by the system BIOS and a BE3011 may be required.
NetWare 386 can reside co-resident on a disk drive with MS/PC DOS. Therefore, if a MS/PC DOS partition is desired, pay special attention to instructions regarding drives over 528mb in the section on MS/PC DOS installation in this chapter. Many NetWare installations include drives over 528mb and even if the DOS partition will be less than 528mb, the DOS portion of the drive will have to be partitioned with special software like Disk Manager from Ontrack.
5.4.6 Installing NetWare 386 Step-by-Step
1. Boot the machine with MS/PC DOS from the floppy.
2. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
3. Select "NetWare 386 3.x" from the list of operating systems offered. DPTFMT will reboot the system.
4. Boot the machine with MS/PC DOS from the floppy.
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5. If an MS/PC DOS partition is desired, create and format the DOS partition as described in the MS/PC DOS installation section in this chapter. If no DOS partition will be on the drive, insert the NetWare System Diskette 1 in Drive A: and proceed to Step 6.
6. Create a NetWare sub-directory and copy the contents of System Diskette 1 and System Diskette 2 into that sub-directory.
7. Run SERVER.EXE.
8. From the ":" prompt, type "LOAD ISADISK".
9. NetWare will prompt for the I/O address of the controller and offer 1F0H by default. Press Enter and accept this default.
10. NetWare will prompt for the Interrupt Number of the controller and offer 0EH (14) by default. Press Enter and accept this default.
11. From the ":" prompt, type "LOAD INSTALL".
12. Select "Disk Options".
13. Select "Partition Tables".
14. Select the drive(s) from the list that are to have a NetWare 386 partition.
15. Select "Create NetWare Partition".
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16. Repeat Steps 13 and 14 as necessary for all drives that are to have a NetWare 386 partition.
17. Return to the Main Menu and select "Volume Options".
18. Create the NetWare Volumes as necessary.
19. After the desired Volumes are created, use the Ctrl Esc key to get to the System Console (":" prompt) and type "MOUNT ALL".
20. Load any other necessary files from the ":" prompt (BTRIEVE, Network Interface Cards, BINDing the IPX, etc.).
21. Use the Ctrl Esc key sequence to get to the Install Screen and proceed to System Options to copy the desired NetWare 386 files to the server.
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5.5 Interactive Unix
Interactive Unix may be easily installed with the SmartCache controller. Review the BIOS Requirements section below and follow the installation steps.
5.5.1 BIOS Requirements
Interactive Unix can take full advantage of most disk drives available when combined with a SmartCache controller and a BE3011. A BE3011 should be installed if the disk drive being used is not directly supported by the computer's BIOS table. Interactive Unix requires that heads and sectors match the BIOS table entry being used exactly. It does not require that the cylinders match the cylinders of BIOS table entry being used and DPTFMT will automatically supply a new value if it is required to get full disk capacity.
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5.5.2 Installing Interactive Unix Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select the correct version of Interactive Unix from the list provided.
3. DPTFMT will report the "Best Configuration" parameters for the drive/operating system combination. The cylinders of the Best Configuration may be different than the actual BIOS entry. The heads and sectors will match those of the BIOS entry exactly. Write down the Best Configuration parameters.
4. When DPTFMT reboots the computer, place the Unix Boot Diskette in Drive A.
5. Press Enter to begin the Unix installation.
6. Interactive Unix will display the disk parameters and ask if they are correct. If the disk parameters displayed are different than the Best Configuration, answer N and enter the Best Configuration. Otherwise enter Y and continue.
7. Interactive Unix will ask if the drive should be formatted. Do not format the drive.
8. Interactive Unix will ask what interleave factor the drive was originally formatted at and offer 0 as the default answer. Enter 0.
9. Continue with the standard Interactive Unix installation procedure.
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5.6 Pick Installation
Installing Pick with the PM2001 controller requires no special steps. Review the BIOS Requirements section below and follow the installation steps.
5.6.1 BIOS Requirements
If the disk drive being used is not listed in the standard BIOS table, a BE3011 will be required. Installing the SmartCache controller with a BE3011 will allow access to the disk drive's full capacity within the limits of Pick.
5.6.2 Installing Pick Step-by-Step
1. Format and Certify the disk using DPTFMT as described in the previous chapter.
2. Select the version of Pick from the list provided.
3. DPTFMT will reboot the computer
4. Place the Pick System Diskette 1 in Drive A: and proceed with the standard Pick installation procedure.
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5.7 Optimum Cache Size
A common question asked is, "How much cache is required?" While there is no exact formula for determining the amount of cache required to get maximum performance, there are some guidelines to follow which should make the task easier.
5.7.1 Determining Hardware Cache Size
There are two key factors to take into account when determining what amount of cache is needed for optimum performance. First, the number of active users at a given time, and second, the size of the common data set.
The common data set is the programs and data files being accessed at one time, either by a single user or shared by more than one user. Any programs or data which are shared by more than one user should be counted only once when calculating the amount of cache needed. Through testing, DPT has generated a list of minimum cache requirements as well as suggestions for expanding cache.
If a system has a small number of users (less than eight) but the data set per user is above average (over 256K), add more cache. If a system has a large number of users who use a less than average file size, less cache is needed.
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The Table below shows the number of users, terminals, network nodes, or tasks that could typically be supported under each operating system with a given hardware cache size. As an example, under OS/2 one or two simultaneous tasks would typically experience performance improvement with 512 Kbytes of cache, while under Pick up to four users could be supported. Sixteen users would typically require at least 4.5 Mbytes of cache. Adding more cache to the system will often result in even greater performance. Unlike software caches, adding more hardware cache will never decrease performance when using a SmartCache controller.
Table 5-1 Recommended Cache Size Versus Users
Operating System 512KB 4.5MB 8.5MB
12.5MB
OS/2 1-2 3-18 19-34 35-50
PCMOS 1-2 3-18 19-34 35-50
Novell 2.1
*
1-18 19-34 35-50
Pick 2.2 1-4 5-18 19-34 35-50
Interactive Unix
*
1-18 19-34 35-50
Xenix
*
1-18 19-34 35-50
Microport Unix
*
1-18 19-34 35-50
QNX 1-4 5-18 19-34 35-50
Theos 1-4 5-18 19-34 35-50
Prologue 1-2 3-18 19-34 35-50
* This cache size is not recommended for the listed OS.
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5.7.2 Operating System Software Cache
Many operating systems offer a software cache as an option during installation. The question of how much software cache to enable is commonly asked. There are a number of issues to consider when allocating system RAM for I/O buffers or software cache. If too much system RAM is allocated to software cache or I/O buffers, not enough system RAM will be left open to hold the operating system code and application programs. This will cause the computer to have to swap or page the programs and OS code back and forth from the disk, and the total system performance will degrade. As a rule of thumb, in multiuser environments, it is best to limit the operating system's software cache or I/O buffers to no more than 10% of the total system RAM.
Large software caches can degrade system performance for a variety of reasons. However, completely disable some operating system's caches also degrades performance. Please see the section on your particular operating system for more information on operating system software cache.
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CHAPTER VI
Troubleshooting Guide
6.1 Introduction
This Troubleshooting Guide provides answers to many commonly asked questions. If a situation occurs which is not covered in this chapter, or if the recommendations here do not correct the problem, contact DPT Technical Support at phone: (407)830-5522 or FAX: (407) 260-5366. We will be happy to assist you.
The following topics are covered:
1. Diagnostics
2. Physical Installation
3. Performance
4. DPT Format Utility (DPTFMT)
5. BIOS Table Expander (BE3011)
6. Operating Systems Compatibility
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6.2 Diagnostics
Various levels of diagnostics can be performed on the SmartCache controller as explained in the sections below:
6.2.1 Power-Up Diagnostics
Whenever the SmartCache controller is power-up, a quick series of self-test diagnostics is performed. If these diagnostics are not passed, the controller will not report good status to the computer and the LEDs will flash. (See the section entitled LED Display During Fatal Trap State in the Theory of Operation chapter of this manual.)
6.2.2 Manual Self-Test
The push-button and a 10-segment LED on the controller can be used to perform more thorough diagnostics to help determine the source of a problem. The meanings of the individual LEDs are defined in the section entitled LED Display During Manual Self-Test in the Theory of Operation chapter of this manual.
6.2.3 DPTFMT Certify
Formatting and certifying a disk with DPTFMT is an extensive test of both the PM3011 SmartCache controller and the disk drive. Upon completion the SmartCache controller and the disk are fully tested and ready for operation. This operation tests the controller/drive interface only. It does not test the controller/computer interface.
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6.3 Physical Installation
Question: Do any jumpers need to be set or changed
when installing the SmartCache controller?
Answer: No. All SmartCache controllers are shipped
from the factory ready to operate. Under normal circumstances, the jumpers will never need to be changed.
Question: How do the cables connect to the SmartCache
controller?
Answer: All cables connect to the SmartCache
controller with Pin 1 towards the top edge of the board. Pin 1 of most cables is marked with a red or blue stripe. Some cable connectors indicate Pin 1 with an arrow.
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Question: Do any jumpers need to be set when adding or
removing the cache memory expansion boards?
Answer: No. All SmartCache controllers automatically
sense the amount of cache installed and configure themselves each time they are powered on.
Question: I have a 32-bit computer memory board in the
slot next to the controller and I want to install an MX3011 Expansion Card. What should I do?
Answer: Move the 32-bit memory board to another 32-
bit slot if possible. The MX3011 requires only an 8-bit slot, but it also will work in a 32 or 16­bit slot, or move the controller to a slot with an adjacent 8 or 16-bit slot.
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Question: Is it possible for the controller to conflict with
any of the other boards in my system?
Answer: It is possible but not likely. All DPT controllers
operate at Interrupt 14, the standard for all disk controllers. DMA Channel 2 is only used for the floppy – also standard. The BE3011 is located at C800H and uses 2 Kbytes of memory. If it is enabled, make sure no other devices are operating in this address range.
Question: Will a software or CPU cache conflict with the
SmartCache controller?
Answer: No, but some software caches can degrade the
performance of the system. Refer to the section entitled Operating System Software Cache in the Operating System Installation chapter of this manual for more information about software cache.
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Question: Can more than one controller be installed in a
system?
Answer: Yes, but if the operating system does not
support two controllers a special driver may have to be written.
Question: The SmartCache PM3011/75 can control up to
four disk drives. How are the third and fourth drives accessed?
Answer: The SmartCache hardware mirroring option
will mirror drives 1 and 2 as recognized by the operating system to drives 3 and 4. The operating system only "sees" two disk drives.
Presently none of the PC/AT operating systems available off-the-shelf recognize more than two disk drives per controller. DPT is working closely with several operating system companies to increase their support to four drives per controller.
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Question: When the computer is powered on, all ten
segments of the controller's LED stay on continuously and the computer will not boot?
Answer: Power-down the computer and re-seat the
SmartCache controller and MX3011 Expansion Card, if one is present. Also re-seat the ribbon cable connecting the controller to the MX3011. If the problem persists, remove the MX3011 from the system. If this does not help, try placing the SmartCache controller into a different bus slot.
Question: The floppy drive light stays on all the time, but
the floppy drive operates normally?
Answer: Most floppy drives have a jumper labeled IU (in
use). Remove the IU jumper and the light will operate correctly.
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6.4 Performance
Question: What is the best way to confirm the
SmartCache controller is performing at it's expected level?
Answer: Create a batch file which performs disk
intensive operations. A batch file that copies a large sub-directory (80-90% of cache size) to a different directory, several times, is a good test.
If a multitasking operating system is used, it is an even better test to run multiple copies of this batch file concurrently. Run the tests with and without the SmartCache controller installed, and with different amount of cache installed.
Question: The system does not seem to operate any
faster with the SmartCache controller installed. Why?
Answer: The application may not be disk intensive.
Install a standard controller and observe the disk activity light while the program is running. If the light is off most of the time the program is not disk intensive. If the light is on the majority of the time, it is disk intensive. Now install the smart cache controller and run the program again, adding more cache until you achieve optimum performance.
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Another possibility is that the computer being used is CPU bound. Slower processors spent very little time waiting for the disk. Therefore increasing disk I/O performance may only produce a minimal gain in overall system performance.
Question: My operating system uses it's own cache. How
much system RAM should be allocated to software caching when the SmartCache controller is installed?
Answer: Large software caches can degrade system
performance for a variety of reasons. However, completely disabling some operating system's caches also degrade performance. To determining the best configuration, test the system with and without the software cache enabled, and with different amounts of software cache.
Refer to the section entitled Operating System
Software Cache in the Operating System Installation chapter of this manual for more
information about software cache. Also see the sections on Buffers and/or Software Cache in the individual OS installation sections of that chapter.
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Question: I have a fast 386 or 486 PC with software
caching. Why don't I just add more RAM and let the system CPU handle all the caching?
Answer: The system CPU, no matter how fast, can only
do one thing at a time. Adding the SmartCache controller, with it's on-board 68000 processor, enables the system to do more than one thing at a time. SmartCache utilizes the time that the system CPU is busy executing user programs to simultaneously perform caching activities with its own CPU over a separate high-speed cache I/O bus. For overall system performance, SmartCache provides the best solution.
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6.5 DPT Format Utility (DPTFMT)
6.5.1 Error Messages
Message: No drive type small enough.
Solution: Escape out of DPTFMT. Run the setup program
that came with the computer and set the disk type to 1. Run DPTFMT and select the "Calculate Drive Parameters" option.
Message: DPT Controller not found.
Solution: The SmartCache controller may need to be
reseated. Power-down the computer, remove the controller, and re-seat it. If the problem still occurs, try placing the controller in another bus slot.
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Message: Drive not connected correctly.
Solution: This indicates an error in drive setup or
cabling. Refer to the sections entitled Cabling, Drive-Select Numbering, and Drive Termination in the Hardware Installation
chapter of this manual.
Insure that the SmartCache controller is the only hard disk controller enabled in the system.
Make sure the drive spins-up when power is applied. If it does not, the drive's jumpers may not be set correctly. Some ESDI drives can optionally be set to spin-up automatically when power is applied.
Message: Sense Key 03H x Error 0AH – RECORD NOT
FOUND.
Solution: Check drive cable connections. Replace cables.
Try another disk drive.
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