BlueSCSI (internal) not working when external RaSCSI is connected

[3lectr1c]

I’ve got an F4lite BlueSCSI in my 180c PowerBook and it works just fine when nothing’s hooked up to the SCSI port, but when I have my RaSCSI (or is it PiSCSI now?) hooked up for file transfer, all of a sudden the BlueSCSI acts dead. The RaSCSI is recognized, so if I have a bootable volume attached to it, it will boot, but the BlueSCSI won’t show up. If no bootable volumes are attached and the RaSCSI is just plugged in, I get the question mark. This issue happens all the time, except when it doesn’t. A few times it’s just worked fine and that’s how I set up the system folder and all that on the BlueSCSI to begin with. I’m thinking termination issue but not sure? Any ideas? @Androda

 

[rikerjoe]

I had a similar problem with a Mac IIsi with an internal BlueSCSI and an external PiSCSI that I was able to resolve by turning off termination on the PiSCSI. A BlueSCSI in a IIsi requires external power (not enough is provided by the SCSI port itself) so I am assuming it is some weird termination power interplay in my case.

 

[Androda]

Any ideas? @Androda

It kind of sounds like a termination issue, because the issue happens unless it doesn't. Termination is finicky that way. I'm guessing you have already tried with termination disabled on the PiSCSI/RaSCSI?

I don't have a PiSCSI/RaSCSI to test with, so won't be a lot of help knowing what's going on.

 

[3lectr1c]

Nope, never tried disabling RaSCSI termination becuase in past troubleshooting of other issues, it's only caused the RaSCSI to not show up to the system. I just tried it on the 180c though, and it worked! Both drives seem to be recognized fine now, thanks for the help!

 

[rikerjoe]

So far, I’ve had consistent behavior between internal BlueSCSIs and the external PiSCSI regarding termination, where I enable termination on the PiSCSI for all of my retro Macs except the IIsi. I recall back in the day the voodoo magic to get SCSI termination just right, then Don’t Touch It! It’s hard to overcome that conditioning. In my case, @eric suggested I try disabling termination on the PiSCSI when connected to my IIsi, and it worked. Credit goes to him.

 

[speakers]

I too need termination enabled on a PISCSI when connected externally to my SE/30 with an internal BlueSCSI. Yet the same PISCSI can be happily connected externally to a Iici with or without termination.

As they said back in the day -- scuzzy.