Trying BlueSCSI on a PB170 (have working PB180 for troubleshooting)

[Mu0n]

Can't seem to give my PB170 interesting boot options. The internal HD is dead.


PB180 Behavior:
Everything works instantly with my PB180 (same power adapter, same external bluescsi assembly, working internal HD though).

PB170 Behavior, initially:
w/ external BlueSCSI plugged in: I got a gray pattern, no '?' disk icon, short beep every 10 seconds
w/o external BlueSCSI: I got diskette booting functionality, short beep every 10 seconds

PB170 Behavior, now, after several attempts (see hypotheses below):
w/ or w/o external BlueSCSI plugged in: just gray screen, no cursor at all, no '?' disk icon at all.


Steps taken:
-I tested hypothesis #2 below. It hasn't done anything.
-I tried using a pin to press both small recessed buttons for 10 seconds like is recommended to reset the PRAM in the service manual found online. It hasn't done anything.

So help me decide on the next step I should take, so I can finally boot it with my BlueSCSI and possibly run hard disk diagnostics to investigate its internal HD.

Hypothesis #1: the beeps are related to a dead PRAM battery and removing it would solve things?
hypothesis #2: I could remove the pb170's extension board and see what happens (DONE, NO CHANGE)
hypothesis #3: unplugging the internal HD (DONE, NO CHANGE)

 

[3lectr1c]

What I've learned from my time getting SCSI devices working is that in cases of odd behavior, termination is almost always at fault. I'd try to switch the termination jumpers/resistor blocks (depending on the model) and seeing if you've got different results.

The dead internal HDD on the 170 could be holding up the SCSI bus as well, causing problems. The beeping you're hearing is strange for sure, but could actually be the hard drive itself trying to spin up and failing. They can make some crazy noises when they're dead. My 170's PRAM battery is dead and no beeps.

If the drive is a Conner Peripherals model (CP-2045 if it's a 40MB drive) than there's a chance that you could fix it if you crack it open and tape over a rubber bumper in the head assembly that goes sticky and freezes the heads. I was able to revive my CP-2045 using this method in my 170. If the beeping is from the hard drive, it's likely that there are further issues that render it completely cooked though. It could also be a Quantum drive which I've never had, and wouldn't be able to help much with.

Could also be an issue with the SCSI controller itself, but this is unlikely.

 

[Mu0n]

What I've learned from my time getting SCSI devices working is that in cases of odd behavior, termination is almost always at fault. I'd try to switch the termination jumpers/resistor blocks (depending on the model) and seeing if you've got different results.

Simply transporting the HD30-SCSI25-OvereasyII-BlueSCSI assembly I have from the non-working PB170 to working PB180 proves that it's not that issue. I made sure I was able to boot my Mac Plus with it, as well as have the HD image mount from my PB180.

The dead internal HDD on the 170 could be holding up the SCSI bus as well, causing problems. The beeping you're hearing is strange for sure, but could actually be the hard drive itself trying to spin up and failing. They can make some crazy noises when they're dead. My 170's PRAM battery is dead and no beeps.

That's possible, but wouldn't you still keep the termination on anyway regardless of the presence of the PB170's internal HD? Also, the beeps are regular and repetitive, they don't seem to come from a randomized mechanical whining from a spinning HD.

But anyway, I don't even get to let the PB170 decide if it wants to boot from anything anymore, I never get to the '?' diskette icon step at all anymore. Something changed and I lost that ability since I started troubleshooting it.

 

[3lectr1c]

Simply transporting the HD30-SCSI25-OvereasyII-BlueSCSI assembly I have from the non-working PB170 to working PB180 proves that it's not that issue. I made sure I was able to boot my Mac Plus with it, as well as have the HD image mount from my PB180.

My PowerBook 170 has issues for months with my RaSCSI (which worked fine on other systems) until I realized it wanted termination power off, other systems didn't mind. It can change between systems which is why I brought that up. It worked on my 180c with term power on (which is just a color 180)

That's possible, but wouldn't you still keep the termination on anyway regardless of the presence of the PB170's internal HD? Also, the beeps are regular and repetitive, they don't seem to come from a randomized mechanical whining from a spinning HD.

It could be trying to spin up again and again. That can be pretty repetitive. I do somewhat doubt that's the issue though, but I don't know what else it could be.

But anyway, I don't even get to let the PB170 decide if it wants to boot from anything anymore, I never get to the '?' diskette icon step at all anymore. Something changed and I lost that ability since I started troubleshooting it.

Classic symptom of a stuck SCSI bus. Disconnect that dead internal drive and you'll have that question mark back.

 

[Mu0n]

CHECK THAT NASTY S

Still getting a chime + gray pattern + no ''?' diskette icon behavior (no external SCSI either), both before and after doing the double recessed reset for 10s.

 

[3lectr1c]

After further analysis, I now pronounce your problems to be corrosion related
I'm guessing that you had a pretty nasty battery in there. Time to take the CPU card off and check for damage around the board...
Good luck.

 

[retr01]

"He's corroded, Jim!"

 

[AlexCL]

I got a SD2SCSI external to work on my PB170...but I had to power it externally...it wouldn't work unless I plugged in external USB power...the same device doesn't need power on my IIci.

 

[Mu0n]

I got a SD2SCSI external to work on my PB170...but I had to power it externally...it wouldn't work unless I plugged in external USB power...the same device doesn't need power on my IIci.

I've ruled that out fairly quickly, I know about this and have to do it with my SE (pre analog board full recap, haven't tested after recap) buy not with my classic 1 (pre full analog board recap...still have to do that one).

I'll disassemble my pb170 fully and check for bad stuff. So far, apart from that connector, ai see nothing immediate, but that's a view from the above only when the boards are secure in place.