Features

2. Add the lines shown below to the CONFIG.SYS file. The ASPI8XX.SYS driver is also required. List the drivers in this sequence:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]ASPI8XX.SYS

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS

or

1. Make an SDMS DOS driver diskette using the Build Driver Diskettes page. (Select DOS.) 

2. Run the Installation Utility from the diskette you built in step 1 by typing:

A:\INSTALL.EXE

 

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Command Line Options

The SYMDISK.SYS device driver has several embedded functions that are accessed by using switches on the command line.

The following conventions are used:

path refers to the adapter number (boot order designation)

id refers to the SCSI ID

[ ] items in brackets are optional

* repeat 0 or more times

| choose one of the given items

IMPORTANT: No spaces are allowed in a single command line option, but spaces are required between different command line options.

Using the /ASK Option

This option prompts you at system bootup whether to load SYMDISK.SYS or not. To use this option, the line in the CONFIG.SYS file that loads SYMDISK.SYS should look like this:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /ASK

Using the /UNITS= Option

The SYMDISK.SYS device driver allows the use of removable media, such as cartridge hard drives, each of which might have a different number of partitions. If you use media with more than one partition, set this option to the maximum number of partitions on any one medium.

Note: LSI Logic recommends that you use this option when using removable media with more than one partition.

To use this option, the line in CONFIG.SYS that loads SYMDISK.SYS should look like this (all on one line):

DEVICE=C:[PATH]
SYMDISK.SYS /UNITS=path:id:lun:num_units
[,path:id:lun:num_units]*

For example, if there is a removable media drive at SCSI ID 2 on the first host adapter, and you need to reserve three partitions, the command line should look like this:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /UNITS=0:2:0:3

When SYMDISK.SYS initializes, it defaults to either:

1. One drive letter for a removable media device with no media present.

or

2. The number of partitions found on the media in the removable media device.

Note: The full path, id, lun, and num_units values are required for this option. Also, there is a limit of 24 devices.

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Using the /EXCLUDE= Option

This option allows you to exclude a path:id:lun combination from being scanned or controlled by SYMDISK.SYS. The path parameter is mandatory with all ids and luns for that path excluded by default if just the path is specified. To use this option, the line in the CONFIG.SYS file that loads SYMDISK.SYS should look like this (all in one line):

DEVICE=C:[PATH]
SYMDISK.SYS /EXCLUDE=path[:id[:lun]]
[,path[:id[:lun]]]*

For example, to exclude path 0, id 2, and lun 0, the command line should look like this:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /EXCLUDE=0:2:0

Note: There is a limit of 24 path:id:lun combinations allowed.

Using the /SSIZE= Option

The SYMDISK.SYS device driver defaults to the largest sector size found during boot, handling all different sector sizes found. In the case of removable media, SYMDISK.SYS assumes a 2048- byte sector size when no media are present. This option overcomes this limitation. To use this option, the line in the CONFIG.SYS file that loads SYMDISK.SYS should look like this (all on one line):

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /SSIZE=512|1024|2048|4096

For example, if a removable media drive is used that has a sector size of 2048 bytes, the command line should look like this:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /SSIZE=2048

Note: If SYMDISK.SYS finds a sector size larger than the one specified in this option, or if it finds a sector larger than the default, it will refuse to read/write to that media. It will report an invalid media error to DOS.

Using the /SPINDOWN= Option

This option is a power management feature that automatically spins down a disk when the disk is not accessed for a specified amount of time. The default spindown time is 15 minutes. You can specify a new spindown time in hours and minutes (hh:mm) with a minimum time of 1 minute. To use this option, the line in the CONFIG.SYS file that loads SYMDISK.SYS should look like this (all on one line):

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /SPINDOWN=hh:mm<path[:id[:lun]]>
[,hh:mm<path[:id[:lun]]>]

For example, to spin down a device on path 0, id 2, and lun 0, after one hour and five minutes of inactivity, the command line should look like this:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /SPINDOWN=1:5<0:2:0>

To spindown all devices after the default timeout of 15 minutes, the command line should look like this:

DEVICE=C:[PATH]SYMDISK.SYS /SPINDOWN=<>

Remember, the <> are required when you specify a path:id:lun in this option.

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Troubleshooting

Some potential problems and their suggested solutions are:

Note: If the SCSI BIOS is seen during boot, a banner similar to the following appears:

LSI Logic Corp. Symbios SDMS (TM) v4.0 PCI SCSI BIOS, PCI Rev. 2.0, 2.1

Copyright 1995-2000 LSI Logic Corp PCI-4.18.00

1. Is the SCSI BIOS seen during boot?
   

YES
Go to b.

NO
Power down all units in the system.
Remove all SCSI cables.
Boot the system.

Is the SCSI BIOS now seen during boot?



YES
Go to b.

NO
Power down all units in the system.
Reseat the host bus adapter.
Check CMOS setup.
Boot the system.
Go to a.

2. Does the SCSI BIOS see the bootable SCSI drive?

Note: When the computer boots, SDMS scans the SCSI bus. SDMS identifies devices found on the SCSI bus as described in the following lines:

YES
Go to c.

NO
Power down all units in the system.
Make sure the hard drives have different ID numbers (boot drive should have the lowest ID).
Make sure both ends of the SCSI bus are terminated.
Check all cable and power connections.
Check CMOS setup.
Boot the system.
Go to a.

3. If boot is still unsuccessful, follow the solution to the next problem.

Problem: The device driver does not recognize one of the non-boot SCSI peripherals (system may lock up).

Solution:

1. Make sure the drivers were installed in the correct sequence.

2. Make sure the drivers' entries in the CONFIG.SYS file have the correct path to the drivers.

3. Power down all units in the system.

4. Make sure the hard drives have different ID numbers (boot drive should have lowest ID).

5. Make sure both ends of the SCSI bus are terminated.

6. Check all cable and power connections.

7. Boot the system.

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