This file describes the features and use of the Storage Device Management System (SDMS™) device drivers for the DOS/Windows operating system environment. This document includes these topics:

• Introduction
• Drivers to Load
• ASPI8XX.SYS
• SYMDISK.SYS
• SYMCD.SYS
• Using the DOS Installation Utility
• Assignment of Drive Letters

Introduction

In SDMS 4.0, the SCSI BIOS for the LSI Logic family of PCI to SCSI chips is capable of mapping SCSI hard disk drives behind any non-SCSI hard disk drives (for example, IDE) within the same system. A driverless solution will allow connection of up to 24 hard drives (SCSI and non-SCSI) under DOS 5.0 and above.

The SCSI BIOS supports full Virtual DMA Services (VDS), including features such as scatter/gather. Therefore, to gain maximum performance, you should disable any double buffer option provided by disk caching software (such as, the Microsoft executable program SMARTDRV.EXE) for all drives handled through the Storage Device Management System.

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Drivers to Load

Connecting peripherals other than hard disk drives requires loading the appropriate driver. Some of these drivers work together, and some are capable of direct communication with an LSI Logic PCI to SCSI controller.

ASPI8XX.SYS

This driver is an Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (ASPI) manager that provides standard ASPI compatibility between your SCSI host adapter hardware and ASPI-compatible applications.

SYMDISK.SYS

This driver is for non-INT13h SCSI disk drives and removable media devices, and works through the ASPI manager.

SYMCD.SYS

This driver is for CD-ROM drives and works through the ASPI manager.

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Installing SDMS for DOS

Using the DOS Installation Utility

The SDMS DOS Installation Utility provides a quick and easy method for performing either a default or custom installation of the SDMS SCSI device drivers in a DOS/Windows environment. It works with any system using a supported LSI Logic SCSI chip. The DOS Installation Utility identifies the system, scans the SCSI bus, and properly installs the needed SCSI device drivers.

To install the DOS drivers using the Installation Utility, follow these steps:

1. Copy the contents from the DOS directory on the SDMS Software Device Drivers and Utilities CD-ROM:

{CD-ROM Drive Letter}:\DRIVERS\8XX-1010\DOS

to the root of a diskette.

2. Boot the system with your host adapter installed.

3. Insert the newly-created diskette, and type:

INSTALL

or

1. Make a 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

When performing a custom installation, an understanding of the information presented in the Drivers to Load section for manual installation may prove useful.

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Assignment of Drive Letters

The MS-DOS operating system assigns drive letters to primary partitions first. After the primary partitions have been assigned drive letters, the logical partitions are assigned drive letters. Do not assume that the drive letter designations will follow consecutively from device to device within a PC system.

Example

A system is configured with an IDE hard disk as the boot drive, a SCSI hard disk, and a CD-ROM drive. The IDE drive has three partitions: one primary and two logical. The SCSI hard disk has two partitions: one primary and one logical. The SCSI hard disk is assigned ID 1, and the CD-ROM is ID 4. The distribution of the drive letters is:

A: 3 1/2" floppy drive

B: 5 1/4" floppy drive

C: IDE primary partition

D: SCSI primary partition

E: IDE first logical partition

F: IDE second logical partition

G: SCSI logical partition

H: CD-ROM

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