Message "You need to restart your computer." when copying files 1

[GreginGraphics]

Hello, I am building a fast but cheap file server for only TWO clients with OS X 10.3.7 installed.
The server is a G4 OS 10.3.7 450MHz 384MB RAM.
- ATTO ExpressPCI PSC 68pin SCSI (came from a G3 300MHz, updated from apple firmware to ATTO's latest)
- TWO Maxtor ATLAS 10K ver. II 18GB Ultra160 Wide LVD SCSI-3, 80-pin (80 to 68-pin SCA adapter included)
- SCSI cable that came with the ATTO PCI card (NO TERMINATION)
- The two drives are running in RAID Stripping mode using ATTO's ExpressStripe 1.2 software.

How I get the error:

When I copy data from our old share drive (the IBM Deskstar that came with the G4) to the new ATTO RAID I get the message:

YOU NEED TO RESTART YOUR COMPUTER. HOLD DOWN THE POWER BUTTON FOR SEVERAL SECONDS OR PRESS THE RESTART BUTTON.
The message is repeated down the screen in different languages.

This sometimes happens after 50MB to 1GB of file copying.

I think it is the SCSI cable and not having Termination. So I swapped in an Adaptec U160 SCSI cable w/Terminator that I have in a win2000 file server that is running an ATTO UL4D SCSI card and two 15.K3 Seagate Cheetahs.

Sucess!
For the file copying the Adaptec cable w/terminator worked flawlessly
BUT
after I was all done testing big file transfers and deleted the extra copys of information I emptied Trash Can of about 5GBs of data and the message popped up again

YOU NEED TO RESTART YOUR COMPUTER. HOLD DOWN THE POWER BUTTON FOR SEVERAL SECONDS OR PRESS THE RESTART BUTTON.
The message is repeated down the screen in different languages.

I am going to order an Adaptec U160 cable w/Termination but I would like to solve the MESSAGE problem.

anyone else heard of this problem or error message?
anyone else running an ATTO SCSI card in 10.3.x?

It might just be bad setting for the SCSI adapter. This is only the second time I have delt with SCSI. The first being the win2000 file server with the ATTO UL4D, which I have had no problems with for over two years..

PLEASE HELP, any advise is good advise, unless if it is bad....

 

[chiph]

SCSI is very sensitive to having the correct termination.

What I usually do is rely on the SCSI controller (or motherboard, etc) to terminate one end of the cable. I then daisy chain along the drives. At the last device on the cable I'll set it's termination (usually a jumper block on a hard drive). If the device has no self-termination capabilities is when you need to buy an external terminator.

Chip H.


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[GreginGraphics]

OK, So I have to terminate both ends of the cable? With the Adaptec cable that I tested the RAID with some sucess it had a external LVD terminator that I put on the very end of the cable. The cable had SIX 68 pin connectors so two of the connectors was not used. Should I put the terminator on the very end of the cable or right after the last SCSI device? Which is best?

FYI - the hard drives are 80 pin SCSI and came with SCA 80 to 68 pin adapters but they are the type that doesn't have a terminate jumper.

Do you, or anyone else, know any information on the error message itself? What I have seen on the internet is that the Kernel takes a dump or something - usually hardware related.

What setting would I be looking for in ATTO's config software on having the SCSI card terminate it's end?

Before I buy a cable, do you have any suggestions?? Is there a big difference between the $50 and $20 cables??? What brand? is Adaptec the best??

Thanks a bunch!
Greg

 

[chiph]

OK, I missed that this was a LVD drive. From the Maxtor knowledgebase:

LVD SCSI hard drives do not provide on board termination, relying instead on "system-level termination". This means an LVD/SE terminator must be used at the end of the cable to provide SCSI bus termination.

An active single-ended (SE) terminator, or other SCSI device (eg; drive, scanner, CDROM) that provides SCSI Bus Termination Enable (TE), can be used, although this action forces the whole SCSI channel to run in single-ended mode. SCSI Ultra 160 and 320 controllers often use an auxiliary port for attaching legacy (50 pin and single ended) devices.

Please Note! - Adding SE devices on an LVD bus reduces allowable overall cable length to 1.5 meters, from the generous 12 meters of LVD. Note that short cable rules apply when loading legacy devices.

A proper cable must be used for LVD operation. SCSI-3 specifications recommend "twisted pair" cable sets. Cables and active LVD/SE termination devices can be purchased from your SCSI controller manufacturer or system board vendor; and Granite Digital 510-471-6267, and TMC 415-454-5425.

Note: Refer to your system or SCSI controller documentation regarding additional recommendations for drive placement on the SCSI bus and SCSI bus termination.

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[GreginGraphics]

Thanks Chiph for the quote,

Do I want to put the terminator at the very end of the cable or right after the last hard drive??

I think I will start a new thread about the error message:

YOU NEED TO RESTART YOUR COMPUTER. HOLD DOWN THE POWER BUTTON FOR SEVERAL SECONDS OR PRESS THE RESTART BUTTON.

So we can gather up everyones experiences and get down to the bottom of the problem.

Chiph, do you have any recomedations on SCSI cable?

Thanks a lot.

 

[chiph]

I've always used a cable that had the correct number of connectors on it, so I don't if putting it after the last device or at the very end of the cable is ok/better. Try it both ways and see which works for you.

I don't have any recommendations for a brand of cable to use. The Granite Digital is probably very good, but it's also very expensive. I've been OK with regular ribbon cable, as long as I keep the length under 1 meter.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
Click here to learn Ways to help with Tsunami Relief
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[GreginGraphics]

Thanks for more info Chiph,

I emailed ATTO this morning and they already replied!! Here is what they had to say:

"The ATTO PSC card is a single ended (SE) device and will need a terminator that is SE/LVD (low voltage differential). Most likely, the hard drives are LVD. The message you are receiving is the result of a kernel panic. "

I believe that the Adaptec cable that I was using had a terminator that was LVD only. This would make perfect sense. Better performace/stilibity then without any termination yet not perfect.

I will order a new cable and a SE/LVD terminator and post my results ASAP

Thanks for everything!