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FINDINIT.ZIP
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1991-06-14
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┌──FINDINIT─────────────────────────────────v1.0──┐
│ FIND the debug INITialization routine │
│ for Seagate Controllers and Host Adapters │
└────────── By R. Dimick and B. Rudock ───────────┘
Seagate Technology, Inc. - Scotts Valley, CA
FINDINIT.EXE and FINDINIT.DOC are both Copyright Seagate 1991
Seagate Tech Support Bulletin Board (408)438-8771 [300-9600, N-8-1]
Courtesy of the Seagate Telephone Technical Support Group
Note: This software is provided AS IS, AND NO WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE IS EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED.
This software is intended to be protected against viruses by FSHIELD,
a product of McAfee Associates (BBS 408/988-4004). Even so, all newly
acquired files should be scanned for viruses.
Seagate specifically DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, that
FINDINIT is free from computer viruses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT! This program, FINDINIT.EXE, helps to initiate a Low-Level
format. Low-level formatting WILL destroy all user-data on a drive.
Always keep floppy and/or tape backups of you data.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
FINDINIT
Many of the calls received to Seagate's Technical Support Department
focus on the initialization (low-level format) routines and the BIOS
memory addresses used on our Seagate Controllers and Host Adapters.
The two most common questions asked are, "What is the BIOS memory
address of MY card?", and "How do I start the low level format on this
controller?".
The reasons we need to know the BIOS memory address are:
Case #1: To troubleshoot possible memory conflicts with other
peripheral cards that have their own BIOS ROM chips, such as
VGA video, enhanced floppy, network, and other hard drive
controllers or host adapters. On Seagate Controllers and Host
Adapters, the BIOS memory address is controlled by the
physical placement or removal of jumpers on the card itself.
(Refer to your Installation Guide for charts and diagrams
detailing this information.)
or
Case #2. Need to perform an initialization (low-level) format which
requires the DOS DEBUG utility, and the command Go function
(as in "go" to a particular memory address). This is to
begin the Seagate format routine that is stored the ROM BIOS
chip on the Seagate card (called firmware instead of software,
by the way).
FINDINIT can help with both of these cases. When executed, the program
will scan the high memory address ranges traditionally dedicated to
adapter ROM BIOS's, and indicates which Seagate Controller or Host
Adapter it finds and the BIOS memory address (Case #1). Next, it will
ask if you REALLY want to format the drive. If you answer "Y", a
second warning will appear reminding you that ALL USER DATA WILL BE
LOST! It will ask again if you REALLY want to format this drive. This
time, if yes, then you must type all three letters y-e-s. Any
misspelling of 'yes' will immediately abort the program. When 'yes'
is given, FINDINIT will issue the appropriate DEBUG-type of command to
begin the format routine of the particular Controller or
Host Adapter (Case #2). The format routines on all Seagate Controllers
and Host Adapters are step-by-step, friendly, and menu driven.
In the event that you have two Seagate BIOS's and you want to work
with the second one (which will have to have a higher memory address),
be sure to say NO to the format question for the first drive. The
program will then continue to scan and prompt for any other Seagate
BIOS.
One of the most common questions that is asked once the routine is
started, is the answer to the question of INTERLEAVE. All Seagate hard
disc drives can support to a 1 to 1 (fastest) interleave
------- BUT! ------ not all Controllers or Host Adapters are able
support a high speed 1 to 1 interleave. Interleave is always a
conditional factor of the controller or host adapter card AND in
conjunction the computer system, not the drive.
When determining what INTERLEAVE to select, refer to the following
chart for a suggested value.
Seagate Inter- Record Slot Interleave in:
Product face Method size XT's or AT's Type
====================================================================
ST-01 SCSI RLL 8-bit 3 or 4 2 or 3 Hard
ST-02 SCSI RLL 8-bit 3 or 4 2 or 3 Hard/Floppy
ST-05X XT RLL 8-bit 4 n/a Hard
ST-07A AT RLL 16-bit NO BIOS, USES CMOS Hard
ST-08A AT RLL 16-bit NO BIOS, USES CMOS Hard/Floppy
ST-10 ST412 MFM 8-bit 5 6 Hard
ST-11M ST412 MFM 8-bit 3 or 4 5 or 6 Hard
ST-11R ST412 RLL 8-bit 3 or 4 5 or 6 Hard
ST-21M ST412 MFM 16-bit n/a 1 Hard
ST-21R ST412 RLL 16-bit n/a 1 Hard
ST-22M ST412 MFM 16-bit n/a 1 Hard/Floppy
ST-22R ST412 RLL 16-bit n/a 1 Hard/Floppy
Note: In AT systems, set the drive type to "0 or None or Not
Installed" when using a Seagate Controller or Host Adapter that
has a BIOS ROM.
Note: When using two controllers in the same system, they must have
different BIOS memory addresses. In an AT system with a 16-bit
controller and an 8-bit controller, the 16-bit must have the lower
address and be the boot drive.
For reasons of comparison, without FINDINIT, the
process would be as follows:
1. Open up the system and inspect the controller card to determine
what BIOS address pins are jumpered. Then determine the memory address
from the pin chart in the install guide. The traditional default
memory address is C800 with the associated BIOS Address jumpers open on
the ABCD pins.
2. Put everything back together, make sure all the cards are seated
firmly in the motherboard slots, make sure that the cables are
attached correctly with pin-1 to pin-1.
3. Power on the system and boot to a floppy A:>
4. Find the DOS DEBUG utility on one of your DOS diskettes and run
DEBUG.
5. At the DEBUG "-" hyphen prompt (that's its user-friendly
interface!) type the GO command to the BIOS memory address.
Depending on the jumper settings of the controller or host adapter it
would look like G=C800:5 and press <ENTER>. If the address is correct
and the command syntax was typed out correctly the routine for
initialization on the controller or host adapter will start.
------------------------------------------------------------
This 5 step process is how we've been doing things for many years and
since it is obviously a little "techy" and cumbersome, we decided to
write the FINDINIT program.
-= EOF FINDINIT.DOC =-