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1991-04-22
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MAXDOC
April 20, 1991
Test program for the Adaptec 1540A SCSI to AT host adapter
Jumpers
1. Refer to the pamphlet shipped with the board for the
jumper locations.
2. This program can be run on the Adaptec AHA1540A host
adapter with the jumpers as shipped.
3. If synchronous negotiation by the host is desired, jumper
the top pin pair on J1 of the host adapter.
4. Set the SCSI ID as desired; it is shipped as 7.
5. Disable the BIOS if you don't want to run as a DOS device
also, because otherwise the system may try to boot from
the host adapter.
But the program will run with the BIOS enabled also.
6. The other jumpers need only be changed if there is a conflict
with something else in your system.
Starting the program
1. Command line parameters may be either upper or lower case.
2. Start the program by typing "MAXTEST".
3. A command file may be called this way: "MAXTEST CMDS".
4. A port may be selected by typing "MAXTEST CMDS -P".
A list of possible ports will be presented.
Choose the one that is set by the jumpers. [page 2-15]
Default is 330h; any other must be selected with -P.
If you already know the port number, you may type
"MAXTEST CMDS -P134" or whatever the port number is.
If the board is not jumpered to the selected port, the
program will tell you so and exit.
But this option allows running a system board and a test
board if desired.
5. Monochrome may be forced with -M. Usually this is not
necessary, since the program reads the system bytes to
self-configure.
6. The only required parameter is "MAXTEST".
The others are optional and may be entered in any order.
1
MAXDOC
Philosophy
This is an open-ended tester. Since it is hard to predict which
commands will be desired by the user, no attempt has been made to
automate the command definition.
But every attempt has been made to make the tester easy to use.
1. Upper case or lower case entries are both treated equally.
2. While editing SCSI commands and data, only entries that are
in range will be accepted.
3. For almost all user commands, defaults are provided in
brackets [ ]; just return will accept the default.
4. When entering yes/no [Y/N] choices, anything but Y will be
interpreted as no.
5. When entering multiple byte user choices, backspace and
right and left arrow keys allow editing. Return may be
hit anywhere in the entry, and the whole entry will be
accepted. Escape will refuse the whole entry, changing
nothing. This is useful if you decide you don't want to
execute this user command.
6. Escape will get you out of almost anything except the
program.
2 MAXDOC
Special characteristics of the AHA1540A
Reset: SCSI vs. host adapter
1. F3 and Z are identical: they execute both a host adapter
and a SCSI reset.
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO FORCE A SYNCHRONOUS NEGOTIATION!
2. F8 executes a SCSI reset without a synchronous negotiation.
This is the way to force asynchronous transfers.
The host adapter still reports in F5 [report synchronous
negotiation results] that it is synchronous, but a logic
analyzer shows that it is asynchronous.
3. A SCSI reset from another source, including powering off
and on the drive under test, will also result in
asynchronous transfers, unless the user executes a
board reset.
Computer to host adapter interface
1. This program translates each displayed command into a
software structure.
When a command file is loaded, and at some other times,
a ripple can be seen running down the screen.
This occurs during the conversion of the text list of
SCSI commands to the corresponding structures.
2. Mailboxes-out are the way the host adapter finds out
which SCSI commands to execute.
Mailboxes-in tell the program which SCSI commands have
finished execution.
There are 20 pairs of mailboxes: 20 out and 20 in.
Mailboxes can be displayed with Control M, or by hitting
return to stop looping commands.
00 in the first byte of any mailbox means the mailbox
is free [not in use].
01 in the first byte of a mailbox-out means that the
program has told the host adapter to execute the command
whose address is in that mailbox, but that the host
adapter has not yet done so.
01 in the first byte of a mailbox-in means good completion
of the command whose address is in that mailbox.
04 in the first byte of a mailbox-in = error completion.
This is mainly of use if the drive hangs, to tell which
commands have or have not finished.
3. Mailboxes in and out are matched by the address in them,
not by their number. The "out" may be in mailbox 2,
while the "in" may be in maibox 17.
3 MAXDOC
SCSI command editing
1. Control M [Modify] selects command editing.
A prompt will ask, Which command?
Enter the command number [0 to 19].
The command being edited will be highlighted.
Arrow, home, end, and tab keys let you move around
in the commands.
2. Only allowed choices are accepted, otherwise no change is
made in the command.
3. Editing starts at the far left byte of the selected command.
This byte is the SCSI opcode.
Enter the bytes as required for the SCSI command.
Any number of bytes may be entered up to 12.
If the appropriate value is already there, you may just
move past it.
4. Target ID and LUN [TARG ID, LN] may be entered as
appropriate: 0 - 7 are accepted.
5. Buffer [BUFFER #] is a letter: A, B, or D is accepted.
Buffers A and B are each 64K [addresses up to FFFFh].
D [double] selects both, giving one 128K buffer.
6. Buffer address [BUFFER ADDR] is the address where the data
will start reading or writing.
Any address in the buffer is accepted, but it must be hex.
7. Linked command [LNK CMD] tells to which command this
command will be linked.
For example: while editing command 1 you may link it to any
other command on the screen; just enter that command's
number [0 - 19]. DON'T LINK IN A CIRCLE [LAST TO FIRST]!
But this field will be ignored unless the link bit is set
in the command's last byte [last byte = 01 or 03].
8. Command length [CMD LEN] defines the SCSI command length.
Commands with opcodes lower than 20h are treated as 6 byte
commands; the rest are treated as 10 byte commands.
If the command length field = 0, default lengths are used.
If the default command length is not correct, enter the
length in the command length field in decimal.
9. Host and drive status [STATUS, HO, DR] and sense key, code,
and qualifier [SENSE KY, CD, QF] cannot be edited.
They are filled in by the program after command execution.
10. You may arrow up or down to edit another command if desired.
11. Return [Enter] or Escape completes SCSI command editing.
The command gets converted at this time.
If the number of data blocks is too big to fit in the buffer
defined, a message will appear at the bottom of the screen
telling you so. When you hit a key to show you have read
the message, the data length field will get corrected to fit.
4 MAXDOC
Buffers
1. Two 64K data buffers are used by the program: A and B.
These buffers are identical. You can do all the things
listed in the buffer menu equally well with either one.
The two buffers can be used as one by selecting D [double]
when editing a command.
2. A buffer can be wrapped up to 16 times by selecting
buffer wrap with Control W.
This is a little slower, and only the last wrap of data
can be compared. It is recommended to use buffer wrap
only if you need longer transfers than will fit in 128K.
In some cases, buffer wrap hangs...it may not be the drive.
3. The buffer menu is a separate set of choices, entered by
R [Read] or W [Write] from the main menu [list of commands]
or from the main help menu [H].
R and W prompt you for which buffer [A or B].
Entering anything but B will choose buffer A.
The buffer will be displayed starting at address 0.
4. W [Write] puts the cursor at the top left buffer position
ready to edit the buffer.
R [Read] puts the cursor at the bottom of the screen
waiting for a buffer menu choice.
5. H [Help] shows buffer menu choices with a little more
detail.
A very brief list of some buffer choices appears at the
bottom of the buffer screen.
Enter the first letter of your choice, either from the
buffer screen or from the buffer help menu.
Further prompts will appear asking for the parameters needed.
6. A [Address] displays current buffer at the address entered.
This is a way to jump around in the buffer.
7. B [Buffer] lets you choose which buffer to display at the
current address.
8. E [Edit] lets you edit the current buffer, starting at the
top left position displayed.
Right, left, up, and down arrow keys may be used to move
around while editing.
Page Up and Page Down are also supported.
The buffers wrap at the end: addresses go from FFF0h to 0h.
Only hex characters are accepted.
An ASCII dump of printable characters is displayed on the
right.
Return or Escape ends the edit.
5 MAXDOC
Buffers
9. C [Compare] compares buffers A and B, at the start address
entered for the length entered. [Both entries in hex.]
The result of the compare is displayed at the bottom of the
screen. If there is an error, the comparison may be
displayed.
Note that this compare is so fast you might think it is fake.
To verify it, you can fill both buffers with the same thing,
then change one byte at a known address.
Compare will find that byte.
10. F [Fill] has its own set of choices.
C [Clear]: fills whole buffer chosen with 00.
1: Fills with up to 16 bytes of data pattern you enter.
2: Fills with 4-byte LBA [doesn't quite fill each block if
blocksize is not even multiple of 4].
Uses blocksize [set by F1 in main menu].
3: Fills with 1 byte data incrementing from 00 to FFh.
4: Fills with 2 byte random data.
5: Overwrites with 4 byte LBA at beginning of each block.
Uses blocksize [set by F1 in main menu].
11. G [Get] buffer file: loads file into buffer.
This choice asks you for the file name and length,
which buffer, and buffer start address.
A path name may be specified with the file name.
If the file can't be loaded, the program will tell you.
[This usually means the file can't be found, either because
it is misspelled or isn't in the current directory or the
path specified.]
This choice loads either the number of bytes requested or
the whole file, whichever is less.
The bytes loaded are not modified at all; this is a DOS file
read [DOS call 3Fh].
Therefore this choice is suitable to download and execute
binary code.
And the buffer can be used as an editable dump if desired.
12. S [Save] buffer file: saves buffer to file.
This choice asks you for the file name and length,
which buffer, and buffer start address.
This function calls a DOS file write [DOS call 40h].
As many bytes are saved as you specify to the file name
and path you specify.
If a file by that name already exists it gets written over.
The bytes saved are not changed in any way.
13. P [Print] allows printing of buffer A or B starting at
a chosen address for a chosen length. There is also
an option to save this section to a printable file.
[S does not create a printable file; it is binary.]
14. T [Table] lists all files in the current directory.
15. L [List] returns to the main menu [SCSI command list].
Escape also returns to the main menu.
6 MAXDOC
Executing commands
E [Execute commands] and X are identical.
1. This function first asks which commands are to be executed.
The command numbers shown at the left of the command
[0 - 19] are to be entered.
From 1 to 20 numbers may be entered, separated by commas,
spaces, or any other non-digits.
Escape aborts this user command, leaves the function
without executing anything.
Return ends the list.
If more than 20 numbers are entered, the extras are
ignored.
2. If linked commands are to be executed, only enter the
FIRST command of the linked chain in the command list.
The program will follow the rest of the chain, as long
as the linked bit is set in the command.
3. Next the function asks for options.
A brief list of the options appears at the bottom of
the screen.
Return with no options entered means execute the command
string 1 time.
Return with options entered ends the options list.
Escape means abort the user command.
# of passes may be a number from 0 to 65536.
0 means run until a key is hit.
Any other number executes the command string for that
many times.
L [Loop] means the same as 0 passes...run until a key hit.
4. I [Incrementing] and R [Random] use the parameters entered
with the I user command. See the description of I.
[Defaults are length 1 to 80h, LBA 0 to 2FFFFh].
But note that if the lowest and highest LBAs are the same,
R and I will use the value displayed in the command on
the screen, and will not randomize or increment that LBA.
The same is true of the length; if the longest length and
shortest length are the same, the length displayed is used.
5. R and I as options only work on read, write, seek, and
write verify commands.
For other commands they are ignored.
S [Step] only has meaning with the I option; otherwise it
is ignored.
The number entered for Step is in hex. Normally Step is
used to advance by the number of blocks being transferred.
So if a fixed block transfer of 80h is used, then S 80 will
increment the LBA by 80h, so all blocks will be read once.
7 MAXDOC
Executing commands
6. I [Incrementing] means increment the LBA by the hex number
entered immediately after S [Step] or by 1 if step not
entered, unless the LBAs or lengths are the same.
When the highest LBA is reached, the numbers start over
with the lowest.
I also increments the data length from the shortest to the
longest length, then starts over. [Only increments by 1].
7. R [Randoming] randomizes the LBA and length each time the
command is executed, unless the LBAs or lengths are the same.
8. A pass count may be entered with R or I; then the program
will loop until the pass count is reached or a key is hit.
9. Once the command list and option list have been filled,
execution begins.
If screen update has been suppressed [F7], a message will
appear at the bottom of the screen: Screen update suppressed.
Otherwise, the commands to be executed are marked with an
arrow at the left side of the screen.
10. When each command is finished, the program will find it and
check the return code in the mailbox.
A return code of 01 means good completion, so the program
goes to the next command if there is one, or returns to
the main menu if all are finished.
When each command has been completed, the arrow marking the
command is erased.
A return code of 04 means error completion. The program
puts the error codes in the appropriate place in the
screen display.
Then it does whatever has been set up for error handling
in the O [error options] user command.
[Default error option is log any error and continue.]
8 MAXDOC
Main Menu choices
1. B [Bring buffer file] loads file into buffer.
This is the same exact function as G in the buffer menu.
You are prompted to enter the file name [with path if
desired], length in bytes, which buffer, and buffer start
address.
Either the whole file is loaded or the number of bytes
requested, whichever is less.
After the file is loaded, the buffer is displayed at the
start address requested, and you are in the buffer menu.
2. C [Clear entire buffer] fills requested buffer with 00,
but does not enter the buffer menu.
3. D [Data] saves buffer to file.
This is the same exact function as S in the buffer menu.
You are prompted to enter the file name [with path if
desired], length in bytes, which buffer, and buffer start
address.
The number of bytes requested are saved.
If a file by that name exists, it gets overwritten.
You stay in the main menu after the file is saved.
4. E [Execute commands] sets up which commands will be
executed and which options.
See the description under Executing commands.
5. G [Get command file] loads a previously defined command
file into the SCSI command list on the main screen.
This may also be done by naming the file when calling
the program. Example: maxtest cmds.
6. H [Help menu] displays the main help menu.
Any user command [any of the menu choices] may be executed
from the help menu if desired.
7. I [Initialize random/incrementing parameters] lets you set
the lowest and highest LBA and the shortest and longest
transfer length in blocks.
These parameters are used only when R or I is selected
as an execution option.
Defaults are LBA 0 to 2FFFFh, length 1 to 80h.
Current values are accepted just by hitting return at the
prompt.
Otherwise enter the desired number in hex.
LBA is a 4 byte number in hex [FFFFFFFF].
Length is a 1 byte number in hex [FF].
The last choice under I is whether to change the random or
incrementing parameters when each command is called or
for the whole command string.
When you execute only 1 command in the command list, this
doesn't matter. If you execute more than one, the numbers
being varied start from whatever was on the screen if the
choice was "by command" [1].
If "by command string" [2] was chosen, all the varied numbers
will be the same for each pass of the command string.
9 MAXDOC
Main Menu choices
8. L [List] returns to the main screen and menu from the
buffer menu, or redraws the main screen from the main menu.
9. K [Kill] deletes and re-initializes the current log file,
effectively erasing the contents but keeping the file.
10. M [Modify command] edits the SCSI command list.
See the description under Editing commands.
11. Q [Quit] leaves the program and returns to DOS.
12. R [Read buffer] enters the buffer menu.
See the description of the buffer menu under Buffers.
13. S [Save command file] saves the current set of commands
under whatever name and path you choose.
14. T [Table] displays the current directory. If more than
one screen is needed to display all files, you will be
prompted to hit a key to see the next screen.
15. U [Display logfile] displays whichever logfile you
choose. Options are Page up, Page down, Home [go to
first record in file], End [go to last record in file],
# [jump to a record number], Escape [return to main menu].
16. W [Write buffer] enters the buffer menu in edit mode.
See the description of the buffer menu under Buffers.
17. X [Execute commands] sets up which commands will be
executed and which options. [Same as E].
See the description under Executing commands.
18. Y executes the last command string with its options.
This does exactly the same as E and X, but without
requesting any user input. It just repeats the last
set.
19. Z [Zap] does a SCSI bus reset and a host adapter reset.
If synchronous is jumpered, a synchronous negotiation
is initiated. Z and F3 are identical.
[The host adapter will always respond to a target-initiated
synchronous negotiation.]
20. ? and / display 256 bytes of sense information for the
requested SCSI command.
10 MAXDOC
Main Menu choices
21. F1 sets block size. It is ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED that the
block size be correct. The host adapter has no way of
finding out except by this user command.
Blocksize is entered in hex, so it can be read from mode
sense.
Default is 200h [512 decimal] bytes.
If this is changed, use F1!
22. F2 sets a timeout in seconds for each command string
execution.
It times the execution of ONE command string; it is
reinitialized each time the command string is started
in a loop.
Default is 3600 seconds or 1 hour; maximum is 65535 seconds.
This default is long to allow for a format with certify.
You don't really need this to stop command execution
interactively, because hitting a key will stop it.
But it is useful if you are running in a loop.
23. F3 resets the host adapter and the SCSI bus.
If synchronous is jumpered, a synchronous negotiation
is initiated. F3 is identical to Z.
24. F4 displays the installed SCSI devices.
This function takes a few seconds to execute.
25. F5 displays the synchronous setup.
Warning: if F8 is executed after synchronous transfers
have been set up, this function still reports that
synchronous transfers are being used.
The default synchronous speed is 5 megabytes [200 ns],
and the default offset is 7.
MAXTEST cannot change these.
The target can negotiate down from here, but not up.
26. F6 allows setting the maximum transfer speed.
This is the transfer speed between the host adapter and
the computer, not the SCSI bus transfer speed.
But this is the maximum speed that the SCSI bus can truly
run, no matter what is negotiated.
Note that potentially asynchronous can run pretty fast also.
There is no arbitrary host adapter defined limit.
27. F7 allows suppressing screen update, to get the fastest speeds.
This does not affect the actual command execution timing, but
shortens the program overhead between command string
executions.
28. F8 does a SCSI bus reset, but the host adapter does not
initiate a synchronous negotiation.
This is a way to force asynchronous transfers.
Note that F5 still displays that synchronous is in effect.
Powering the drive off and on without resetting the host
adapter will also force asynchronous transfers.
11 MAXDOC
Main Menu choices
29. F10 sets the target ID for all commands on the screen to
whichever ID is selected. If the selected ID is the same
as the host ID, you will be prompted to pick another ID.
30. Control A calls the Data Transit Bus Analyzer.
The analyzer must be connected to a serial port on the
computer...either COM1 or COM2. The program will
self-configure to either port.
The baud rate in the program is 19.2K. Be sure the baud
rate switches on the Data Transit are set to 19.2K.
To use the analyzer, set it up first, start it, then
execute the command[s] from MAXTEST.
Analyzer setup can be done either from the buttons on
the box or from MAXTEST after executing Control A.
When you want access the Data Transit from MAXTEST,
select Control A.
If nothing appears on the screen, hit M for menu. If
the Data Transit doesn't respond in 2 seconds, a
message will appear on the screen telling you so.
Otherwise the screen and keyboard will behave as described
in the Data Transit manual.
The Data Transit owns the screen and the keyboard in
this mode, with two keyboard exceptions.
A choice of 'T' will print the screen. [In most cases,
so will the computer's PrintScreen.]
Escape will return to the MAXTEST main menu.
31. Control H displays the meanings of host adapter error codes.
These are returned in the column under STATUS HO [host adapter].
32. Control M displays all mailboxes.
Mailboxes are also displayed if you hit return to stop an
execution loop or a hang.
33. Control P will print the current screen. Use the computer's
Printscreen if it works, because DOS fights for Control P;
sometimes it does weird things.
34. Control S allows you to seed the random number generator.
This accepts a 4 byte hex number. The lowest byte must not
be all 0.
The same sequence will be generated from the same seed.
Note that the fill random in the buffer uses the same
random number generator, so will be affected by this function.
12 MAXDOC
Main Menu choices
35. Control T times the FIRST command in the command string.
Timing is in 1/3 of a millisecond increments, so this is a
rough timer....not the same as a logic analyzer.
It is useful for comparing the effect changes have made on
performance.
The timer is also slightly affected by computer clock speed.
At 8 mhz 1 less pass was averaged than at 20 mhz on my setup.
Timing starts when you select S under Control T, and continues
until you end it or leave the program.
So be sure to initialize it when you want to time something.
65535 passes may be timed, then it will overflow.
Four bytes of times are added up to average.
This could also overflow, but that's a pretty big number.
Timing results can be displayed [without stopping the timing]
by choosing D under Control T.
36. Control U [user choices] lets you select beep tones of low,
medium, or high for beep on error. It also allows some
choices of color. This choice is not offered on monochrome.
37. Control W turns buffer wrap on and off.
See the description of buffer wrap under Buffers.
13
