This release note contains information to help better utilize La Cie products with your Macintosh SCSI drives. We suggest you print this information out, and file it with your drive documentation. Information is included on the following topics:
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This Release Note accompanies Version 5.5.3 of Silverlining. Silverlining 5.5.3 is fully compatible with Apple Macintoshes with System 6 and System 7. If you are using a version of Silverlining prior to V5.5.3, you should upgrade your drivers to V5.5.3 for best operation of your Macintosh and SCSI drives.
1) You may be asking:
Q. "...Why are there 4 Silverlining floppies...?"
A. Enclosed are 2 sets of the SilverLining Program and Support disks. You will only need to use 1 set.
If you own a Quadra 900/950, PowerBook 100/140/145/170, Classic II, or any Macintosh that requires System 7, and you want to format and initialize a new hard drive, you will need to use the High Density (usually black) disks marked "With 7.0.1" to boot up your Mac and use Silverlining from the floppy disk. These disks may be used with the other Macs if you desire but it is not a necessity. These diskettes have a minimal System 7 on them that allows you to boot your Macintosh from a floppy, use Silverlining to format a new hard disk drive, or set up new partitions on your disk. Your Macintosh must have at least 2 MB of RAM and a high-density drive to use these floppies.
If you own a Centris, PowerBook 160/180, Duo, Color Classic, LC III, Quadra 800, or any Macintosh that requires System 7.1, and you want to format and initialize a new hard drive, you will need to create a boot disk combining a minimal System 7.1, the System Enablers, and Silverlining utilities. The disks will allow you to boot up your Mac and use Silverlining from the floppy disk. These disks may be used with the other Macs if you desire but it is not a necessity. The diskettes need to have a minimal System 7.1 on them that allows you to boot your Macintosh from a floppy, use Silverlining to format a new hard disk drive, or set up new partitions on your disk. Your Macintosh must have at least 2 MB of RAM.
How to create a working System 7.1 Silverlining Program disk:
In order to boot one of the new Macs (IIvx/vi, PB 160/180 or Duo) a "system enabler" must be in the system folder, and the machines can only start under System 7.1. The procedure to create a working Silverlining program disk is as follows. Please make sure to perform these modifications on a "working copy" of the Silverlining Program Disk (disk #3 of 4).
Step 1) With the Mac booted from its startup hard drive open the system folder and locate the System file and the System Enabler file. Using the duplicate command from the File menu create a copy of each of these items. Move them to the desktop of the Mac and close the System Folder.
Step 2) Remove the prefixes "Copy of" from each of the names.
Step 3) Open the System file, select all of the items (sounds and keyboard layouts) and throw them all away, close system file.
Step 4) Insert working copy of Program disk into floppy drive and open the disk icon. Drag the System & Enabler files from the desktop into the Mini System Folder on the floppy drive. Click OK when you get the prompt to replace items of the same name warning. Eject the floppy disk. Throw away the System file and the System Enabler from the desktop to avoid future confusion. You can now reboot your Mac from the floppy disk and run Silverlining.
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If you do not own one of the above mentioned Macs, you may use the other set of diskettes (usually white). These diskettes contain a minimal System 6 to boot up your Macintosh to utilize Silverlining.
The version of Silverlining is the same on both diskettes. The only difference between the two sets is that one set has a minimal System 6 and the other has a minimal System 7.
If you want a full System 6 or System 7 on your hard drive, or you want to upgrade to a newer System, you must install the System software from Apple's original floppies.
2) Quadra, PowerBook, and Color Classic Owners:
Your new La Cie hard drive is shipped with Apple System Software v6.0.8 and v7.0.1 installed on it. If your machine requires System 7.1 and a System Enabler, the drive will not boot your Macintosh until you run the System 7 Installer to update the system folder on your new hard drive. See your Apple documentation for further instructions on using the Installer to update a System already on a hard drive.
You only need a System on the disk you want to boot from. You do not need a System on each hard disk or volume.
Drives from La Cie have a new first-time boot option, that gives you a choice of System 6 or System 7.0.1. Please see the System 6 or 7 Read Me file for further information.
3) The following is the procedure to use to update the Silverlining SCSI drivers on a hard drive or cartridge:
a) Make an backup copy of the Silverlining diskettes that you will be using.
b) Boot from the copied floppy.
c) Transfer to Silverlining.
d) Select the drive that needs an update using Select Drive menu.
e) Click the update button that authorizes the update.
f) If more than one drive needs an update then go to select drive, and repeat steps d & e. Then quit and reboot to start using the new driver.
g) Install a copy of the updated version of Silver Volumes DA found in a suitcase on the Silverlining Support Disk.
h) Install the updated version of Silver Control by dragging it to the System folder icon and remove the copy of Silver Init from the System folder.
4) Before you use Silverlining to test your drives, you should disable any screen saver software you have running. These programs can disrupt the testing of your drive during extended tests.
5) To set up a ProDOS partition using Silverlining 5.5.3
Creating a ProDOS partition without the ProDOS Init installed will result in failure to init the ProDOS partition. The user is best advised to have the ProDOS init installed and then run Silverlining.
Here is a recommended procedure to set up ProDOS partitions:
- Create the ProDOS partition with Silverlining.
- Reboot. Avoid initializing the partition, when the Macintosh says that it is not a Macintosh disk or that it is damaged.
- Install the ProDOS File System extention into the system folder; if the ProDOS partition is set to mount at start-up it will mount the next time.
6) Known problems with Silverlining:
There is currently 1 possible problem in Version 5.5.3 of Silverlining.
b) If you run Silverlining under System 7 with Virtual Memory enabled and enough applications are active to force a swap while testing a drive, the Mac LOCKS UP with the SCSI bus hung and a reboot is required. This most likely shows up as: "I ran Silverlining and it crashed! After rebooting, I ran Silverlining and it worked fine."
7) PowerBook Rest Mode:
It is possible that users who use the SilverLining transfer loops will have problems with the PowerBook Rest Mode. There are two ways to avoid these problems:
1) Use the Macintosh read/write transfer loops.
2) Open the "Portable" control panel and option-click on the "Minutes Until Automatic Sleep" text. This will bring up a dialog which allows the user to disable the "Rest" feature of the PowerBooks. The disadvantage of this mode is that the battery drain is higher.
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La Cie has developed 2 cables to make easy connection between your PowerBook and La Cie drives:
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Apple has two different PowerBook SCSI Adaptor cables:
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La Cie has an adaptor that will allow you to connect between Apple HDI-30 cables and 25 pin devices, La Cie part #985-0029-00, a Centronics 50-pin female to DB25M.
This would be used to mate with Apple's existing HDI30 to C50 SCSI connector (M2538LL/A), and allow the PowerBook to be used with our Tsunami, Cirrus, and ZFP drives DB25F connectors.
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Almost all La Cie drives have built in switchable SCSI termination that allows you to easily set termination in your SCSI chain and not have to worry about external SCSI termnators.
Apple recommends two different types of external termination -- normal (grey) and FX (black).
The normal terminator is for all Macintoshes, except IIfx, Quadra series, and Laserwriter IIf and IIg. The FX terminator is for the IIfx, Quadra series, and Laserwriter IIf and IIg.
La Cie's switchable termination is active termination and is a superset to both the normal and FX terminator. If you are providing termination with the La Cie switchable termination, you do not need the normal or FX terminator.
SPECIAL NOTE TO MAC PLUS AND POWERBOOK USERS:
These Macintoshes do not supply TERMPWR to the SCSI bus, so external termination will not work reliably. If you have more than one or two SCSI devices, these Macintoshes rely on another SCSI device to supply TERMPWR. For reliable termination, make sure a La Cie SCSI device is providing termination, or another device is providing TERMPWR for external terminators.
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Q. What do I do with the original drive that was in my PowerBook, after I install the new La Cie drive?
A. Don't try to put it in your PocketDrive case; it won't fit, physically, because the Apple mechanisms are different enough physically to prevent proper connection of the PocketDrive's SCSI interconnect.
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No new information at this time.
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You must have at least one chassis and one hard drive cartridge for an operational system.
If you use La Cie's Silver Control, the cartridge will automatically mount when you insert a cartridge into the drive. If you don't use Silver Control, you must use Silverlining, the Silver Volumes DA, or some other SCSI mounting utility to mount the cartridge.
If you have a cartridge that won't eject, try one of the following:
- power down your drive and Macintosh
- disconnect the Express drive from your SCSI chain
- power up your Express drive, and wait for green LED to stop blinking
- depress the manual eject button, and cartridge should eject after a short delay
--or--
- restart your Macintosh
- try using the EJECT button in the Silver Volumes DA dialog
If the drive remains stuck in the Express chassis, call La Cie technical support for further assistance.
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PocketDrives are powered from the +5v available on the ADB connector provided with some Macintosh systems. When using ADB power, there is only enough power for one PocketDrive, one keyboard, and one mouse.
Not all Macintoshes can guarantee that enough power is available to power-up a PocketDrive. The Quantum mechanisms used in La Cie PocketDrives require 1 amp of +5v peak at power-on, and 250-350ma during normal operation. This taxes some Macintosh systems.
For reliable and dependable operation La Cie:
- recommends use of the AC adaptor when used with the PowerBook, Classic, Classic II, SE, SE/30, Portable, LC, and LC II.
- for the Mac Plus, despite what the manual says, there is NO floppy port power adaptor for the Mac Plus. The AC adaptor is required for operation.
- PocketDrives must be attached/disconnected from the Macintosh with the POWER OFF
- there are two mechanical styles for the PocketDrives--OSC and NSC; there is no upgrade path for customers as it is not necessary. However, when ordering extra accessories, like docks or tees, your order should specify case style. NSC cases have an extra slot in the drive case, and an extra plastic tab on the tees and docks. If the order does not specify, an OSC tee or dock will be sent╤OSC docks and tees work with OSC and NSC drive cases.
- to connect to PowerBook SCSI, you must purchase an HDI-30 adaptor, La Cie part #985-0030-00.
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The ZFP+ comes internally terminated and at first does not require external termination. If it becomes necessary to unterminate the drive, call La Cie technical support at (800) 288-9919 or (503) 520-1266. Our technical support staff will then assist you in the procedure to remove the internal termination.
Once the internal termination has been removed, you may use Apple's external terminators if you again need to terminate this drive in your SCSI chain. This will save you the effort of disassembling your drive to re-install the internal termination.
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Nothing new at this time.
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Nothing new at this time.
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Cirrus drives do not have a drive activity LED. Use the on-screen SCSI activity indicator provided with Silverlining formatting of the drive.
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What kind of cartridge should I use:
- different TEAC tapes are used with the 155 and the 600; they are not interchangeable
- La Cie uses the TEAC MT-2ST/N50 mechanisms in its Cirrus 155 Drive
- the Cirrus155 drives require the TEAC CT-600N or equivalent.
- La Cie uses the TEAC MT-2ST/F50 mechanisms in its Cirrus 600 Drive
- the 600 drives require the TEAC CT-600F or equivalent
- for 155 and 600 tape drives, we recommend TEAC or Maxell tapes
- La Cie uses the Archive Python 4320NT mechanisms in its Cirrus DAT Drive
- for DAT there are two cartridge sizes available 60M for 1.3 Gbyte and 90M for 2.0 Gbyte. The tape size determines capacity.
- for DAT we recommend Archive or Maxell tapes
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The Cirrus Optical checks all media for safe read/write operation before mounting a new cartridge. If it detects any problems in writing to the drive, it will mount the cartridge as read-only (write-protected). This is a safety precaution to prevent damaging data on the media.
Cirrus Optical specifications:
- Panasonic Model LF-3002; average seek time is 38ms
- we recommend Panasonic cartridges
- when we mount cartridges from another drive, we test it to see if it is compatible with our drive. If we can read it, we will mount it; if there are failures with our write testing, we will mount it as READ-ONLY.
- problems have been reported with compatibility with media formatted on some older 3.5" optical mechanisms. For example, early firmware versions of the SONY mechanism had a bug that required the user to format cartridges with software handshake loops for reliable operation in all Macintoshes.
3.5" MO Media:
Many vendors are selling MO media today, and it varies considerably in quality. We ship and sell Panasonic media, manufactured by OSC and MKC. The Cirrus Optical drive we sell can automatically adapt to a wide variety of media. However, it may not work reliably with low quality or no-name generic media. It may also have problems mounting media that has been formatted with other SCSI formatters that do not comply with Apple formatting and partitioning standards.
Every media vendor embeds an ID code in the control track of the media. This ID info tells the drive how to set the laser power level setting for the media. If the drive cannot recognize the vendor ID, it defaults to a predefined setting THAT MAY NOT ALLOW THE DRIVE TO WRITE RELIABLY TO THE MEDIA. Reads should be fine.
The Panasonic mechanism we use is a high speed drive╤that means the media is rotated at a higher rate than other drives. This higher rotational speed requires media that is higher quality. Therefore, for reliable operation we have to recommend Panasonic media.
The Time Drive utility found on the Silverlining Support Disk, or in the Utilities folder, will report results that may question the drive performance. This is because it takes one pass to read and three passes of the media to do writes to the disk. This will show as 900 RPM rather than the expected 3600. Time Drive was written with the assumption that a hard disk drive was being measured.
La Cie and Panasonic have also tested additional media. The following media has been found to work reliably in the Cirrus Optical:
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CAUTION: before you commit to a low-cost brand of media, test it thoroughly, to assure compatibility, and interchangeability with other drives.
If you use La Cie's Silver Control, the cartridge will automatically mount when you insert a cartridge into the drive. If you don't use Silver Control, you must use Silverlining or some other SCSI mounting utility to mount the cartridge.
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If you experience a head crash and you can see grooves or scratches on the disk, DO NOT USE that disk on any other SyQuest mechanism.
