From: Robb Masters Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi.hardware Subject: Non SGI CDROM Drives - Summary Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 12:57:39 +0000 Organization: CyberMagic Ltd Message-ID: <30F65AC3.41C6@cybermagic.net> This is a summary of all the messages I received about CD-ROM drives on SGIs. The table is wider than 80 characters, I'm afraid. Boots? = Does it boot? Works? = Does it generally work? Mods? = Were modifications necessary Maybe = Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't... Blank = information not supplied Notes = see the numbered notes after the table for more information CDROM Drive SGI Machine OS Boots? Works? Mods? Notes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apple 300 Indigo1 R4000 5.2 Yes 23 Mac 300e Indy 5.2 Yes 15 NEC CDR25, CDR26, Quad No 19 Plextor Power Indigo2 6.0.1 No 21 Plextor Indigo 5.3 Maybe 22 Sun Indy 5.3 Yes 13 Sun 4D/25, Indy 4.0.5 Yes 7 Sun 4D/25, Indy 5.2 Yes 8 Sun4 Maybe 5 Texel 4D/25TG No 12 Toshiba 3051B4X Indy 5.1.1 Maybe 10 Toshiba 3301? 2X model Indy 5.2, 5.3 Yes Yes 14 Toshiba 3301 4D/25 Yes Yes 3 Toshiba 3301B Indigo 5.3 Yes 20 Toshiba XM3301B Indigo (r3k, r4k) No Yes 1 Toshiba 3401E / 3401B 4D/25TG 4.0.5, 5.2, 5.3 Yes 11 Toshiba 3401B Indy 5.3 Yes Maybe 17 Toshiba 3401B 4D/25, 4D/35, Indy 5.2 Yes Yes Yes 2 Toshiba 3401bu Maybe 6 Toshiba XM3601B Indy Yes Yes 4 Toshiba XM3601B-S Indy 5.3 Yes Yes 18 Toshiba 'Quad Speed' Indy 5.3 Yes 9 Toshibas Indigo, Crimson, PI, Challenge 4.0.5c, 5.2, 5.3 Yes 16 Note 1 (from Kevin Glueck ) I have a Toshiba XM3301B (I think it's a B) that works for mounting stuff and reading, but I am unable to boot). I've been using it on an Indigo (r3k and r4k) for a while now... Note 2 (from Greg Douglas ) I am using a Toshiba 3401B, modified as per the faq, to boot & run on a 4D/25, 4D/35, and an Indy using Irix 5.2. Note 3 (from Greg Douglas ) Also, I used a Toshiba 3301 (stock) to LOAD IRIX onto a 4D/25. The faq (Dave Olson) says this can't be done, but it worked. I got SCSI errors, and had to re power the drive (without repowering the 4D/25), and I was able to boot sash, then the miniroot, then load the OS (5.2). Note 4 (from Michael L. Easterling ) We installed a Toshiba 3601 internal in the Indy's SCSI tower a few months ago and it hasn't missed a lick. Installation was no problem, just powered down, hooked up and rebooted. The OS did the makedev and after booting the CD icon appeared on the screen. I have sucessfully booted the OS from this drive and it is also exported. (My distribution stuff lives there) [The SCSI Tower] is a non-SGI part that I have put together myself. I purchased a four-bay tower that resembles the case for a small PC. It has a power supply and three internal fans to support devices that are usually internally mounted. As you know, INDY does not really support internal stuff, so I made this thing. It has worked impeccably so far with the CD-ROM, a DDS-2 DAT drive, a 4GB hard drive, and one free bay left. This has allowed me to add all of these devices very cheaply ($950 for the 4GB). A SCSI cable runs out to the box to an external connector. This feeds an internal ribbon cable with 4 device hookups. There is another external SCSI connection, but I just terminate on it. The box was only about $200. It is an XM3601B.. I got it because the bantering on the SGI newsgroups seemed to favor it. Notes 5 & 6 (from Josef Oldenburg ) I have a Sun4-CDROM and Toshiba 3401bu, when installing nonSGI software, sometimmes the drive are not recocnized with mediad. Notes 7 & 8 (from Brent L. Bates ) Sun CD-ROM used on Indy and 4D/25. Worked fine under IRIX 4.0.5, but stopped working under 5.2 Note 9 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba `Quad-speed' used on Indy 133MHz R4600 PC under IRIX 5.3. Hadn't tried booting. Audio intermittent, but everything else works. Possible cabling problem. Note 10 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba 3051B 4X on Indy under IRIX 5.1.1 Had trouble booting. No other information. Note 11 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba 3401E & external 3401B on 4D/25TG under IRIX 4.0.5, 5.2, & 5.3 Everything works fine, but can't test audio on 4D/25. Had problems with first Toshiba's they received because they had DEC specific firmware. Everything worked fine after they go the `standard' firmware. Note 12 (from Brent L. Bates ) Texel CDROM on 4D/25TG under IRIX ? Didn't have any luck. Note 13 (from Brent L. Bates ) Sun CD-ROM used on Indy under IRIX 5.3 Booted fine, but no other information given. Note 14 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba 3301? (2x model) on Indy under IRIX 5.2 & 5.3 No problems at all booting, using audio, or anything else. Note 15 (from Brent L. Bates ) Mac CD-ROM drive 300e on Indy under IRIX 5.2 No problems, but didn't give any specifics on what they tried. Note 16 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba CD-ROM's on Indigo2's, Crimsons, PI's, Challenges under IRIX 4.0.5c, 5.2, & 5.3. Everything works fine. Note 17 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba 3401B on Indy under IRIX 5.3 Worked fine for a Sun then transferred to Indy. Booted fine and installed IRIX 5.3 with out problems. Had intermittent problems with drive while system was up. Notes 18 & 19 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba XM3601B-S on Indy under IRIX 5.3? Everything works fine, booting, software install, etc. Tried NEC CD-ROM's: CDR-25, CDR-36, and Quad speed. None of them worked properly. Note 20 (from Brent L. Bates ) Toshiba 3301B on Indigo under IRIX 5.3 Hasn't tried booting from drive, but software installs work fine. Notes 21 and 22 (from Brent L. Bates ) Plextor on Power Indigo2 under IRIX 6.0.1 and Indigo under IRIX 5.3 Intermittently works on Indigo, but basically doesn't work on Indigo2. I contacted Plextor to see if anyone has gotten their 6x drives to work on SGI's, because I really wanted the fastest drive available, but all I got was run around from them. I could NOT get any specific information on WHY their drives don't work on SGI's AND I was SUPPOSE to be talking to one of their engineers. Dave Olsen even offered to help Plextor with their problems and they weren't interested. By the end of July, they are suppose to offer an EXTRA COST software driver to make their drives work on SGI's. After talking to the Plextor people, I'm not going to bother with them. The engineer didn't seem to know what was going on or didn't care. Their drives don't seem to obey standards whether they be written or de facto ones. I'm also not about to buy an EXTRA COST software driver for something that SHOULD be plug and play. I talked to a 3rd party reseller who tried Plextor's driver, it didn't work, so they are not going to sell Plextors. Note 23 (from ramon8en@euronet.nl ) We use a Apple 300 external drive (the one with the caddy) with an Indigo1 R4000 Irix 5.2. Works just fine and is cheap. One drawback, you cannot do stuff with music with it, like playing Music-CD's etc. But you kan use it for installing the OS and programmes. Summary (from Brent L. Bates ) No one seems to be able to get NEC CD-ROM's to do anything either and this is from BOTH network sources and `on the street' sources. [See also the FAQ on NECs]. It looks like if you buy a Toshiba with the latest `standard' firmware you have an almost guaranteed chance of success. If you have problems with a Toshiba you probably have one or more of the following problems: 1) bad cables 2) bad termination 3) out of date or non `standard' firmware. 4) old workstation and need the FAQ hardware fix to the drive I've also found out that the new Toshiba 3601's aren't really Quad speed drives, but 4.4x speed drives, so they should be a little faster than a plain quad speed CD-ROM. The Toshiba 3601's can be found for around $300 in the U.S. Thanks to all contributors. Robb ______________________________________________ Robb Masters, Internet Development Manager CyberMagic Ltd, ______________________________________________