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[matt3k]

I just purchased a Mercury SSD 60 GB drive and the Acard ARS-2000SUP SATA to SCSI adapter.

I get a unit is not a disk (type 3) when I read the drive in hdtoolbox.

I have it hooked up to my warp engine. I have tried turning on Parity via the acard.

Sometimes it doesn't see the drive. I have tried 3 different hd tool boxes , 3.1, 3.9, and the one that came with the warp engine.

The 3.1 version is the only one I can get into read the drive and give the error, the warp engine refuses to see it, 3.9 won't let you select the drive stating it isn't required type.

Any ideas???

[shaf]

SDD's are fairly new, Is there a firmware upgrade for the ACard adapter? it might require a firmware fix to detect the drive.
I just checked the compatibility list for SDD's the Mercury drive is not listed, it also appears that the ACard Firmware hasn't been updated since 2010.

[danbeaver]

Has nothing to do with the SSD, they are backward compatible (but Amy's have no trim control) with regular drives and work fine if you want to use them (for a task that is overkill). I suspect the fault lies in the Acard device. I'm not familiar with the one you have, only the 7720 SCSI to IDE. The info sheet on the ARS-2000SUP says it is an Ultra (?wide) SCSI Interface, that the firmware may need to be modified, and to check the compatibility list for supported SATA drives; under SSD's your OWC Mercury drive is not listed. Whew!

I just use a Acard 7720u/w with a $5 IDE to SATA interface and everything works. I get my Acards from Mech's site for ~ $100 and Mech can flash the correct firmware for you. Mech is an expert and either loves to help or does a fine job of pretending; give him 24-hours for an email response

As far as an SSD, I got one when NewEgg had a sale, plugged into everything, took speed ratings, decided it was better of in my Toshiba notebook and left it there.

Don't F--- with the parity, it is what helps define SCSI 1 from SCSI 2 (along with other good stuff like sync).

In summary, try emailing Mech (Mike) for his opinion, but if Acard says you drive is not compatible, you could take up the issue with them

[matt3k]

Thanks for all the help. Silly, I thought it would have worked as easy as other adapters I have used for mating different technologies. Especially since mousehouse reviewed one on this site... http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=59096

Lesson learned.

The OWC drives auto trim in firmware, that why I have been using them.

I will try Mechware, he has been great help in the past, that is a great idea thank!

[matt3k]

Here is what I have learned:
- Acard adapter has the latest bios.
- Acard and Mercury SSD work fine together in my pc via PC SCSI Card.
- Neither Warp Engine SCSI or A3000 SCSI even see the device anymore.
- Tried almost every combination on the Acard to get it recognized except The WE jumpers.

To my logic since:
- Mousehouse got this device working in his 3k
- The Acard and SSD work in a pc

It should therefore work...

Mech suggested I get the patch from aminet for optical drives and HDToolbox. I will test that.

Any ideas out there???

[danbeaver]

Mech would be the expert, but I just have a feeling it is your Acard device. Pick up an IDE-to-SATA adapter and try it without your Acard using an Amiga IDE interface. My OCZ 128GB SSD showed up on every interface I threw at it: the A4000's IDE (Native), the built-in A4091, the CSPPC, and a Silicon Image 3112 based controller on the Mediator in OS 4.1. I found that a real UW320 15K HDD (Atlas II with SCA 80 interface) was quick as or quicker than the SSD, which is why I put the SSD in my laptop.

Barring those options, lend it to someone you trust who can test it in a different Amiga environment (setup). If you fail to find someone you trust, you can send it to me and I'll test it (and, yes return it); I still wouldn't trust me

[ElPolloDiabl]

All modern drives (Just over a year) have 4k clusters instead of 512 bytes. SSDs have had this for a while, not sure which ones are 512 bytes.
I would assume this makes them incompatible with any older OS.

[danbeaver]

Originally Posted by ElPolloDiabl

All modern drives (Just over a year) have 4k clusters instead of 512 bytes. SSDs have had this for a while, not sure which ones are 512 bytes.
I would assume this makes them incompatible with any older OS.

I've not found that to be the case, new drives are compatible with older OS's; plus you can change the cluster from 512 up 32K during the install/format process. I've hooked up an SATA 1TB hard drive to my Amiga without any problem, as well as the OCZ SSD as stated above.

[mechy]

Originally Posted by danbeaver

I've not found that to be the case, new drives are compatible with older OS's; plus you can change the cluster from 512 up 32K during the install/format process. I've hooked up an SATA 1TB hard drive to my Amiga without any problem, as well as the OCZ SSD as stated above.

I've had reports from a good few people that they simply cannot get some SSD's to work, Unfortunately i dont have a list of what does and what does not. I am guessing its a firmware on some SSD's and i doubt the issue can be fixed. Regular HD's dont seem to ever have this problem.

I've been talking with matt and he's been through all the normal stuff of changing scsi cables etc to eliminate most trouble.

Last thing i suggested was to plug in a regular ide hd into the acard setup and verify it on the amiga. that should tell if its a compatibility problem.

[mechy]

Originally Posted by matt3k

Here is what I have learned:
- Acard adapter has the latest bios.
- Acard and Mercury SSD work fine together in my pc via PC SCSI Card.
- Neither Warp Engine SCSI or A3000 SCSI even see the device anymore.
- Tried almost every combination on the Acard to get it recognized except The WE jumpers.

To my logic since:
- Mousehouse got this device working in his 3k
- The Acard and SSD work in a pc

It should therefore work...

Mech suggested I get the patch from aminet for optical drives and HDToolbox. I will test that.

Any ideas out there???

Mfgs change firmwares in stuff constantly,so it may be why his ssd works and yours does not. You can barely count on getting 2 devices that are identical even if the part numbers match these days firmware wise-case in point see how many flash versions there were for the Acard.

You say the amiga recognized it before but not now? Smacks of a bad scsi cable. Do you have term power(not the same as termination) enabled on the Acard? its a long shot but maybe your A3000 has the term power diode backwards-many had this problem from the factory(pin 25 on the external scsi connector should have +5v).Enabling term power on the acard might help. Be sure the acard has termination on also.

The patch for optical disks will most likely do no good, since you dont have the same error(iirc its type7 for removables ?) it was just a shot in the dark.

test a regular ide HD or cf adapter and cf on it to verify the combo works.

[danbeaver]

Or send it to someone who can check it out fully from an Amiga perspective

[Duce]

Never had an issue with a SSD in any of my Amiga systems, which include a MOS Mini, an A1200 (both IDE SSD drives), and dual 32 GB SATA SSD's in my SAM.

[matt3k]

Never thought this would have been an issue since mousehouse reviewed it and since the work perfect together in a pc. If a pc SCSI card can read the disk through the Acard perfectly, I really would have thought it would work perfect in the Amiga...

Doesn't make sense, everytime I got a drive to work in a pc in the past it always would work in an Amiga... But it doesn't work so go figure...

I'm not sure sending the duo to anyone will bring different results, if someone can give me a reason why there Amiga SCSI or Warp Engine SCSI is different then mine, I'm game...

I have another mercury SSD in my powerbook running MOS and she is fine. The other drive is a PATA not a SATA though. Perhaps Amiga based SCSI isn't compatible with Acards conversion of this particular drive???

[danbeaver]

I'd go with Mech in this case; i believe that he is an expert in these things. He can also sell you an Acard 7720 as well as put new firmware in them. Maybe you can convince him to pin down the problem between the card and the drive.

[matt3k]

Quick update...

I tried a Sata hard disk to see if would be recognized on either controller without any luck.

The cables work with good old fashion scsi hd's so I know they work.

I can put my ide controller in to see if I can read a ide drive but I don't see a point in it.

Anyone out there have a sata ssd drive in an Amiga 3000 or warp engine out there?