Bootable SCSI

[docgonzo]

I am thinking about getting the Cheeta SCSI/15K/18 gig drive that is listed in the hot deals section for $200-250. In my reasearch I have read that the controller card needs to have on-board bios to make it bootable. But, a tech friend of mine says that is not the case anymore, only on older MOBO's. Is this correct? And if on-board bios is a must, (since it will be my only drive for a time) any leads on a decent card? The cards with on board bios seem to be astronomically priced.

Futher, how reliable is booting from PCI? Any one else have there board configured this way? I will eventually add more ide storage, and run OS and applications from the SCSI. Hows it work?

my system:
soyo dragon ultra (no snikering please)
P4 1.7
1 gig ram

Or should I go with IDE raid and save a few bucks and get 60-80gigs of mem? crap I go round and round

 

[bozo1]

Yes, it needs to have a BIOS to be bootable. The only SCSI host adapters that don't have an onboard BIOS are those that are marketed towards non-hard drives - a SCSI CD-ROM, tape drive, scanner, etc., and these are running the older SCSI standard, not Ultra160 which the Cheetah is.

How reliable is booting from PCI? Well, that's what we're all doing except the few that have a motherboard with on-board SCSI.

You're looking at around $180 for a decent Ultra160 adapter.

Skip SCSI and go IDE Raid? - that's entirely up to you.

What your 'tech' friend probably saw was the boot to SCSI option in most modern day BIOS's. All that does is give you the option to boot IDE or SCSI if you have both in a system. In the olden days, if you mixed IDE and SCSI in the same system, you had to boot IDE. Modern times you can choose which format you want to boot via that BIOS setting.

 

[docgonzo]

Thanks for input. Any one have any leads on afordable 160 SCSI cards. I have done Hours of surfing myself, and have a short list, but it is always worth asking. And what do i need to look out for? ie brands and scams...

 

[SuperSix]

<< Thanks for input. Any one have any leads on afordable 160 SCSI cards. I have done Hours of surfing myself, and have a short list, but it is always worth asking. And what do i need to look out for? ie brands and scams... >>



I like Tekram cards for the price/performace, but Adaptec is arguably the standard.

And yes, the card has to have a BIOS, and all cards that have the U160 interface you need have BIOS's.

 

[bozo1]

Tekram DC-390U3 or Adaptec 19160. If you get an 'oem' flavor of the adapter, make sure it comes with an LVD cable. If not, those will set you back around $30.

 

[WalkingDead]

Try the LSI Logic 64 bit U160 SCST card from $79-$145 from Hypermicro.

LSI Logic is THE SCSI standard. Their cards are supported by all the modern OS for PC & Mac. The reason why you don't hear much about LSI Logic is because they don't do retail. Their cards are mostly for OEM server equipments but Takram and Atto have been using a lot of LSI Logic SCSI chipset. Adaptec is not even close and you pay for the Adaptec name.

 

[docgonzo]

anandtech forums rock

 

[Sundog]

<< I have read that the controller card needs to have on-board bios to make it bootable. But, a tech friend of mine says that is not the case anymore >>


Your friend is incorrect.


<< Futher, how reliable is booting from PCI? >>


I can tell you that I have never had a problem once everything is correctly configured. My SCSI controller card(s) and HDDs and optical drives get moved from every time I upgrade (almost every 3-4 months or so). I can tell you that SCSI has been reliable every time for me, no compatability probs which is really nice (none except XP media player and the Plex 40x cd-rom on music cd playback only).