From: Mehrtens_T@msm.cdx.mot.com
Subject: Asante compatibility problems
Organization: Motorola_Codex
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 19:02:29 GMT


  I'm having problems with Asante's EN/SC external SCSI ethernet device
(software 2.0), MAC SE, System 6.0.5, Mobius two-page '030 accelerator, and
MacPassword (v3.9.2)(site licensed).  When MacPassword kicks in its screen
saver, the SE will more than likely crash anytime between 30 seconds and 12
hours.  Pushing the interrupt switches has no effect - The MAC MUST  be power
cycled.  Someone told me this was a "double buss" error.  
  My immediate solution - Asking people not to use MacPassword (which is a
security requirement here). Doesn't this sound like MacPassword is only making
the problem more obvious, and that there is a different, real problem here?

  I have called Mobius and Asante.  Both were helpful, but neither service
representative ever heard of the ShareWare program MacPassword.  So I shipped
them demo copies of the program (3.8.7).  I am calling them back soon to check
on things.  Ten days, and they have not checked back with me.  I guess they are
all busy.  So am I, but I am required to check up with my user community from
time to time concerning outstanding problems.  Especially problems of this
magnatude.  Anyway,

  My users went and purchased a few SCSI 105 meg Quantum LPS drives (not MAC
specific drives), which they wanted to installed internally.  These drives were
not intended to be used in MACs (so the vendor states), but they work well as a
stand-alone drive.  After the drives came in, the users wondered how to mount
the units.  We had to order the internal hard drive adapter mounting plates,
cables, etc. separately from Apple.  And, we told them that we can not support
them if something goes wrong.  (but, how come you're supporting them now, you
say???)

  The day came to install the drives in these silly SE's with all of this other
stuff attached.  Well, lo and behold, the MAC will NOT boot when the Asante
EN/SC is connected to it, and the MAC will crash if I connect it after booting
the MAC.  Sounds like Asante's auto-terminator may not work 100%.  Yea, I did
the ole' terminator hop.  Found out that the Asante will crash if the internal
SCSI cable is taken off of the HD, but left connected to the motherboard (this
makes sense.  Noise, and all that rot) 8-{).  Funny, this doesn't happen when
we boot a vanilla SE with an Apple HD80 and a loose internal cable.  Hmmmm.

  Has anyone else had this type of eexperience with SCSI ethernet cards? 
Someone told me this is a common problem when using extermal SCSI ethernet
devices and monitors (like Radius, Mobius, et. al.).  I hate spending hours on
problems like this. :-<


Help! Suggestions?  Comments?  Flames welcome!  Post, Email, whatever you wish!


Tom Mehrtens <Mehrtens_T@msm.cdx.mot.com>
Motorola Codex had no control over this posting.  If they did, it wouldn't have
been posted.  My opinions only.  Mine! Mine! Mine!
A quote I just read . . . . . . . . . . 
   -    -     -      -       -        -
"A leopard never changes his stripes" 
           -- Al Gore, candidate for vice-president


You say potatoe, I say potato.  I guess foot in mouth disease is a prerequisit
for the candidacy for Vice President.

Xref: sparky comp.sys.mac.hardware:18185 comp.sys.mac.misc:17280