OSX and SCSI

[Sean Collins]

Richard:

I've always had problems with Adaptec software drivers and every 
release of OS X.  My solution may not work for you, but it's simple 
enough to try:

     DELETE (or move) the "Adaptec29160x.kext" file from 
System>Library>Extension folder and restart.

I use the Adaptec 2930 card, so I can't speak definitively for other 
cards or devices, but if they share some code base, it might work.

I have 2 older (pre-"New World") SCSI devices which I still need to 
use: a Castlewood ORB drive and an Imation 8x CD burner.  With OS X 
as-installed, Apple provides the "official" Adaptec released drivers 
for their current cards, in my case, the "Adaptec290X-2930.kext". 
This driver is DYSFUNCTIONAL with my devices!

With this driver installed, the Imation CD burner will only operate 
as a CD reader, and the ORB drive will not mount unless a disk is 
already inserted at startup.  With the driver removed, both drives 
operate as expected.

With every point release of OS X, the install reinstalls this driver, 
and I have to go delete it again.  The Orb and Imation drives work 
fine with the default generic driver which is also included in every 
OS X release: "Adaptec78XXSCSI.kext".

The downside is that deep sleep doesn't work without the 2930 specific driver.


>From: Richard Brown <richard at go2rba.com>
>Subject: Re: [MacDV] Re: OSX and SCSI
>Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 20:50:34 -0700
>
>There is definitely an issue here. I can no longer use my DLT tape
>drive for DVD mastering on OS X 10.3.3.
>
>My LVD SCSI card from Adaptec only occasionally can be seen by System
>Profiler, but usually not. It is quite NEW, and formerly very robust.
>
>I use quality, active termination, and had 100% success with SCSI prior
>to 10.3.3. Now, if it weren't for an amiable replicator who will
>master, fingers crossed, from media originating on the amateur
>Superdrive DVD-R, I would have body parts missing by way of an
>non-understanding corporate client.
>
>I tried reinstalling all drivers, moving the $300+ LVD SCSI card to
>different slots, different cables, different SCSI ID's different
>booting routines... and nothing would bring up this relatively new,
>under 30 hours of use, DLT drive, which passes its own self test every
>time it's booted. It has become a very expensive paperweight. As I need
>to author out of DVD Studio Pro, it is useless moving the thing to a
>machine not doing authoring, as I only have a 10/100 network. All those
>gigs.... Must be direct.
>
>Should I find a solution, I will post here.
>
>Richard Brown