DOCUMENT ID:  1154-02

SYNOPSIS:     Solaris x86 fails to boot from CD-ROM during installation

OS RELEASE:   

PRODUCT:      Solaris x86

KEYWORDS:     SCSI termination cd-rom mdb diskette installation error


SYMPTOMS:

During installation, the system reports an error indicating improper
SCSI device termination. 


DESCRIPTION:

This is a 'catch all' error that indicates that the SCSI device probe on
the MDB boot diskette is able to issue CDB's to the SCSI bus but gets a
time out or check condition while waiting for an acknowledgment from the
boot device.  It is a result of either the host adapter BIOS being
turned off on the SCSI controller, or an un-supported SCSI PLCC is
resident on the motherboard that must be disabled if not on the
supported list, or patched with an install driver from a monthly update
diskette if the SCSI chip is listed as being supported. 


SOLUTION:

Set the CD-ROM target ID to 6, run SCSI diagnostics to ensure that the
CD drive is recognized by the host adapter, ensure that the entire SCSI
subsystem is on the supported hardware list, make sure each device is a
supplier of termination power, and that only the two devices at the
physical ends of the SCSI chain are properly terminated.  If the SCSI
controller is built into the motherboard, it too must be supported by a
special driver available on the monthly driver updates for Solaris. 
Most on-board SCSI chips are not supported and will have to be disabled. 
Also, be sure to enable BIOS on plug-in type SCSI adapters. 

Order the latest driver update disk from either Order Operations or
Technical Support.  It contains drivers for the latest series of
semi-custom SCSI IC's, i.e.  . 

The ordering information for this driver update is currently part number
ISOS-210-FP-MA5 and is available by calling (415) 336-7459. 

Current SCSI drivers available on this release are:

                    BusLogic BT-542B
                    BusLogic BT-545S
                    BusLogic BT-646S
                    BusLogic BT-742A
                    BusLogic BT-747S
                    BusLogic BT-445S
                    Trantor T348 MiniSCSI-Plus Parallel
                    Adaptec AHA-2740/2742, AIC-7770
                    Adaptec AHA-1540/1542CF
                    Dell SCSI Array (DSA)



DATE APPROVED: 10/10/95