Section 2. Installing Your PlexWriter SCSI Drive
20
PlexWriter 12/10/32S Operation Manual
Install a SCSI Interface Board
By itself, your PlexWriter is incapable of communicating with your computer. You
must use a hardware link that enables your drive to “talk” with the rest of your
computer. The PlexWriter SCSI drive uses a SCSI interface as its link.
SCSI board already installed? Even if you already have a SCSI board in your
computer, it may not be adequate for use with your high-performance PlexWriter
drive. See “How to Choose a SCSI Board” below for more details. Then, if your
SCSI board is suitable, you can go directly to “Install a PlexWriter Internal SCSI
Drive” on page 22; or to “Install a PlexWriter External SCSI Drive” on page 28.
How to Choose a SCSI Board
Plextor’s technical support engineers have developed these recommendations for
choosing and installing a SCSI board that gives the best performance with your
PlexWriter drive:
•
Use a high performance PCI bus-mastering SCSI interface board.
•
Connecting the PlexWriter to a parallel-to-SCSI interface, or to the SCSI
interface on a sound board will slow the PlexWriter’s performance and is not
recommended. With this configuration, you will not be able to achieve maximum
rated writing or reading speed.
•
If you have a desktop PC, do not connect your PlexWriter drive to a non-bus-
mastering interface board (PIO). You will not be able to achieve maximum rated
writing speed with this configuration.
•
If you have a laptop computer, you can use a PIO PCMCIA card; however, these
cards allow for writing at 4X speed at best. To achieve full writing performance,
use a CardBus PCMCIA card.
Install the SCSI Board
This is a PlexWriter installation and operation manual—it is not a SCSI interface
board operation manual. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing which type of
board you elect to use. There are dozens of SCSI interface boards on the market, and
each is installed somewhat differently.
Use the instructions for this section only as guidelines. For more detailed instructions
on how to properly install your SCSI interface board, refer to the operation manual
you received when you purchased the board.
CAUTION: Be very careful not to cause static electricity. Static electricity is a silent
killer. Just a small jolt to one of the chips on your interface board may render it
useless with no apparent damage. To guard against static electricity, position your
computer in a location without a carpet underfoot. Also, use common sense—for
example, don’t walk on a carpeted floor in stocking feet just before you install your
SCSI board or PlexWriter drive.
