Chapter 9

Installing Drives in the Internal Bays

This chapter describes how to install and configure small computer system interface (SCSI) hard-disk drives in the internal drive bays. Up to three 1.6-inch SCSI hard-disk drives can be installed in the internal hard-disk drive bays.

NOTE: You should install only SCSI hard-disk drives in the internal drive bays; install SCSI CD-ROM and tape drives in the external drive bays.

Dell PowerEdge 2100 systems have a built-in Adaptec AIC-7880 ultra wide (fast-20) SCSI-2 controller on the system board, accessible via a 68-pin SCSI connector on the system board. This single-channel SCSI controller fea- tures active termination, which provides for better signal quality at fast SCSI-2 speeds. You can attach a variety of SCSI devices (hard-disk drives, tape drives, and so on) to the built-in SCSI controller, which configures all devices attached to it as one subsystem—not as independent devices.

NOTE: If you choose to install an additional or alterna- tive SCSI controller card, install the card as described in “Installing an Expansion Card” in Chapter 7. Before installing the card, be sure to check the documentation that accompanied it for information on configuring the card. When installing and cabling the devices, use the general SCSI configuration guidelines provided in the following section; check the documentation that accom- panied your SCSI controller card and/or your SCSI devices for any additional configuration requirements.

SCSI Configuration Guidelines

Although SCSI devices are installed essentially the same way as other devices, their configuration requirements are different. To configure your SCSI subsystem, follow

the general guidelines offered in the following subsections.

SCSI ID Numbers

Each device attached to the SCSI host adapter must have a unique SCSI identification (ID) number from 0 to 15.

NOTE: Any narrow SCSI devices installed in the exter- nal drive bays will require SCSI ID numbers less than 7.

When SCSI devices are shipped from Dell, the default SCSI ID numbers are assigned as follows:

The computer’s built-in SCSI controller is config- ured through the basic input/output system (BIOS) as SCSI ID 7 (the default ID number for a host adapter) if the system includes a CD-ROM or tape drive.

NOTE: If only wide SCSI hard-disk drives are con- nected to the built-in SCSI controller (no CD-ROM or tape drives), it may be configured as SCSI ID 15.

A SCSI CD-ROM drive (installed in an external bay) is configured as SCSI ID 5.

A SCSI tape drive (if installed) is configured as SCSI ID 6.

The drive you intend to use as your boot device should be configured as SCSI ID 0. You can configure any additional hard-disk drives to any of the still- available SCSI ID numbers.

If Dell installs additional SCSI hard-disk drives in the system, they will be configured as SCSI ID 1 and SCSI ID 2.

NOTE: There is no requirement that SCSI ID numbers be assigned sequentially or that devices be attached to the cable in order by ID number.

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Dell 2100/200, 2100/180 manual Installing Drives in the Internal Bays, Scsi Configuration Guidelines, Scsi ID Numbers

2100/180, 2100/200 specifications

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