EIIIxs boot issue/perpetural SCSI ID search HELP! Maiden in Distress!!!

[CuteMonique]

HELP NEEDED HERE
I recently secured my second EIIIxs & have gotten it and myself in a spot of bother. I'm hoping some nice lad can don his shining armor for me.

You see my little blue-eyed box (thats the EIIIxs) will no longer boot - cycling endlessly through a search of scsi ID numbers and the floppy drive. I've explored this forum & some similar experiences. Here's my situation.

- My EIIIxs came with internal scsci drive in place: OS installed & some banks
- It was booting perfectly & my quick appraisal of functions suggested it was a
   happy little unit. I was all set to install curtains on its display when....
- I set about configuring it to work with an external scsi CD drive, a Plextor within
  a Glyph Trip array.
- I set the EIIIxs to scsi ID 2 & no other "host" on the chain.
- With both units turned off I set the external CD drive to scsi ID 4, I placed a
  termination block on the CD drive's ext chaining port & I connected the CD drive
  to the EIIIxs with a 50 pin Centronics type cable
  (I didn't apply a termination block to the EIII's remaining ext scsi port as I
   understand its drive is terminated internally)
- I powered up the external CD drive then the EIIIxp, which started to boot from
  its internal drive only to stall in an endless scsi ID/floppy search.

I noticed these things .....
- it seems to skip scsi ID 2 in its looping search (the ID I had set the EIIIxs to)
- I turned the EIIIxs & CD drive off, disconnected things then rebooted the EIIIxs
  Still no boot and still trapped in its endless scsi ID search
- I noted that during my function check I "stumbled" onto the "lock disk" function
  and simply "escaped" that menu option at its top level, without
  selecting a drive to be locked. The unit did pause a little at this point.
- I've been starring in the mirror wondering why I hadn't created some OS floppy
 disks from the drive when it was working & why my hair isn't blonde!!!
- I have downloaded OMNIFLOP and an EIIIx v2.10 OS disk image to my ACER laptop, but I don't have a PC with an internal floppy drive to exploit this option.

Darn bother poop retro smetro.
What has happened to my little blue-eyed box?
Is the drive OK?
Where did I go wrong & am I on the right path to redemption?
Anyone???

[lubb]

... and your internal SCSI drive..? what SCSI ID it has..? you write: "I set the EIIIxs to scsi ID 2 & no other "host" on the chain." Since the EIIIX  internal hard drive was usually set to ID-2, there could be SCSI ID conflict. No two numbers on the SCSI bus can be the same. Now you have to boot the machine either from OS floppy (which you do not have  ), or change the SCSI ID of the internal drive (but no for ID-4, for it is used by your CD-ROM drive!...) The ID numbers of the internal hard disk can only be changed by internal jumpers.

[CuteMonique]

Thank you so much Lubb for looking at my issue.

When I say "I set the EIIIxs to scsi ID 2". This is a software setting on the SCSI page accessed through the front panel "Global" button.

I thought (mistaken?) that this was how/where one assigned the internal scsi drive number. Are you saying that the internal scsi drive ID number is assigned by opening up the units case and manipulating "jumpers"? Which would leave silly me wondering what the software setting is about ...

I've found and downloaded an image file of EIIIx OS v2.10 and also Omniflop software and after some phoning friends, a PC with a floppy drive. I've progressed as far as installing the software & drivers & success formatting of a floppy. My first two attempts to burn the OS image to floppy have failed. I'll keep working on this.

[lubb]

Both EIIIX and its internal drive must have their unique SCSI ID numbers. The software setting is possible for SCSI ID of the EIIIX only, not for the int. drive. If you want to change the ID of the int. drive, you have to open the case, pull the drive out, and change the ID by jumpers. To make a floppy with OS is the simplest way how to correct the issue...  Immediately after booting from floppy you should change the EIIIX's ID, I suggest to ID 5 or 6...  Then you can boot the machine from int. drive again. (EIIIX SCSI ID 5, int. drive ID 2, CD-ROM ID 4).

Anyway, if you do not succeed to make the floppy yourself, I could send you one.  Also, I could tell you how to change ID of the int. hard drive, if necessary.

[seamonkey]

I have absolutely zero technical knowledge regarding these things but in reading this thread I had several questions regarding the ID situation.
If the Elllxs's internal drive default setting is set to 2 and the cd rom is set to 4, would it be possible to set the Thextor drive to a number other than 2 or 4 since those are already being used?
It doesn't make sense to me to open up the unit and change the jumpers unless as a last resort.

If this is a silly reply, I apologize beforehand.

[dr.c]

An ABSOLUTE RULE : NO ITEMS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME SCSI ID than another.

Take OFF every SCSI connection of your machine.
Is it starting and working ?

If YES, see wich SCSI ID your INTERNAL drive is using, and as well, wich SCSI ID your EMU (the processsor) is using. After then, ANY OTHER UNIT MUST HAVE A DIFFERENT ID.

[CuteMonique]

Thanks so much for your advice Guys! 
My internet has been down (hubby installed a new phone and *(&$(*^%)

OK Where am I at

- I successfully created some new OS v2.10 floppy disks using the Skynet download and Omniflop. The EIIIxs booted from floppy & I immediately re-assigned the "software" SCSI ID to 3 (Global button > SCSI). I had previously set this to ID 2. With no SCSI devices connected the EIIIxs will now boot from its internal drive or floppy. Yippee.
It would appear that I created a SCSI conflict between the EIIIxs' ID setting and its internal drive. Naughty me. Spanky Spanky. One problem fixed now the other problem.

I STILL cant get the EIIIxs to recognize my external IOMEGA Zip PLUS.
- I TRIED booting the EIIIxs with the Zip PLUS set to SCSI ID 6 & already powered up. Again with the Zip set to SCSI ID 5 & already powered up. The Zip PLUS was the only external device connected. Nope.
- I TRIED the above with a Zip disk inserted and without. Nope.
- I TRIED each of three 50pin Centronics to DB25SCSI cables I have. Nope.
- Just so its covered. When I insert a Zip disk in the Zip PLUS drive it seems to spin up OK with no error message resulting viz no continuously flashing orange light from the Zip drive.

Now the rear of the Zip PLUS drive provides no termination switch (as on other scsi models). I understand the PLUS "auto-senses" termination. It provides only a switch for setting the SCSI ID to either 5 or 6. There are two ports provided, both of which appear to me to be DB25 (pin) SCSI ports with one being female the other male. Are these both SCSI ports?

To make matters even more interesting (read NOT REALLY!!!) I also own a Kurzweil K2000v3. Connecting the Zip PLUS to its SCSI port froze the Kurzweil and I know there was no SCSI conflict in this configuration..

Does this suggest there is something critically wrong with my newly acquired Zip PLUS drive? (Could it be yet another Ebay rip-off - they are becoming all too common in my experience - darn bother shite - wash my mouth with soap).

All knowledge thoughts experiences welcome
Oh My - the vagaries of RETRO life.

[lubb]

What logo is printed above the right port of the Zip drive (seen from rear), computer (parallel model) or rhombus (SCSI model), or  b o t h ..? Strange, Plus models (supported both by Parallel and SCSI) should have both DB 25 ports female...(according to the document below).. ?! But the schematic picture of the ZipPlus could be printed erratically here...

Look at this:
http://www.iomega.com/europe/support/english/documents/11382e.html

Try to determine which model exactly you have.

If you have really the Plus model, then read this:

"Note: If connecting a ZipPlus drive to a SCSI controller, the ZipPlus drive must be the only device on the chain."

It means, that your Zip Plus drive is not the only device on the SCSI chain, because there is also your internal hard drive...