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Re: Motherboard with Adaptec 2940



> I am thinking to buy a motherboard with SCSI controller.  A local 
> newspaper advertised Iwill motherboard with Adaptec 2940U Ultra SCSI
> controller.  Does Debian support such motherboard?  The manufacturer
> has a web site @ http://www.iwill.com.tw
> I appreciate it if someone could tell me pros and cons after used 
> the board.

Hi.

I myself considered buying MB with on-board  SCSI adapter, though
it was Asus P2L97-DS and AIR P6LDX-S. The AIC7880 SCSI chip (the one
used in 2940UW) is supported by linux, but you can always expect any
surprise from Adaptec - a little change in SCSI BIOS and you are out
of luck (at lest for a while). In any case BusLogic SCSI adapters are
*MUCH* better supported. 
So the only PRO is that you save one PCI slot for something else.
The CONS are: worse supported adapter, practically impossible
to attach any external devices. (MB doesn't have external scsi slot,
you can daisy-chain the connector from the internal one, but SCSI bus
length limitations would not allow you to attach no more than one
external device, if you are lucky.) Length restrictions also apply for the
case of PCI adapter and though more easily fulfilled with the same number
of devices, any serious system should consider having 2 SCSI adapters
(if you do not plan to use IDE at all), and not only for SCSI bus length
reasons. So, the real alternatives are: SCSI MB with another PCI (Adaptec,
mixing two brands of adapters is probably not good idea) SCSI controler
and non-SCSI MB with 2 BusLogic Adapters. The second is much better,
and cost only about $150 more.

Alex Y.
-- 
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 |      _ 7           |            Alexander Yukhimets            |
  \    (")            |       http://pages.nyu.edu/~aqy6633/      |
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