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    AST RESEARCH, INC.         TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 1161A               2-15-96

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          SMP Quantum 1080S Firmware Update Procedure For AST Servers With
    			   The DAC960 RAID Controller

    PROBLEM

    Quantum 1080s hard drives may intermittently drop off-line during system
    operation, when used in conjunction with the Mylex DAC960 controller.

    CAUSE

    Command line queuing.

    SYSTEMS AFFECTED

    Any AST servers using the Empire DAC960 RAID controller, with
    QUANTUM 1080S fixed disk drives with firmware below revision 1220.

    PARTS AFFECTED

    230135-132   Quantum 1080s hard drives with firmware revision 1220 or lower

    PARTS REQUIRED
    AST PART NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION

    501294-001      DPT PM2022 SCSI Controller and Cable
    SCSIFLSH.EXE    Quantum and Seagate Firmware Update Utility
    		To be downloaded from AST's BBS and other On-Line! Forums.

    SOLUTION

    Upgrade the firmware to Quantum 1080s hard drives with rev.1220 or higher.

    PREREQUISITES

    Download the self-extracting file SCSIFLSH.EXE from AST's BBS and follow
    the README instructions.

    File SCSIFLSH.EXE can be found on AST's BBS (817) 230-6850 for 2400 Baud
    through 28.8k bps, in the "Systems" file area.  The above file will also be
    posted on:

    CompuServe
    Go ASTSUPPORT

    World Wide Web
    URL: http://www.ast.com

    For AST's world wide BBS numbers, see Technical Bulletin # 1500 (1500TB.TXT)
    on AST's BBS and other On-Line! forums.

    Although, if performed correctly, the firmware update should not disturb any
    data on the drives, AST highly recommends that all data be backed up before
    performing this firmware update.

    CAUTION

    An ESD Ground Strap should be used whenever handling hard drives or
    circuit boards.

    PROCEDURE

    Follow the procedure below.

    Install the DPT SCSI Controller.

    1.  Power down the system.  Open the front and side doors.
    2.  Locate an unpopulated EISA Bus Master Expansion Slot
        (Slots 1,2,3,4,6,8 on the Manhattan SMP are Bus Master Slots).
        Remove the Expansion Slot Bracket and install the DPT PM2022
        EISA SCSI Controller in the slot. Close the front and side panels.

    Configure the DPT and Disable the Mylex Controller.

    3.  Insert the "EISA System Configuration" disk in drive A and turn the
        computer ON.  When the "Welcome" screen appears, press  until
        the "Main Menu" screen comes up.  Select "Configure Computer" using
        the , and press .  The system may ask for a
        !DPTA410.CFG file.
        If this is the case, remove the "EISA System Configuration" disk and
        insert the "Quantum and Seagate Firmware Update" disk and press
        .
        When asked to reinstall the "EISA System Configuration" disk, press
        .
        When the next menu appears, select "Step 3:  View or Edit Details" and
        press .  Scroll through the items until you find the "Mylex
        DAC960's BIOS 16K Base Address" field and press .

    (NOTE THE CURRENT SETTING OF THIS FIELD.  YOU WILL NEED TO RESTORE THIS
    SETTING LATER).

    Select "DISABLE" and press .
    Press  to return to the "Configuration Menu".
    Select the "Save Configuration and Exit" option and press  three
    times.  Once the system Reboots, turn the power OFF.

    Connect the Quantum 1080s drives to the DPT Controller.

    4.  With the Power OFF, open the front and side doors.  Connect one end of
        the provided SCSI ribbon cable to the  DPT Controller. (NOTE: The red
        stripe on the ribbon cable should be orientated to pin 1 of the DPT
        controller).

    5.  Locate a Channel that contains Quantum 1080s Drives to be updated.
        Disconnect the ribbon cable to that Channel from the SCSI Backplane
        attaching to the Mylex DAC960 Controller.
        Connect the DPT Controller to the SCSI Backplane.
        (Note: The red stripe on the ribbon cable should be facing the Power
        Connector on the SCSI Backplane).

    Perform the firmware update.

    6. Insert the "Quantum and Seagate Firmware Update" disk in drive A and
       turn the computer ON.  After the Memory tests the DPT Controller will
       display important BIOS information containing the BIOS revision.
       For example,

          AST SCSI BIOS   Rel 2.B

          Controller:     PM2022A/9X  v05B.0

    where 2.B is the BIOS version.

    7.  After booting off the "Quantum and Seagate Firmware Update" disk,
        select the appropriate device driver for the DPT's BIOS version.
        Select the one that exactly matches the controller in your system.

    (WARNING: Do not attempt to update the drives with the improper device
    driver loaded.  This will permanently destroy the drive's BIOS.)

    If the DPT BIOS is not supported on the menu, contact AST's Technical
    Support at (800) 727-1278 for assistance with this Technical Bulletin.

    8.  The Firmware Update Utility will display all drives connected to the DPT
        controller, along with their current firmware revisions.  It will then
        present a menu offering several choices of which model of drive to update.
        Choose the number beside "Quantum 1080S - update firmware to 1220."
        The program will then search the SCSI Bus for Quantum 1080s drives.
        When prompted to download the firmware to the first 1080s with the
        lowest SCSI ID, choose "Yes" once.  The next prompt will ask if you want
        to update the next 1080s (if one exists).  Choose "No".

    (NOTE: The system will hang when attempting to update more than one drive
    at a time with the DPT controller.)  Choose "No" to any other drives that are
    attached.
    The Update Utility will then download the firmware and verify that the
    download was successful.  This takes approximately 30 seconds.
    If successful, the utility will exit to DOS.

    9.  If  there are more Quantum 1080s to update, reboot and repeat steps 6
        and 7.  This time choose "No" to the first drive, "Yes" to the second
        drive, and "No" to all others.  Repeat this process until all 1080s drives
        on this channel are updated.  Turn the power OFF.

    10.  Disconnect the ribbon cable from the SCSI Backplane and reconnect the
         DAC960 cable.  If there are more Quantum 1080s drive to update on
         different Channels, return to Steps 5 through 10 until all Quantum 1080s
         are updated.

    Remove the DPT controller.

    11. With the power OFF, open the front and side doors.
        Remove the DPT Controller and re-install the Expansion Slot Bracket.
        Close the front and side doors.

    Enable the DAC960 BIOS.

    12. Insert the "EISA System Configuration" disk in drive A and turn the
        computer ON.  At the "Welcome" screen, press  until the "Main
        Menu" screen comes up.
        Select "Configure Computer" and press .
        When the next Menu appears, select "Step 3: View or Edit Details" and
        press .
        Scroll through the items until the "Mylex DAC960's BIOS 16K Base
        Address" field comes up and press .
        Restore this field to the original base address before the modification and
        press .
        Press  to return to the "Configuration Menu".
        Select the "Save Configuration and Exit" option and press  three
        times.
        Once the system Reboots, power down the system.

    Verify all drives are On-line and operating normally.

    13. Insert the "Mylex DAC960 Utilities" disk in drive A and turn the
        computer ON.  Once the system boots, the "Disk Array Configuration"
        menu appears.  If it does not, type MOUSE and press .  Change to
        the A:\DACCFG directory, type DAC960CF and press .
        Select "View / Update Configuration" with the mouse. All the drives
        should be On-line. If all the drives are On-line and operating normally,
        "Quit" this utility and restart the system.  If any drives are not On-line,
        refer to the "AST Disk Array User's Manual" to restart the drives before
        continuing.

    14. Restart the computer and load the Operating System.

    This concludes the Quantum 1080s Firmware Upgrade Procedure.