Beside the fact the adf-file needed to configure the computer is usually stored on the drivers disk, you need to divide between the drivers used by the OS of choice and the possible hardware resources list stored in the adf-file. Usually after installing a mca board you run the automatic configuration from the system reference disk (or a copy of it). During this process the adf-file of the board in question is copied over to your system reference disk, so you just need this disk if you ever want to change the config. The actual configuration is stored in the machines NVRAM while afaik a backup is stored on the system reference disk.
The driver (e.g. IBMSCSI.SYS for the IBM SCSI card) has to be installed to the HDD in a second step. Mostly there is a some setup routine or at least a readme with the instructins how to install the driver and link it to your startup files (config.sys and autoexec.bat).
Does your machine ask for the adf due to configuration change at every boot, or do you just lack driver due to thefact its on the reference disk and not availiable at startup?
What is the exact error message you receive?
Are you sure you have the right adf for the board you installed? What card are you trying to install and what driver disk are you using for it?
I am dealing with microchannel machines for more then 20 years now and never came across a behaviour like you describe it.
eisapc

@eisapc first thankyou for taking time to help me.

The computer is an old PS/2 55SX (386) I have bought recently.

First off, I need to say, and I don't know why, that this morning the computer has retained the settings, booting normally without the 165 ERROR and yesterday every time I unplugged it I had to run the reference disc. (has been all the night unplugged)

The SCSI card I would like to make it run is a "Mountain MCA SCSI Host Adapter PS/2 05-31338-01" as referenced by the ebay vendor.
As those computers has no ide standard connectors for floppy/hdd I was planning to use the scsi to add a "scsi2sd" card to use sd cards as hdd.
Before buying the scsi2sd adaptor I had at home an old Iomega ZIP scsi unit I thought I would test.

After this explanation I think I did the ADF installation correct as the card is being shown:

and also used the program "MCA IDENTIFICATION" to show exactly what the SCSI card is and to find its ADF driver.

But why if I enter in the "Set and view SCSI device configuration" the card is not shown? is it normal?

Thankyou
Gus

The reason the adapter is not shown in the SCSI configuration is due to the fact the topic can only be used with IBM SCSI adapters. If I remember right even an Adaptec 1640 can not be configured under this topic. I am not sure if you will be able to run a HDD or even a flash drive from the Mountain adapter as it was originally designed as a tape controller and probably uses a reduced SCSI instruction set. Meanwhile its ard to find any of the PS/2 direct bus attached drives (DBA) for the 55sx, and even if, they are limited to 10 MB. The easies way is to boot DOS of a floppy and use interlnk and intersvr via a parallel cable to use the drive of a more standard computer.
You can contact me via PM, I might have some smaller 60 or 80 MB drives still stored somewhere. But shipping from Germany may be expensive if you are located overseas.

eisapc wrote:

The reason the adapter is not shown in the SCSI configuration is due to the fact the topic can only be used with IBM SCSI adapters. If I remember right even an Adaptec 1640 can not be configured under this topic.

OK, then problem one solved.

I am not sure if you will be able to run a HDD or even a flash drive from the Mountain adapter as it was originally designed as a tape controller and probably uses a reduced SCSI instruction set.

Do you know of any SCSI that will suit me needs? or I think that it was an MCA to IDE card but it has been impossible to find.

The easies way is to boot DOS of a floppy and use interlnk and intersvr via a parallel cable to use the drive of a more standard computer.

Will investigate more this method, thankyou.

You can contact me via PM, I might have some smaller 60 or 80 MB drives still stored somewhere. But shipping from Germany may be expensive if you are located overseas.

I'm in Barcelona, relatively near !!! I appreciate your offer but for the moment I don't think it will be necessary. Thankyou.

Gus

Is the Model 55, 55LS reference diskette compatible with the Model 55SX version?

http://www.walshcomptech.com/selectpccbbs/

hello help me.. ibm 55sx... i replaced the battery from the cmos it keeps the time and date but it won't let me cinfigure the mca slots from the reference disk. it asks me to insert the related adfs.. the problem is that it doesn't even recognize the original hdd.. can you help me?

Diegov286c wrote on 2023-05-16, 14:13:

hello help me.. ibm 55sx... i replaced the battery from the cmos it keeps the time and date but it won't let me cinfigure the mca slots from the reference disk. it asks me to insert the related adfs.. the problem is that it doesn't even recognize the original hdd.. can you help me?

long time since the topic !!!
For stock hdd I don't know if you need any adf? Is there a "reset" or "default" options on the reference disk.
If you give time I can boot from the reference disk to see the option available, but not now, sorry.

any mca card I put with relative adf.. and its original hdd is not seen. I reprogrammed the 2 eeproms I reset the vram with debug..and I still don't see any mca slots..

Screen

Diegov286c wrote on 2023-05-16, 14:45:

Screen

There's also the "IBM PS/2 PC Server and Microchannel based systems enthusiasts" on Facebook with a lot of "tech"users.

I do not have Facebook

Welcome to the world of IBM!!!

EisaPC has done a bang up job so far (aka great). maybe he should rename himself to McaPC? ^.^

When dealing with PS/2 there are a five words to always remember. "because fuck you, thats why" - You might ask yourself why IBM made XXX decision, and I will always refer you back to those 5 little words. That said, once you have your brain wrapped around the idiosyncrasies of PS/2, it all becomes relatively straightforward. You actually kinda get used to the rake smacking your face. Also, this SCSI card thing is pretty common.

This is what I would do. Option 1 is to remove the ESDI card (might not be possible) and replace it with a IBM SCSI card. This will require making a new scsi cable (or if you're lucking buying one). This will let you use these replacement scsi "drives" and is honestly the easiest way once the initial hurdle is jumped. Option 2 involves getting a replacement ESDI drive. These drives are reliably un-reliable. You are better off using etch-a-sketchs as hard drives.

You can still use the scsi card you have, and its perfect for external drives, like Zip or CD. You can pretty much forget about booting off a non-ibm controller card. (esdi or scsi)

I do have a wide array of PS/2 machines as well, and ive gotten used to the IBM's song and dance. My PM's are open to anyone.

Diegov286c wrote on 2023-05-16, 19:01:

I do not have Facebook

You should !!! 😉
There are threads with new "mca 2 ide" or "sounblaster clone" cards.

i have several ibm ps/2 i have several mca cards.. having said that i'm not new in this world!! but I can't understand why both with mca card and without it always asks me for adf.. even if I put the correct adfs it doesn't recognize them!! I replaced the dallas with a motorola nvram and modified to put the quartz. but the result does not change! I searched on the net but I can't find anything about my case. error 165 persists (lack of configuration) even if I proceed with the reference floppy.

I'm on this group to find a solution. and not for having to join a facebook group. If you have any useful advice on my subject it would be appreciated

comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware is still active as a newsgroup.

To me it sounds like some corruption in the NVRAM.
Did you try to run the reference disk without any cards installed?
If the NVRAM is corrupted it may be necessary to configure the base system first, before adding any cards.
Are you sure you have the correct adf on your option disk?
qbmca from mcamafia.de can help to identify correct adf-file for the card.

Diegov286c wrote on 2023-05-17, 08:13:

I'm on this group to find a solution. and not for having to join a facebook group. If you have any useful advice on my subject it would be appreciated

It was another option to try to find a solution. But sorry for annoying you.
Good luck boy

ho provato senza nessuna scheda...mi richiede sempre i file adf sugli slot mca 1..2..3..4.. anche se non cè nulla..la nvram (dallas) sostituita con un motorola.. ma il risultato non cambiare!

you didn't bother me at all and my tone wasn't rude... on the contrary.. and I apologize if you had this feeling. but i hate facebook