I took a poll a long time ago to find out what kind of successes and failures people were having with various 3rd party CD-ROM drives on SGI's and I've been adding to the list ever since then. Below are the results of that poll plus any related discussions I've seen in comp.sys.sgi.*/info-iris-* messages. All comments are from the original poster.
As a general rule, trying to use a CD-R(W) drive to boot from or even to try reading from it after the system is up and running isn't a good idea. Most of these drives report themselves as `WORM' drives, which seems to confuse the sytem. A lot work when written to, but don't work well when trying to read from them. It is usually best to just get a plain Toshiba CD-ROM drive for booting from and reading CD's.
Apple 600e(Matsushitsha/Panasonic?) on Indigo2 & Indy's under
unknow OS. Didn't work
Apple 4x Unknown SGI hardware & OS. No audio & had to manually
mount discs.
APS T 3501 (Toshiba 3501) on Indy R4600PC@133 under IRIX 5.3
Everything works fine: boot, OS install, audio, etc.
Cyberdrive? 12x on Indigo2 does not work.
Mac 300 on Indigo R4000 under IRIX 5.2
OS installs ok and other CD's work ok (mini root?), no audio.
Mac 300e on Indy under IRIX 5.2
No problems, but didn't give any specifics on what they tried.
Matsushita CW-7502 on Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.x
won't read CD's at all. Writes discs just fine.
Matsushita CW-7502 on R5K Indy running IRIX 6.2. Booted inst, but
had problems reading additional CD's from mini-root. After booting
system, drive worked to install rest of CD's.
Nakamichi 2x Changer on Indy R4400 under Irix 5.3.
Booted fine??! Nothing else worked.
NEC 3Xe Unknown SGI hardware & OS. Will not boot miniroot, but
will read CD's with modifications to Dave Olson's `scsicontrol'.
Make changes to ~4Dgifts/examples/devices/devscsi/dslib.c as follows:
244c244
< fillg0cmd(dsp,CMDBUF(dsp),G0_MSEL,save&1, 0, 0,B1(datalen),B1(vu<<6));
---
> fillg0cmd(dsp,CMDBUF(dsp),G0_MSEL,(save&0x11),0,0,B1(datalen),B1(vu<<6))
After drive is mounted, execute as root: scsicontrol -b 512
This problem is fixed in 6.2
NEC's: CDR-25, CDR-36, and 4x No one seems to be able to get
them to do anything. This is from BOTH network sources and
`on the street' sources.
NEC MultiSpin 4x Indy running IRIX 5.3. Booting and OS
install from miniroot fine, but will not work from multi-user level.
NEC MultiSpin 6Xe
1. Indy R5000. Could boot from it just fine.
2. Unknow SGI hardware. Booted from IRIX 6.2 CD and installed IRIX 6.2.
3. Couldn't get drive to work so returned drive.
NEC's: CDR-512 on Personal Iris 4D/35. Will not boot from CD-ROM
drive. `hinv' sees it.
NEC 32x & 40x installs and reads fine on Indigo, Indy, Indigo2,
O2, Octane, & Octane2.
NeXT (Sony?) on Indigo2 XZ under unknown IRIX level.
Can read data discs, but mediad doesn't seem to consistenly recognize
the disc. The method that seems to work is to run cdplayer, notice
that *it* recognizes it as a "Data Disc", quit cdplayer and then wait
for mediad to kick in and mount up the disc. cdplayer doesn't seem
to work.
Panasonic KXL-D740 on Indigo2. Booted and mounted CD's.
Philips 2600 on Indigo. Booted from drive.
Pioneer DR433 (12x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Audio over SCSI worked.
Pioneer 466S (12x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5. `successful
tested', no details.
Pioneer 602X multi-disc changer. Can't get access to even one
disc.
Pioneer DRM-604X multi-disc changer on SGI under IRIX 5.3.
Got it to work with a 3rd party driver, however, it is very unstable
and can easily crash the whole SCSI buss for long periods of time.
Pioneer DR-966 on Indigo2 running IRIX 6.2. Doesn't work at all.
Pioneer DRU 24x on Indigo. No reported problems. Does boot from
drive.
Pioneer DVD-ROM (model # unknown) on Indigo, Indy, Indigo2, and O2.
O2 boots CD's from DVD-ROM ~every other time. Others don't boot at all.
All read CD's fine (at 20x CD-ROM mode). SGI doesn't have support for
reading DVD-ROM media.
Pioneer DVD303S (6x DVD/32x CD-ROM) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Audio over SCSI worked.
Plextor 4x on SGI's under IRIX 5.2 & 5.3 have had mixed
results. For some people it works `fine' for others it has caused
system crashes. Suggestion is to get drive with 1MB cache and not
the 256K cache.
Plextor 6PLEX on 4D/35 & Indigo running IRIX 4.0.1, 4.0.5F,
5.2 and 5.3. Software installation fine don't know about booting.
Had mediad problems. No audio over SCSI.
Plextor 6x
1. On Power Indigo2 under IRIX 6.0.1 and Indigo under IRIX 5.3
Intermittently works on Indigo, but basically doesn't work
on Indigo2.
2. On Indy booting and installing was no problem, but it didn't
work with mediad.
Plextor PX12TSI (12x) on R3K & R4K Indigo, Crimson, R4400
& R10K Indigo2 with IRIX 4.0.5 - 6.5.4. Worked for everything,
booting, reading, and audio. Did have some problems with mediad with
early versions of IRIX 6.5, but started working again with 6.5.4.
Plextor 12Csi (12x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Plextor 8/20 CD-RW on Indigo & Indigo2's from IRIX 5.3-6.5.
Unclear on what was tested.
Plextor 12/20 & 40 on Indigo & Indigo2's from IRIX 5.3-6.5.
IRIX install worked fine. No other information available.
Plextor 12/20 on Octane running IRIX 6.5.19. Reads data CD's fine.
Does not play audio CD's using SGI software. Does work with 3rd party
software either through headphone jack or Octane audio system. Booted
an Indy from drive with IRIX 6.5.19 CD, but did not try to install OS.
Plextor (`latest model' Nov. 2000) on Octane. Doesn't work.
Plextor 20TSi (20x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Plextor PX-32TSis on 4D/35 & Indigo running IRIX 4.0.1, 4.0.5F,
5.2 and 5.3. Software installation and audio over SCSI fine don't know
about booting.
Plextor Ultraplex (32x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Plextor UltraPlex 32x on numerous Indigo's, Indy's, and a 4D/35.
`Works' but no specifics on what was tested.
Plextor UltraPlex 32x on Octane running IRIX 6.5.19. Reads data
CD's fine, boots and installs OS from drive too. Have not tested
audio.
Plextor UltraPlex 40x on Indigo R4K, Indigo2, and Indy boots
fine. Hasn't tested audio over SCSI. No information on what else was
tested.
Plextor 40x on R4400 & R10K Indigo2's under IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Could not boot or read from drive.
Plextor 40x on R3000 Indigo. Install worked fine.
Plextor PXW8220 on R4400 & R10K Indigo2's under IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Would not work.
Sanyo 4x on SGI & Sun, hardware and OS unknown. Full extent
of `working' unknown.
Sony CRD-254V on Indigo2 R10K IMPACT. Booted original IRIX 6.5 base CD's,
however, does not read any other CD's tried and does not do audio over SCSI.
Sony CDU 415 on Indy. Successfully installed Irix 6.5 with it.
Sony CDU 415 on Octane, Origin, & O2. Caused all kinds of
scsi errors.
Sony CDU-512 Personal Iris 4D/35. Didn't work at all.
Sony CDU 541 on Indy. Didn't work well.
Sony CDU 76S (SCSI 1, 1x) on Indy. Mediad didn't work, but
manually mounting it did work.
Sony 924S 2x4 on Indigo2? System boots from drive fine.
Sony XM-4101BME on Indigo2? System will not boot from drive.
Sony CDU-8012 on Indigo2? System will not boot from drive.
"Spirit Technologies" Unknown SGI and OS. Installed software,
read ISO-9660 CD's, and recognized but didn't play audio CDs.
Didn't try booting.
Sun 1x & 2x Unknown SGI hardware & OS, didn't have much luck.
Sun on Indy and 4D/25
Worked fine under IRIX 4.0.5, but stopped working under 5.2
Sun on Indy under IRIX 5.3
Booted fine, but no other information given.
Sun4 on unknown SGI and OS level. When installing non SGI
software, sometimmes the drive is not recocnized with mediad.
TEAC CR-50 on unknown SGI and OS level. Booted fine, was in
middle of inst when it crashed and left hard drive with next to
nothing on it.
TEAC CD-R 55S (4x/12x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5. `successful
tested', no details.
TEAC CD-R 55S-600 (6x/24x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
`successful tested', no details.
TEAC CD-R56S (6x/20x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
TEAC CD-R56S 600 Indigo2 R4400 running IRIX 6.5.13m.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal. From PROM,
has problems with copied install CD's. Later reported that drive
failed to work more often than it worked, so they don't recommend it.
TEAC CD-R58S (8x/24x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
TEAC CD-516S & CD-532S 32x on 4D/35 & Indigo running
IRIX 4.0.1, 4.0.5F, 5.2 and 5.3. Software installation fine don't know
about booting. Had mediad problems. No audio over SCSI.
TEAC CD-532s 32x on Indy running IRIX 6.2, also numerous Indigo's
and a 4D/35.
TEAC CD-ROM 532S (32x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Audio over SCSI worked.
TEAC CR unknown model on Indigo2 SGI and unknown OS level.
Would not boot, however, could read after system up.
Texel 4D/25TG under IRIX ?
Didn't have any luck.
Texel DM-5024 on Indy R5000 under IRIX 6.5.7. Booted IRIX.
Toshiba (various models) on Indigo2's, Crimsons, PI's, Challenges
under IRIX 4.0.5c, 5.2, & 5.3. Everything works fine.
Toshiba 3301 on 4D/25 got SCSI errors, and had to toggle power on
the drive (without repowering the 4D/25), and I was able to boot sash,
then the miniroot, then load the OS (5.2).
Toshiba 3301? (2x model) on Indy under IRIX 5.2 & 5.3
No problems at all booting, using audio, or anything else.
Toshiba 3301B on Indigo under IRIX 5.3
Hasn't tried booting from drive, but software installs work fine.
Another person tried booting this type of drive, but it failed.
Toshiba 3401E & external 3401B on 4D/25TG under IRIX 4.0.5,
5.2, & 5.3. Everything works fine, but can't test audio on 4D/25.
Had problems with first Toshiba's they received because they had
DEC specific firmware. Everything worked fine after they go the
`standard' firmware.
Toshiba 3401B
1. On Indy under IRIX 5.3 Worked fine for a Sun then transferred
to Indy. Booted fine and installed IRIX 5.3 with out problems.
Had intermittent problems with drive while system was up.
2. On 4D/25,4D/35, & Indy under IRIX 5.2 with FAQ hardware mods.
Boots & runs.
3. Indigo running IRIX 6.2 (must be R4x00?).
Toshiba 3401bu on unknown SGI and OS level. When installing non
SGI software, sometimmes the drive is not recocnized with mediad.
Toshiba `Quad-speed' used on Indy 133MHz R4600 PC under IRIX 5.3.
Hadn't tried booting. Audio intermittent, but everything else works.
Possible cabling problem.
Toshiba 3501B 4x on Indy under IRIX 5.1.1
Had trouble booting. No other information.
Toshiba 3501 (4.4x) Indigo2's running IRIX 6.2 & 6.5.
Can boot from CD, install from CD's, and read as normal.
Toshiba XM3601B on Indy and Indigo2. Works fine for everything,
including booting.
Toshiba XM3601B-S on Indy under IRIX 5.3?
Everything works fine, booting, software install, etc.
Toshiba 3701 on Indigo2. Mediad, miniroot, other CD's all work
fine. Audio didn't work.
Toshiba XM3701B 6.7x
1. On Indigo2. Mediad, miniroot, other CD's all work fine.
2. On Indigo2. Mediad, miniroot, audio, and other CD's all work fine.
Had to upgrade firmware to: Version No. 005, ROM Version NA60123
Toshiba 350x, 360x, 370x on Indigo, Indy, Indigo2, O2, and Octane
running IRIX 6.2, 6.3, 6.5. All work just fine for booting and OS
installation.
Toshiba XM-3701TA on Indigo2 Impact. Works fine plus booting.
Toshiba 3801 under IRIX 6.2 & 5.3. 6.2 refused to see it, 5.3
was a little more forgiving, but only marginally.
Toshiba 3801 on Indy R4K PC under IRIX 6.2 Boots, installs, and
reads data discs fine, but doesn't do audio over SCS.
(`scsicontrol -I' output: TOSHIBA CD-ROM XM-3801TA0207)
Toshiba XM-3801B on Octane. Works for a while then stops.
Toshiba XM-4101B on Indigo R3000. Boots fine from CD-ROM.
Toshiba 5401B on unknown SGI. Mediad, miniroot, and audio all
work fine.
Toshiba 5701 12x in Indigo2. Drive isn't seen by system until
system is brought up to PROM level and then reset. Second boot will
then cause system to see the drive from then on. Miniroot boot works.
Has some problems with audio CD's if not started from beginning.
Another person hasn't had any problems, maybe different firmware
levels?
Toshiba 6201B (`32x') on Indy. Reads distribution media.
Is checking other capabilities.
Toshiba 6201B (`32x') on Indigo2 & O2. No reported problems.
Toshiba XM6401 (`40x') on Indy. No reported problems.
Toshiba 6401 (`40x') on Octane and Indigo2's running 6.5.
No problems on Octane. System boots mini-root FAST, can read all sorts
of CD's, including playing audio over the SCSI buss. Indigo2's had
some minor problems booting from CD-ROM after a power cycle. If system
is reset after a power cycle then it will work fine. Newer PROMS are
not suppose to have this problem.
(`scsicontrol -I' output: TOSHIBA CD-ROM XM-6401TA1009)
Toshiba 6401 (`40x') on Indigo2. Works 100% if connected to
external buss, but not when install inside case. (Probably an early
PROM version).
Yamaha 8x4x24 on R4000/250MHz Indigo2 Elan running IRIX 6.5.17m
worked for install and burnind CD-R's. Also did a 6.2 install from
scratch on new drive.
Yamaha CDR400c 1.0b Indy R5000 under IRIX 6.2. This is actually
a CD-R drive being used as a CD-ROM drive. Reads all SGI CD's fine,
has problems with audio, ISO 9660, and HFS CD's (The ISO 9660 problem
could have been a software bug that has been fixed since I got this
report, April 1997). Boots into mini-root fine too. (Proper jumpers
were set to have drive default to 512 byte/sector mode.)
Yamaha CDRW-2100SXZ 16x10x40 (LightSpeed) on Octane running IRIX
6.5.15m and later. Reads all media fine. Don't know about audio.
Has not tried booting from drive. Gear Pro writes to it with no
problems.
Yamaha 16x10x40 on Indigo, Indy, Indigo2, O2, Octane, & Octane2
worked for install, read, and burnind CD-R's. O2 and Octanes can burn
at 16x. Indigo2 also at 16x if system under light load (mediad & Web
servers off). All burn at 8x with no problems.
Yamaha CDRW-4416S on Indy. Does not boot. mediad doesn't like
it. Manual mounts work, however, SCSI bus reset each mount!
Yamaha CDRW-4416S 1.0f 8x8x24 R4400 & R10000 Indigo2's running
IRIX 6.5. It reads *all* cd's fine (ISO9660, EFS, audio, etc..).
Can't boot from drive even in 512 byte/sector mode.
Yamaha 8x8x24 R4400 250MHz Indigo2 Elan running 6.2. Booted and
installed 6.2.
Yamaha CRW-4260 on Indigo2 under IRIX 5.3 & 6.5. Does not boot,
reads and writes fine.
Yamaha CRW-4260 on Octane (R12K/300) under IRIX 6.5.23. Shows up in
'hinv', however any attempt to access SGI EFS CD give `no media' errors.
Yamaha CRW-6416S 1.0c on Indigo2 R10000 under IRIX 6.5. This is
actually a CD-R drive. Drive showed messy results, only ISO9660 could
be read properly, no booting, audio ripping or playing. Writing seemed
to work, but was not encouraged enough to test it thoroughly.
Yamaha CRW-6416S 1.0d on Indigo2 R10000 under IRIX 6.5. This is
the same CD-R drive as above but with newere firmware. The drive
works great! All CD's readable and writable both CD-R and CD-RW
(with cdrecord 1.9). Drive bootable, audio over SCSI
Yamaha CDRW-8824S 1.00 8x8x24 on O2 running IRIX 6.5.9m-6.5.14m.
It reads *all* cd's fine (ISO9660, EFS, audio, etc..). Can't boot
from drive even in 512 byte/sector mode.
Yamaha 8x8x24 on R4000/250MHz Indigo2 Elan running IRIX 6.5.17m
worked for install.
Yamaha 16x10x40 on R4000/250MHz Indigo2 Elan running IRIX 6.5.17m
worked for install.
I contacted Plextor to see if anyone has gotten their 6x drives to work on SGI's, because I really wanted the fastest drive available, but all I got was run around from them. I could NOT get any specific information on WHY their drives don't work on SGI's AND I was SUPPOSE to be talking to one of their engineers. Dave Olsen even offered to help Plextor with their problems and they weren't interested. By the end of July, they are suppose to offer an EXTRA COST software driver to make their drives work on SGI's. After talking to the Plextor people, I'm not going to bother with them. The engineer didn't seem to know what was going on or didn't care. Their drives don't seem to obey standards whether they be written or de facto ones. I'm also not about to buy an EXTRA COST software driver for something that SHOULD be plug and play. I talked to a 3rd party reseller who tried Plextor's driver, it didn't work, so they are not going to sell Plextors.
NEC CD-ROM's, in general, have a questionable reputation. Some people have gotten some of their drives to work at various levels, and others have not. It is probably a good idea to stay away from this manufacture unless they start making better drives.
It looks like if you buy a Toshiba with the latest `standard' firmware you have an almost guaranteed chance of success. Special SGI specific firmware is NOT needed. If you have problems with a Toshiba you probably have one or more of the following problems:
For a list of 3rd party CD-ROM suppliers check out Third party CD-ROM Suppliers for SGI's
Tape Drives,
Hard Disks,
Joysticks,
Magneto Opticals,
Memory,
CDR's (Writeable CD-ROM's)
If you have any additions, corrects, or updates to the above information, please email me at: blbates@vigyan.com, thanks.
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Last update: March 19, 2007