Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

[stevo1210]

Hello Everyone,

I wasn't sure where to put this thread because my Adaptec AHA-2940UW doesn't exactly have bad caps and isn't faulty either.

Instead I have a physically damaged cap.... The rest of the card looks OK I guess. Maybe with a few scratches here and there....

I let one of my friends borrow my Adaptec AHA-2940UW SCSI card so that they could use thier SCSI CD burner.
The cap in question is a Marcon brand cap. The markings on the cap read:

+85c
9741
7KM

On the other side reads:

Marcon (In an oval)
25V 10uf
CE-SS

The cap is bent 45 degrees with the board and I can see something like a metal bulge some out from the visible leg that is bent 45 degrees.
There's also another Elna cap on the board with a few dents on top of it.... I don't know if that one should be replaced too?? The ELNA cap on the other hand is 22uf 25V and also rated at 85c.

I haven't started up this SCSI card either because I fear that this damaged cap may cause and explosion or something similar or even damage my PC.

I'm not sure why.... but I can never get my SCSI Yamaha CRW4416S SCSI CD burner to work.... I haven't got any other SCSI devices apart from that Yamaha drive. I have heard that I need something called a SCSI terminator to make it work??
There are also a bunch of jumper pins behind the CD burner too. But I don't know how to configure it. The configuration pins have these labels:

* Terminator
* Block Size
* Parity
* ID Select (1,2,4)

I really want to use this CD burner because it looks and feels very high quality and it even has a cooling fan inbuilt to it.


Grrrr.... Why does everything that I lend out get broken these days??

Thanks.

[Newbie2]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

You should be able to find replacements for those caps.

[Topcat]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

That controller will auto terminate. Enable termination power on the back of the CDRW drive and set the controller BIOS to auto terminate, and it'll work. Leave the ID jumpers set open, as it'll detect as DEV0 if its the only drive in the chain. Does the drive detect, but not work, or not detect at all?

Those controllers are virtually indestructible!! I've never seen a bad one, and I've built a lot of old school servers with them. They're supported by every imaginable OS out there as well.

As for the missing/damaged cap, as long as its not shorted, it may work, you don't really have anything to lose by trying.... If the cap value is identified, you might try scavenging one off another junk device.... If not, I think those controllers can be bought for a couple dollars on ebay, if you can actually find one.....they aren't the easiest thing to come across anymore. The Adaptec AHA2940U2W or AHA29160 is a good replacement for it if you need one, those are still fairly easy to find and inexpensive.

[stevo1210]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

Well, the Yamaha CD burner was detected in Windows, but I couldn't read or write any CD's.
I got this SCSI controller in the USA when I was there last year and I used it only once and the CD burner didn't work so I gave up. Now that I know it auto terminates. I'm going to try using it again.

I also have another Adaptec SCSI controller. I think it's a newer model.... but I'm not sure about that. That one also came from the USA. It's smaller and the PCB is a light green colour. If I remember correctly it's an AHA-2930CU.

Oh, I forgot the photos before. I have photos now.

[stevo1210]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

The replacement cap doesn't have to be low-ESR does it?? I don't think the bent cap is low ESR because it isn't rated at 105c??.
I've already found a replacement cap online at my local electronics store for 25 cents.
When I replace the cap. Will it still be safe to use my 60W weller soldering pencil??.... I've used it to recap many motherboards and the results are great.

I can't wait until I replace the cap.... I really want to get that Yamaha CD burner working with this Adaptec SCSI card.

I just checked the CD burner and the jumper is on "Parity" and the second jumper is on "Terminator".... both jumpers haven't been moved since I got the drive. Which jumper do I change or are they already OK and that all I need to do is fix up some of my software settings?.

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

I did a search on the Internet and looked for the Marcon CE-SS series capacitor and I have no luck in the results.
I am trying to find out if this Marcon 10uf 25V capacitor is Low-ESR or not before I go out and purchase a replacement cap for this damaged one.

[Newbie2]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

A low-ESR cap is typical for computer applications. You should be able to put on a low-ESR cap and use the card with no problems.

You could get away though with a GP cap for a while.

[gonzo0815]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

At this location, i think Low esr isn`t necesarry, butsure it won`t hurt.

[stevo1210]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

I replaced the damaged cap today. The replacement cap is a Suntan 10uf 25V general purpose type cap (I know Suntan brand isn't very good, but at least it works for now). The replacement Suntan cap is a little taller, but doesn't interfere with anything else.

The card works with no issues so far. The red LED light is on which probably means everything is functiuoning perfectly.

There's only one small problem right now. My Yamaha CRW4416S SCSI CDRW drive is detected in Windows and at the SCSI card POST screen. But I cannot read or write any Discs. Everytime I put a disc in, the CD drive icon in My Computer remains the same and when clicked on says: "Invalid Disc Structure". I'm currently using Windows 2000 and it can tell if there is a disc in there or not, but can't read the disc.

The two jumpers on the back of the drive are currently on "terminator" and also "parity".
I have some idea of what terminator means. But I have no idea what the parity one is?.... Could that be the problem??

I also entered the SCSI BIOS setup and in the "termination" category, it is currently set to auto.

Thanks.

[pentium]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

I love those scsi cards. They work in almost anything.
From sgi's to my old dual Ppro system they are the most incredible cards I have ever seen.

[kc8adu]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

didnt those old scsi yamaha drives have a 512/1024/2048 sector jumper?
i remember such a thing in the old days.
that drive had a caddy and a big exposed area of the board.

I replaced the damaged cap today. The replacement cap is a Suntan 10uf 25V general purpose type cap (I know Suntan brand isn't very good, but at least it works for now). The replacement Suntan cap is a little taller, but doesn't interfere with anything else.

The card works with no issues so far. The red LED light is on which probably means everything is functiuoning perfectly.

There's only one small problem right now. My Yamaha CRW4416S SCSI CDRW drive is detected in Windows and at the SCSI card POST screen. But I cannot read or write any Discs. Everytime I put a disc in, the CD drive icon in My Computer remains the same and when clicked on says: "Invalid Disc Structure". I'm currently using Windows 2000 and it can tell if there is a disc in there or not, but can't read the disc.

The two jumpers on the back of the drive are currently on "terminator" and also "parity".
I have some idea of what terminator means. But I have no idea what the parity one is?.... Could that be the problem??

I also entered the SCSI BIOS setup and in the "termination" category, it is currently set to auto.

Thanks.

[gastorgrab]

Re: Adaptec AHA-2940UW issue.

The two jumpers on the back of the drive are currently on "terminator" and also "parity".
I have some idea of what terminator means. But I have no idea what the parity one is?.... Could that be the problem??

I just pulled two of my Yamaha burners off the shelf that i once had connected to a 2940UW. The parity jumper is set on both.

The UltraPlex40 is the same way.

None of the 'Terminator' pins has a jumper.
.