Color Classic II won't boot from BlueSCSI V2

[biomayhem]

Hi,

I recently picked up a Color Classic II with a dead hard drive and tried to boot from a BlueSCSI v2 DB25 from the external SCSI port. The BlueSCSI was purchased form Joe's Computer Museum preassembled. All I kept getting is the floppy icon with flashing question mark. I've followed the instructions from the BlueSCSI website to the letter and tried a couple different SD cards but kept getting the same error.

Here's what I did:

1. Formatted SD Card (a 16GB and a 32GB) as ExFAT.
2. Installed System 7.5.3 then upgraded to 7.5.5 in BasiliskII to a 2GB HDD image.
3. Name the image HD60_512 MacHD.hda.
4. Copy the image to the SD card.
5. Plug the SD card into BlueSCSI v2 DB25.
6. Plug BlueSCSI v2 DB25 into the external SCSI port.
7. Turn on the computer.

Here is the content from log.txt in the SD card after trying to boot:

[12ms] Platform: BlueSCSI Pico
[12ms] FW Version: 2023.07.08-dev Aug 10 2023 15:51:08
Flash chip size: 2048 kB

=== SD Card Info ===
SD card detected, exFAT volume size: 29813 MB
SD Name: SPCC , MID: 0x9F, OID: 0x54 0x49

=== Global Config ===
Config file bluescsi.ini not found, using defaults
Active configuration:

=== Finding images in / ===
== Opening /CD3 Legacy Recovery.iso for ID: 3 LUN: 0
---- Configuring as CD-ROM drive based on image name
---- Image ready
== Opening /HD60_512 MacHD.hda for ID: 6 LUN: 0
---- Image ready
== Opening /HD20_512 Backup.hda for ID: 2 LUN: 0
---- Image ready

=== ROM Drive ===
Platform supports ROM drive up to 1692 kB
---- ROM drive image not detected

=== Configured SCSI Devices ===
* ID: 2, BlockSize: 512, Type: Fixed, Quirks: Apple, Size: 2097152kB
* ID: 3, BlockSize: 2048, Type: Optical, Quirks: Apple, Size: 663482kB
* ID: 6, BlockSize: 512, Type: Fixed, Quirks: Apple, Size: 2097152kB

Initialization complete!

Termination was set to ON and I also tried with and without USB power. The power light (white LED) would stay on and the blue LED would flash once briefly on boot but that's it. I also tried Mac Plus and MegaSTE hacks from ini.bluescsi.com and those did not work either. I also tried different images from SavageTaylor.com with various versions of Mac OS preinstalled (with proper naming) and none of them worked. At this point I'm wondering if the BlueSCSI is DOA or if there are other configs I need to add in the BlueSCSI.ini to get it to work.

Btw, the computer is able to boot from the original installation floppy disk that came with it. However, since it is in Japanese, I am not able to read it. Any help at this point is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[thellmer]

You removed or at least unplugged the old drive(s) and cable(s)? The log file seems to indicate the BlueSCSI is working and presenting the images properly.

 

[biomayhem]

You removed or at least unplugged the old drive(s) and cable(s)? The log file seems to indicate the BlueSCSI is working and presenting the images properly.

Yes, the computer came without a hard drive. The previous owner removed the dead drive prior to shipping.

 

[Forrest]

The BlueSCSI appears to be working properly. Do you have another external SCSI drive you can temporarily attach to the computer, to confirm the SCSI port is operating?

 

[biomayhem]

The BlueSCSI appears to be working properly. Do you have another external SCSI drive you can temporarily attach to the computer, to confirm the SCSI port is operating?

Unfortunately, I currently do not have any other external hard drive or another vintage mac to test to see if it's the BlueSCSI or the external SCSI port. I have a friend with a working Mac IIci I can try the BlueSCSI on but it'll probably have to wait until the weekend.

 

[Forrest]

Some Macs of that era will not boot properly without the 3.6V PRAM battery installed. Also you may try resetting the PRAM by holding down the Command Option P R keys just after switching on the power. Hold the keys down until you hear the bong sound and repeat.

 

[joshc]

Some Macs of that era will not boot properly without the 3.6V PRAM battery installed.

This doesn't apply to the Color Classic II and in any case it wouldn't prevent booting from a hard drive / SD card device.

Also you may try resetting the PRAM by holding down the Command Option P R keys just after switching on the power. Hold the keys down until you hear the bong sound and repeat.

This wouldn't help because the Mac is trying to find a bootable OS and it cannot. Clearing settings stored in PRAM isn't going to help it magically find a bootable OS. It's also weird advice to give when there is no PRAM battery present, so that's the same as the PRAM having been just reset anyway. No PRAM battery means nothing is kept in the PRAM in-between reboots.

=== Finding images in / ===
== Opening /CD3 Legacy Recovery.iso for ID: 3 LUN: 0
---- Configuring as CD-ROM drive based on image name
---- Image ready
== Opening /HD60_512 MacHD.hda for ID: 6 LUN: 0
---- Image ready
== Opening /HD20_512 Backup.hda for ID: 2 LUN: 0
---- Image ready

I think the problem is that it's, for whatever reason, not seeing the CD on ID3 of the SCSI bus. I don't know much about how the CD emulation works on a BlueSCSI.

When I have setup a BlueSCSI before, I have always set it to have a single image, set to ID0, and then I boot from another method (floppy, CD or another SCSI drive) to access an OS installer to then format and install onto the BlueSCSI.

Try with a known working image first, then experiment from there.

#4 RaSCSI image here should work and boot OK on your machine:

https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/piscsi-rascsi

I know you're not using a Pi/RaSCSI but these images should have a boot partition on them and so they should work with your BlueSCSI.

Hope this helps.

 

[Forrest]

Try pressing and holding the c key on boot up, to force booting from the CD

 

[Forrest]

(deleted)

 

[biomayhem]

Some Macs of that era will not boot properly without the 3.6V PRAM battery installed.

I forgot to mention it but a fresh PRAM battery was installed prior to my attempt to boot from the BlueSCSI.

I spoke with my friend who has an internal SCSI to SD. We'll give that a try tonight to see if it's the external SCSI port.

 

[biomayhem]

Okay, my friend brought over his SCSI to SD adapter and we put in the same SD card that I've put the HD images in. The computer was able to boot from it. So it appears there is something wrong with the external SCSI port. Damn.

Well, thanks for all the help and suggestions. I guess i made the assumption that the external port was working without testing. Guess I can assume that the BlueSCSI should be working and is not the problem.

 

[Forrest]

Oh well, hope you can get the computer fixed because it’s a rare model that was only sold in Japan.

 

[pfuentes69]

I would advise you to try with a single HD image and ensure it includes the right driver. I had problems with some Macs when using 2 or 3 images.
You can use the disk jokey tool to check the driver and update it if needed.
If it boots, then try adding more images.

 

[Chopsticks]

if you have no internal scsi drive connected and terminated then you probably wont have much luck getting a drive on the external scsi port to be seen by the mac.

for example both my SE/30'srefuses to boot from the external scsi if i have no internal drive.
basically SCSI needs to be terminated at both ends of the chain, so id be curious if your bluescsi v2 is recognized if plugged in with your friends SCSI2SD connected to the internal drive slot.

 

[Happy_Mac]

So I’m having the same problem. An internal Bluescsi v2 by JCM. Boots fine off physical hard drive but never sees bluescsi and I bought 3 of them. I assume there’s nothing wrong with the bluescsi as I believe Joe tests them and I mean come on 3 bad ones. I don’t think so. I will try a different SD card. I tried with terminator on and off. No difference. Used disk jockey. Single 1.84 GB partition. Even though everyone raves about the blue scsi, I’m not impressed. This is the 2nd Mac that doesn’t like the bluescsi. SCSI2SD always worked. Every time. Well here I go. Will report back. This is also for Japan Color Classic II with 575 motherboard.

 

[CircuitBored]

Even though everyone raves about the blue scsi, I’m not impressed.

You'll find plenty of skepticism regarding the blueSCSI on this site, trust me. I really don't care for them either. The v2 is supposedly "a lot better" but the v1 is so bad that that's hardly a high benchmark to reach.

IIRC you can run the ZuluSCSI firmware on certain v2 blueSCSIs, which might be worth looking into.

 

[Chopsticks]

Even though everyone raves about the blue scsi, I’m not impressed.

You'll find plenty of skepticism regarding the blueSCSI on this site, trust me.

people alwasy rave about things that are cheaper then the competition, sometimes they are actually better and sometimes theres trade offs. but untilll someone whos versed in electronics design and firmware design chimes in i wouldnt take anyones good (or bad) opinions as the default fact.
while many people have had great success using the bluescsi v1 and v2 there are just as many people who dont like it, or have had issues with it.


the long story is that the bluscsi v1 wasn't electrically compliant with the sink current allowed for the bluepill (it was being run way out of spec, and i question the validity of overclocking a chip to get better performance)..

the reason many people here ultimately weren't happy with it was mostly due the way the person who designed it addressed feedback regarding those issues at the time. perhaps im remembering wrong but i recall a bit of hostility there..

i haven't tried the V2 myself but from what ive (quickly) seen in the schematic it shouldn't have those same issues due to the level shifters needed/used to adapt the pico's 3v3 to the scsi 5v bus.
beyond that i haven't heard of many issues with it outside of some user errors regrading hooking up a SCSI bus or having the right hdd images etc.
However i haven't followed the V2 project so take my observations for what they are, merely whats ive observed and not necessarily hard facts.

if i get my hands on one at some stage ill probably do another deep dive on its implementation of a SCSI to sdcard solution, and maybe then ill have some more helpful information to pass along.

in regards to the sdcard, most deffinately try another couple different branded ones, its still relatively commond even today to have isssues reading sdcards and thats not really limitted to the bluescsi thats just accross the board with ardunio style dev. it really depends what kind of sdcard and FAT/exFAT libraries have been used in the firmware and if its using SPI accress or not etc.

 

[Happy_Mac]

So it was 2 incompatible SD cards. A 2GB Lexar and a 2GB Transcend both were not recognized by the BLUESCSI. So save yourself a lot of time and connect the BLUESCSI to the computer. If the green light flashes 5 times it doesn’t recognize your SD card. Get another one. If the green light flashes 3 times it recognizes the card but there is no compatible image on the card. Use Disk Jockey to make an image. The Mac didn’t seem to like 4096MB and only wanted to initialize 4046MB so that’s my experience. Start 8.1 Disk Tools or 7.5 and Initialize the drive. It should ask to do so when the floppy boots up. After that start the 7.5.3 or 8.1 install. Mine has a Performa 575 motherboard so I can do 8.1. The original CCII only allows os 7.6.1. I must say that the BLUESCSI is a bit of a PITA but good when it works I guess. Don’t be afraid to cuss.

 

[s_pupp]

A Sandisk industrial microSD works well with my external BlueSCSI v2.

 

[tt]

@biomayhem Did the issue get resolved?