SyQuest SQ555 SCSI drive on a Mac OS 9.2.2 PDQ PowerBook G3

[giovariot]

Hello, I've been trying to read some SyQuest 44 MB HFS formatted disks through a SyQuest SQ555 drive.

I'm connecting it to a PDQ PowerBook G3 with Mac OS 9.2.2.

I've connected it via SCSI through a HDI-30 to DB-25 adapter and a new DB-25 to 50 pin centronics cable. The device is correctly terminated and I selected SCSI ID 4 on it.

Here are some photos of the setup: https://imgur.com/a/kSKLTTE

The thing is that SCSI Tools from 1987 shows that SCSI id 4 is currently connected, but any other tool only shows up the motherboard on SCSI id 7
Here are some pics from what the Mac is seeing through various SCSI support softwares: https://imgur.com/gallery/0Z0PE7J

I've installed:

• SCSIProbe 5.2 -> only shows CPU
  
• SyQuest Utilities 4.0.1 -> correctly shows devices on ATA and shows the SCSI bus, but it cannot find any SyQuest drive over it.
  
• FWB Hard Disk Toolkit 4.5.2 -> it only shows the internal drives and the CPU on id 7 if I open the SCSI configure panel
  
• SCSI Tools 1.0.1 -> shows ID 4 and 7 used, no other info shown.
  

Unfortunately I couldn't find the SyQuest drivers directly through the web archive of the old SyQuest website, so I ended up installing the SyQuest Utilities found here (https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/syquest-utilities-401) hoping this would be enough to let the Mac detect and mount the drive. But the thing is FWB HDT actually states it supports SQ555 drives, and it's also listed here (https://lowendmac.com/macdan/010511mu.html) as a solution for those who cannot find SyQuest drivers. So don't really understand what's going on.

I've tried any troubleshooting tip in the PowerBook G3 service manual and in "Sad Mac Bombs and Other Disasters" but can't find any solution. Does anyone have any suggestion?

Thanks in advance.

 

[giovariot]

I also tried any selectable ID on the device with and without the Apple terminator without luck, the only difference I was noticing was the used IDs shown in SCSI Tools.

 

[waynestewart]

Just a shot in the dark. Does either the powerbook or syquest supply term power?

 

[giovariot]

Just a shot in the dark. Does either the powerbook or syquest supply term power?

I honestly admit this is my first time using SCSI and I still have to understand what “term power” is. I mean, I got how it is supposed to work but I don’t really know how I should check for it either on the PowerBook or on the drive itself.