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((x-posting to multiple groups...))

Issue:

Client is experiencing mouse/keyboard freeze problem using HercGUI on
his Dell Server running Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition
whenever a SCSI tape device is defined in his Herc configuration.
(He's running an MSVC 2006-04-05 version of Herc w/HercGUI)

His box is a very powerful 4-processor (quad-proc) Xeon
hyper-threaded to look like an 8-way.

He's only using (he only has) one and only one tape drive physically
connected to this box. It's an Overland tape drive (not sure what
model). He's using a Sony device driver with it (AIT 35GB). The SCSI
adapter being used (that the tape drive is connected to) is an
Adaptec AHA-2944UW.

I myself experience very similar problems on my dual-proc Windows
2000 Professional/Server system whenever my own SCSI tape drive (a
Fujitsu M2488E) is used with Windows: very "jerky" mouse movement
(periodic freezes) whenever there's no tape mounted on the tape
drive, but not whenever a tape is mounted. It's very weird.

I'm sure it's Windows, but am having a hard time tracking what's
going on, and of course Microsoft support is no help whatsoever.

The problem only seems to occur whenever a tape is NOT mounted on the
drive.

If there IS a tape mounted on the drive, the problem does NOT occur.

If no tape is mounted on the drive, querying the drive status in
Windows ("GetTapeStatus" Win32 API) "hangs" for about 10 seconds.
It's crazy. (But then this *is* Windows afterall, so almost nothing
about it is surprising to me anymore.)

I have not tried to see if the problem occurs on other hardware since
I'm too lazy (and too incompetent when it comes to frickin' with PC
hardware (have had too much bad luck in the past)) to try it on my
other systems. (Doing so would take too much effort, moving the SCSI
adapter card from one system to the other, reinstalling all the
drivers, etc).

MY QUESTION is... (what I'm wondering is)...

Whether or not the issue may or may not be related to multiple
processors (SMP)?

I'm wondering if maybe M$'s SCSI logic (and/or the SCSI adapter's
device driver) isn't "multiple-processor-friendly" or something,
which is why I'm asking.

Are any of you out there using SCSI tapes (on Windows) on a
multiple-processor Windows host? And if so, are you experiencing any
similar type behavior?

What about whenever you enable the "AUTO_SCSI_MOUNT" option? (or use
the 'scsimount' command to enable/disable it?)

HELP!!

Please?


(Yep. This time *I'M* the one asking for help instead of the other
way around.)


Any insight/information and/or helpful suggestions regarding this
issue would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks.



(And if I get some help in figuring this issue out I just *might*
take the time [that I don't really have] to answer a few peoples'
emails too!) [1] >;-)

- --
"Fish" (David B. Trout) - fish(at)infidels.org
Fight Spam! Join CAUCE! <http://www.cauce.org/>
(Any HTML email received will be deleted unread)
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[1] How's THAT for an incentive? ;-)

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