Once you understand the issues with SCSI, installing a SCSI bus is fairly simple. First, you want to assign a unique ID number to each device. I usually perform this step at the beginning so that when everything is connected, you won’t have to play around figuring out how to change the ID of the devices. When assigning the ID numbers, remember that you want to assign the bootable drive the ID of zero. You also want to enable the SCSI BIOS on the SCSI controller if you are booting off a SCSI hard disk. When you enable the SCSI BIOS, you will not be required to install a driver for the card, because the PC will recognize the device on startup. If you are booting off an IDE drive and using the SCSI disk as an additional drive, you should have the SCSI BIOS disabled and install a driver in the operating system.

Now that you have the ID numbers assigned to each device, insert the SCSI host adapter into the expansion slots of the PC. After inserting the SCSI card, chain all of the devices together.

Once you have the devices chained together, you want to make sure that each end on the SCSI bus is terminated. If the last device is an external device, you will need to put the terminator on the end of the device. If you are installing internal devices, you need to check the documentation on the internal devices to find out what jumpers to set.

At this point, the IDs are configured for each device, the SCSI card is inserted into the PC, and the devices are connected to the card to create a SCSI bus. We also terminated the SCSI bus at either end. Before installing the driver for the SCSI card in the operating system, I’ll review the steps to install a SCSI device one last time. To install a SCSI bus:

1. Assign unique IDs to each device.

2. Install the SCSI host adapter into the expansion slots.

3. Chain devices to the SCSI host adapter.

4. Terminate the SCSI bus at both ends of the chain.

5. Install the driver for the SCSI card if you are not booting off the first hard disk.

Since SCSI is a technology that is usually implemented in servers, the following sections outline the steps to install the driver in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000.

Windows NT 4.0

Windows NT 4.0 is a non–plug and play type environment, so installing the device is a little different than in Windows 95 or Windows 98. With Windows 95 and 98, you could detect new hardware and take a chance on whether or not the operating system will see the SCSI card. With Windows NT 4.0, there is no hardware wizard that will install the device; you have to do it manually. To install a SCSI host adapter in Windows NT 4.0, follow the steps outlined below.

STEP BY STEP: Installing a SCSI host adapter in Windows NT 4.0

• 1. Select Start/Settings/Control Panel.
• 2. Double-click the SCSI adapters.
• 3. In the SCSI Adapters dialog box, choose the Drivers tab.
• 4. Choose the Add button to add a driver.
• 5. In the Install Driver dialog box, choose the manufacturer of the host adapter and then choose the adapter on the right side. If the adapter is not in the list, choose the Have Disk button and provide the manufacturer’s disk.
• 6. Click the OK button.
• 7. Restart the computer.

Windows 2000

Installing the SCSI host adapter in the Windows 2000 environment is a little bit different than installing the driver in Windows NT 4.0. A wizard will start up, asking whether you want to detect the device or install the driver. The following Step By Step shows you how to install a SCSI adapter in Windows 2000.

STEP BY STEP: Installing a SCSI host adapter in Windows 2000

• 1. Select Start/Settings/Control Panel.
• 2. Double-click the Add Hardware icon. The Add Hardware Wizard appears displaying the welcome screen to the wizard.
• 3. Choose Next.
• 4. Select Add or Troubleshoot A Device and then click the Next button.
• 5. In the Choose Hardware Device dialog box, select Add A New Device and then click the Next button.
• 6. If you know the host adapter you are installing, select “No, I want to select the hardware from a list.” If you are unsure of the host adapter you are installing, then choose “Yes, search for new hardware.” For these steps, you will choose the adapter to install, so select “No, I want to select the hardware from a list” and click Next.
• 7. The next screen will ask you what type of device you are installing. Choose SCSI and RAID controllers, then click Next.
• 8. In the list of devices on the left side select the manufacturer, and on the right side select the adapter to install. Click Next.
• 9. Click Finish.
• 10. Restart the computer.