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The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Scsi\aic78xx1.

I get an Event id 11 error on my Windows 2000 server running Arcserve 9.0. The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Scsi\aic78xx1.
It shows up every 5 mins in the event viewer during actually backups. Backups appear to run okay with at a good rate. Some times it just randomly stops the backup though.

I've checked all cables and terminators and tried different ones and so forth. I've got the latest and greatest driver. I've even tried with RSM turned off and on. Still the same error in event viewer. The weird things is that most of the back ups work no problem. Just trying to find out what that error is and why it randomly stops my backup jobs.

Info:
Adapteck AHA-2940u/AHA-2940uw PCI scsi controller.
Driver: aic78xx.sys v2.20b (1999)

rigor_mortis

I found this information on EventID.Net, maybe it also applies to your situation:

This error occurs while using the Adaptec 2940x SCSI controller or other PCI-based SCSI controllers in conjunction with the 3com 3c59x network adapter. The 3Com EtherLink 3c590 and 3c595 PCI network adapter driver (El59x.sys) that shipped with Windows NT has problems with bus mastering when multiple PCI-based controllers are installed. These error messages can also be caused by poor or incorrect SCSI termination, a failing device or controller, inferior SCSI cabling, or a poorly written device driver for the SCSI controller.

To Fix: - Obtain the fix provided by 3Com for the 3C59x driver (version 1.10.00 or later). Sometimes a low-level format performed by the SCSI controller will resolve these event messages. See Q153128.

If Backup Exec for Windows NT/2000 jobs are reporting hardware errors such I/O Errors, Semaphore Timeout errors, and Event ID 9, 11 and 15 the in System Event Log, this may be due the fact that the SCSI driver on the system is out of date. See Veritas TechNote ID: 231918 link.

src: http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=11&source=

Browsing MS support i found these links that might also provide a solution or an explenation to your problem:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;154690

Good luck,
rigor mortis

jlagasse

ASKER

Yeah, I've already been toe EventID.Net and checked all what it had to say. I don't even have a 3Com NIC nor do I have Backup Exec. I tried all of Microsoft's ideas of changing transfer rates and so forth. Still nothing. Thanks anyway.

rigor_mortis

Hmms... looks like it's time to go a little deeper...

Could you have a look what bios version your adaptec is using at the moment? And could you post information about your mainboard and other pci cards you have in your system? The problem could lie with windows assigning duplicate irq interrupts to your scsi controller and one of your other pci devices. Check what irq windows assigns to the scsi controller (my computer -> properties -> hardware -> device manager -> view: resource by type) and if it's only assigned to your controller, if not you could try assigning it manually in your bios, could be that that is the basis of the problem.

Also what SP do you have installed for Win2k and Arcserve?

Hope this brings us closer to a solution,
rigor mortis

jlagasse

ASKER

The bios version for adaptec is v1.25. No other PCI cards installed. It's a Dell PowerEdge 2600 server. The irq is 16 (no conflicts). W2K SP4, with Arcserve 9.0 (Build 2020)

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oldgreyguy

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jlagasse

ASKER

I'll try the update. Can't do it until the weekend because it is a production email server and always up and running. Thanks.

oldgreyguy

b4 running the BIOS update, check your ASPI layer dates, maybe newer drivers will do the trick................ you know Murphy's Law... Man created BIOS updates.. man can screw them up