SCSI nightmares

Discussion in 'A+' started by Flamehearted, May 4, 2005.

  1. Flamehearted

    Flamehearted Nibble Poster

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    Hi all,

    Just finished the Meyers topic on SCSI and I feel a bit like I've been spun around 100 times and then hit on the head with a large hammer :blink

    Could anyone give me any good advice on what I need to know for the A+ on this topic ? In particular do I need to learn the HUGE table of all the different SCSI modes/ types ? :eek:

    Thanks again for help techy people out there in the dark,

    Martin
     
    Certifications: A+
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  2. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    About the only answer I can give you that makes sense is that if the material is in the official CompTIA objectives for the A+, then it's fair game and could be asked on the exam.

    That being said, you might end up taking a version of the exam that has few or even no SCSI questions. I know it seems crazy and maybe even a little unfair, but there is no way to predict exactly what you will need to know and what you can "get away with".

    I don't know if you've actually ever worked with SCSI but if not, see if you can get your hands on some SCSI drives or other devices and start playing around with them a bit. It might help nail down some of the details if you had some hands on.

    EDIT: I'm not really satisfied with my answer above since it doesn't really seem like it will help. You might want to take a look at the links below to see if they shed any light.

    http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/tutorials/36/1/

    http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/scsi/

    http://scsi.radified.com/scsi_01.htm

    http://www.scsita.org/aboutscsi/SCSI_Termination_Tutorial.html

    Hope they help.
     
    Certifications: A+ and Network+
  3. michael78

    michael78 Terabyte Poster

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    Martin, yes you do need to know about SCSI I was asked a few questions on it and I was the same confused as hell about whats what in the wonderful world of SCSI connectors. The only advice I can give you is to make notes on things that you find hard to get your head around or that there are lots of different types and read the notes just before you go into the exam centre so it's fresh in your head. Worked for me but then again everyone is different.
     
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  4. Mitzs
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    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    I can't add anymore than what trip and slypie have. I only stop by because I saw the title and thought maybe someone had a bad blind date. :oops: Good luck in your studies.
     
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  5. Flamehearted

    Flamehearted Nibble Poster

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    Thanks all - don't get the bit about a bad blind date though..... :blink
     
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  6. Mitzs
    Honorary Member

    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    :blink "sigh" Don't worry about it Flame nobody else did either. I must have been taking bad joke lesson from AJ in my sleep.

    runs and hides now...
     
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  7. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Geez. :rolleyes: SCSI is pronounced "skuzzy". If you applied that to a date with a girl you never met before, well...

    ...there's not accounting for mitzs's humor...or what passes for it.

    :runs from mitzs's ominous roll of duct tape: :tongue
     
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  8. Mitzs
    Honorary Member

    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    I think you ment to say there's no accounting for mitzs humor.

    Duct tape that big boy. 8)
     
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  9. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    I'm getting heck from a person who thinks Dictionary spelling is just a suggestion. :biggrin
     
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  10. Mitzs
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    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    Not true Trip. Its just all your suggestions are coming back to bite you in the arse now. I've been waiting monthsssssssssss for this. :biggrin
     
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  11. Mitzs
    Honorary Member

    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    Flame go to the comptia website it will give you the requirments of what you need to know for the test. I would give you a link but it will ask you to register for the information. Don't worry they don't spam you.
     
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  12. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    ahem :offtopic
     
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  13. Flamehearted

    Flamehearted Nibble Poster

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    Thanks all

    Who knew such an innocent post could fuel such a bitter war ? :biggrin

    Lol

    Oh and I didnt know SCSI was pronouced scuzzy - but now I do and the world is a different place. :iluvcf
     
    Certifications: A+
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  14. Flamehearted

    Flamehearted Nibble Poster

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    Oh and thanks for initial advice tripwire - the comptia syllabus is really useful and I'm printing it out as I type !

    :biggrin
     
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  15. Modey

    Modey Terabyte Poster

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    I'll suggest a strategy I used in this case Flame. Ignore SCSI, or Ignore certain aspects of it, but know the rest of the material very well.

    I do find it strange that CompTIA would decide to test if you can memorise a table of information. Lets face it, if any Tech was faced with a SCSI problem, like say needing to know the maximum length and number of devices on a particular type of adapter, then you would check the documentation, or look it up on the net etc...

    So I learnt most of the SCSI stuff for A+ Core, but I didn't bother trying to memorise all the different cable lengths. I just decided I would take the risk that if I got questions on that, I might have to guess.

    I adopted a similar strategy in a programming exam I took at university a while back. I knew there would be 4 questions on the exam, 2 on Pascal and 2 on Cobol, all equally weighted. I hated Cobol, and loved Pascal, so I didn't answer the cobol questions at all, I just focused on getting a pass mark with the two Pascal questions, and I did. :)
     
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  16. Flamehearted

    Flamehearted Nibble Poster

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    That's a good idea but I want to know EVERYTHING in the entire world.

    Mwuhuhuhuhuh. :onthePC

    Seriously thanks !
     
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  17. jay_man

    jay_man Bit Poster

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    The way I have gotten round memorising the SCSI table is, write down the 9 types in a column form SCSI 1 to Ultra320, then next to it list the speeds, 5,10,10,20,20,40,40,80,160, 320, then next the bus width, just remembering wide = 16.

    Wells its just basically rewriting the table from all the books, but trust me after a max of 3 time doing it you'll know it off the top of your head.

    Do the same with all the tables, IRQ, DMA and video, and after a while you pretty much have them nailed. And do it during the exam to use as a quick ref for questions.
     
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  18. Flamehearted

    Flamehearted Nibble Poster

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    Thats great advice - thanks !

    Can I write things down in the exam then ????
     
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  19. Modey

    Modey Terabyte Poster

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    Yes you can. They usually provide you with something to write on. I got a whiteboard and felttip off them for my A+ Core. So if you want to get down your tables, do so as soon as you can etc...
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCP, MCDST, MCSA 2K3, MCTS, MOS, MTA, MCT, MCITP:EDST7, MCSA W7, Citrix CCA, ITIL Foundation
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