Event IDs 9 and 11: SCSI Controller/Device Errors

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0

SUMMARY

When you use SCSI controllers based on Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and the PCI-based 3Com EtherLink 3c59x network adapter, you may experience problems with SCSI device and/or SCSI controller timeouts, failing Windows NT fault tolerant disk mirrors, or the system may stop responding or crash. The following event messages are examples of what you may find in the event log if you are using the Adaptec 2940x SCSI controller or other PCI-based SCSI controllers in conjunction with the 3Com 3c59x network adapter:

   Event ID: 11
   Source: aic78xx
   Description: The driver detected a controller error on Device\ScsiPortO.


   Event ID: 9
   Source: aic78xx
   Description: The device, \Device\ScsiPort0, did not respond within the
                timeout period.

CAUSE

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.

Additionally, Please reference Knowledge Base article:

Q154690 - How to troubleshoot Event 9 and 11 Error messages.

RESOLUTION

• Obtain the fix provided by 3Com for the 3C59x driver (version 1.10.00 or later).

  The new driver, el59x.sys (version 1.10), is available at the following World Wide Web location as 3c59xx.exe (a self extracting file):

        http://infodeli.3com.com/infodeli/swlib/shipping_adapter_files.htm
  

  The driver is also available from the 3COM Bulletin Board Service (BBS) at (408) 980-8204.

- Sometimes a low-level format performed by the SCSI controller will

   resolve these event messages.

STATUS

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