How to Identify a SCSI Controller

Identifying a SCSI controller, or any peripheral card, can be quite a challenge. When faced with any board from inside a computer with no documentation, identifying that part and then being able to find a manual or the correct Windows driver can mean the difference between the part being usable or worthless. SCSI controllers are a rare subset of the typical parts found in a computer. While more often than not found in a server than the basic desktop computer, SCSI controllers are used to connect tape backup systems, CDROMs and high reliability hard drives. The fact that these parts are usually expensive adds to the motivation as to why anyone would choose to identify these devices.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Watch the BIOS information as a computer system boots up. This is the white text on a black screen that scrolls by when you first power up a computer system. If the SCSI card is bootable (which many are), it will identify itself during the SCSI initialization process. Even if the SCSI drive is not bootable, it may identify itself during the initial boot sequence.

2. Examine the card itself, front and back, for a silk-screened number or any identifying information that might provide you with a manufacturer or model number. While you are looking for writing on the board itself, pay close attention to labels stuck to the board that may have numbers on them. Record this information.

3. Identify the main chip on the board (it will usually be the largest chip on the board) and record its number. Sometimes, if you are lucky, the chip will have the name of the board's manufacturer marked on it. Adaptec will almost always have their name on the main chip.

4. Identify which card slot (the portion at the bottom of the card that has the multiple gold stripes on it) this card is equipped with as well as the type if external connector the card has (if any) and record this information.

5. Enter the information you have found into Google search, one piece at a time, and carefully read through the first several returns. Oftentimes, even if you don't find an exact identification, you will find links to technical forums where other people are looking for and sometimes received the information you are seeking.

6. Search Google Image Search using a search string, such as PCI (the card slot type) SCSI controller, when all else fails. If you see a picture of a controller that looks like the board you are trying to identify, click through and read up on the information provided.

Tips & Warnings

• If your computer's BIOS information scrolls by too quickly, hit the Scroll Lock key to pause the information.