Been a while since I've played with the RA8x drives, but did you unload
the heads?
Brian
On Sun, 2001-11-11 at 21:42, Gunther Schadow wrote:
> Hi,
>
> today I moved the RA81 from the garage down into the Laundry/Computer-
> Room in the basement. Thanks to my straps and a hydraulic car jack-
> stand I was actually able to install it in my TU81+ cabinet without
> breaking my back or getting squished underneath the drive :-). It
> looks really cool in the TU81 rack. I powered it up and though no
> lights at these push-buttons come on, I could test it quite far.
> Thanks to Will Kranz' abridged service manual
>
> http://www.conknet.com/~w_kranz/pdp11/RA81.HTM
>
> I knew what I could do with the terminal and that CTRL-C will
> get it going (not CTRL-Z like with the TU81+) and after running
> diagnostics once, I could actually spin up the drive. Just
> seeking seems not to work.
>
> Spun up diagnostigs gets the error
>
> terminal plugged in, 300 b/s, 8 bit, 1 stop no parity
>
> ?
> ^C
>
> CTRL-C gets a prompt
>
> RA81> EUR^C
>
> RA81> EUR
>
> turn serial port to 7 bit instead of 8 removes the junk
>
> RA81>
>
> RA81> RUN DIAGNOSTICS
>
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:02
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:01
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:07
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:08
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:0B
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:03
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:0D
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:19
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:1B
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:1C
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:1D
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:1E
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:1F
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:20
>
> this was diagnostics spun down, everything successful! Now
> I push the RUN/STOP switch in and there comes the sound of
> the drive spinning up, really impressive!
>
> RA81> FRONT PANEL FUNCTION IN PROGRESS
>
> then this message comes and a long time nothing, finally:
>
> %RA81-TEST: SUBTEST:1B ERROR:50 UNIT:001
> %RA81-FRU-SLAVE RESPONSE FAIL- SERVO,MICRO
>
> not knowing what else to do I do diagnostics again in spun
> up mode
>
> RA81> RUN DIAG
>
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:02
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:01
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:07
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:08
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:0B
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:03
> %RA81-COMPLETED TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:19
> %RA81-TEST:DIAG SUBTEST:1B ERROR:50 UNIT:001
> %RA81-FRU-SLAVE RESPONSE FAIL- SERVO,MICRO
>
> RA81> RUN SEEK
>
> ENDING CYLINDER? 1000
>
> GROUP? 10
> OPERATION FAILED
>
>
> RA81> RUN RECAL
>
> %RA81-TEST:RECA SUBTEST:2A ERROR:50 UNIT:001
> %RA81-FRU-SLAVE RESPONSE FAIL- SERVO,MICRO
>
> At no time I heard any seeking activity. Will's service manual page
> says this:
>
> > D.28 TEST 1B (SERVO PLO TEST)
> > This test checks the servo module PLO circuitry.
> > Errors associated with this test are: 50, 7B, C6, FO to FE.
>
> I don't see any system fault code on the led bits in the front of
> the controller board with the hood open after the E7 "test in
> progress" status byte is cleared. (So I do see the blinkenlights,
> just there is no fault code besides the error message on the
> service terminal.
>
> Error 50:
>
> > 50 Ensure that positioner motor lock is in the unlock
> > position. If OK, then replace servo module,
> > microprocessor module
>
> So, sounds like there is once chance for me: to find this
> "positioner motor lock" and move it into the unlock position.
> However, I have no idea how to do that? It sounds reasonable
> that this thing may be locked for transport, I sure hope
> so, because otherwise all my moving and installing this
> thing would have been in vain.
>
> any help with this is appreciated. Not that I depend on the
> RA81 for operation, but I've got it and I believe in having
> a VAX collection with 100% functional stuff.
>
> regards
> -Gunther
>
>
> PS: Anyone having dead RA81's for parts? Anyone has spare
> SDI bulkheads? I need one or two 2- or 4- port bulkheads
> for the RA disks outside the SA600 cabinet.
>
>
Received on Sun Nov 11 2001 - 20:47:44 GMT