first step getting VAX 6000-400 booted ...

From: Carlini, Antonio <Antonio.Carlini_at_riverstonenet.com>
Date: Sun Oct 28 07:52:51 2001

> Gunther Schadow wrote:
>
> it still doesn't work. I booted again VMS from TK (takes hours)

        Why not load up VMS at least for now - it should
        boot somewhat more quickly! (Althoug, quite
        worryingly, so should a TK50-based standalone backup!)

>trying various combinations of hardware and no success. I have
>given the RA90 a device address of 1. I have tried it on both
>the KDB50 and the KDM70 without success. Now I am wondering
>whether the SDI cable crossover issue is the problem? But
>why can Geoff run his RA90 in the basement of his 6000?
>
>The specifications clearly say that you can do this:
>
>KDB50---->VAXbulkhead---->SA800bulkhead---->RA90
>
>and Geoff does this
>
>KDB50---->VAXbulkhead---->RA90.

        Does he? I recall him saying that he has
        an RA9x in the bottom of his 6000 but I
        do not recall him stating that he used
        an even number of cables to do this.

>So, the swapping issue seems more complicated than just
>an uneven number of SDI cables! But I did exactly what
>Geoff did! Or did he do it differently? How? May be there
>are two sorts of SDI cables with or without cross-over?

        AFAIK, *all* SDI cables are the same. Even never
        works, odd works if everything else is right.

> However, VMS never detects any actual drive. So how could I
> possibly test this link between KDB50 and drive. It could be
> any of this:
>
> - KDB50 SDI interface damaged but in a way that is not
> detected by the self-test
> - KDB50 backplane cabling not screwed on tightly enough
> - SDI cabling broken
> - SDI cabling mismatched (crossover issue)
> - RA90 SDI interface damaged but in a way that is not
> detected by the self-test
>
>Is there any resident test that will check the drive/host
>interaction without requiring me to wait for another VMS
>boot cycle. Each attempt at rewiring and rebooting costs me
>about one hour for the VMS to boot from TK again so I need
>to keep this minimal.

        OK. If standalone backup does not see the
        drive before you get to the $ prompt then something
        is clearly wrong (it should report a set of available
        drives, one of which should be DUAn: where n is
        the unit number).

        Check the drive first. Press the TEST switch - the
        TEST light should come on. Press the FAULT switch
        and *all* lights should come on. Now you know the
        lights work - press the TEST switch to leave test mode.

        You can run a set of drive tests as follows:
                - Power up: you'll setle with a display of R AB
                - Deselect A & B
                - press TEST
                - press Write Protect
                  Now the display is T 00 with the
                  rightmost 0 flashing
                - Use A & B to select a test number
                - Start the test by pressing Write Protect
                   The display changes to S NN
                  Once the test has finished the display changes
                   to C NN
                - Stop the test by pressing A or B
                - Press TEST to leave test mode.

        One suggested set of diags is:
                - Spin *down* the drive
                - Select T 60
                - Press Write Protect to start the test
                - The display does something like:
                    S 60
                    LOT
                    C 60
                    T 00
                - T 60 has not done anything - it will simply
                   loop the next test.
                - Select T 00
                - Press Write Protect
                This will run a set of diags repeatedly.
                Leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
                
                Repeat the above with the drive spun up.
                (It performs a different set of diags).

        If all that uncovers no fault, there is a
        good chance that your drive is OK.
        You have tried a KDB50 and a KDM70 -
        assuming those are installed according to the
        manual, and the processor can see them,
        then that leaves just the cabling. If you
        have a KDM70, I would try to use that rather
        than the KDB50 since that way you do not
        depend on a working VAXBI bus.

>Do we know the pinouts and signal patterns of the SDI (and
>BTW the KLESI) so that I oculd use my scope to detect if
>the wiring is O.K.? I didn't find pinouts and signals in
>the KDB50, RA9x user manual (or the KLESI user manual
>respectively).

        I've never come across a broken SDI
        cable, but it may be worthwhile doing
        a simple continuity check - each should
        be eight cables (four differential signals IIRC).


        Antonio
Received on Sun Oct 28 2001 - 07:52:51 GMT