Alpha 200/100 does not boot (no >> prompt)

From: Lucio Chiappetti (lucio_at_mi.iasf.cnr.it)
Date: 06/25/03

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    Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 17:24:48 +0200 (MET DST)
To: Alpha OSF list <tru64-unix-managers@ornl.gov>

    Today we had a blackout (too many air conditioners in the city ?) while I
    was away. When power came back, our old Alpha 200/100 (which we use as
    spare mail exchanger) had not switched off and got damaged. Of course it
    is not under maintenance contract.

    I found it on, the screen showed just the first "checkout" line
    f4.eb.....ea.e9.e8.e7.e6.e5.

    I can't remember what those codes are, and they are not listed in our
    hardware manual for AlphaStation 200 Series (EK-PCDTA-UI.D01)

    Anyhow, there was no >> prompt, so I could not boot.

    I tried a few times a reset from the reset button. I also checked the LEDs
    on the back of the CPU (pag. 4-10 of the h/w man) and they showed the
    normal "console initialized" code (E5).

    I then switched off and on the machine. Now the LEDs on the back showed
    the code F7 "memory test 4 failure".

    What does that mean ? One of the memory banks failed ?

    I tried to switch the machine on again some times later, and now I'm back
    to the previous situation ("console initialized" LED code, screen showing
    f4.eb.....ea.e9.e8.e7.e6.e5., no >> prompt).

    This puzzles me, transient memory error ?

    Is there any quick solution to this before we junk the machine ?

    Can I e.g. locate and remove the offending memory bank (will it run with
    3 ?) Another possibility would be to cannibalize some spare parts from
    another institute which had dismissed similar machines.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lucio Chiappetti - IASF/CNR - via Bassini 15 - I-20133 Milano (Italy)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    L'Italia ripudia la guerra [...] come Italy repudiates war {...] as a
    mezzo di risoluzione delle controversie way of resolution of international
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                    [Art. 11 Constitution of the Italian Republic]
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