Subject: Re: Startup errors
To: Paul Yaskowski <paul@yaskowski.com>
From: Douglas Meade <inforum@umd5.umd.edu>
List: port-vax
Date: 02/12/2000 22:27:47
Paul,

These errors are generally nothing to worry about.  There is 
a manual at http://www.whiteice.com/~williamwebb/intro/DOC-i.htm
for the 3100 m76.  Although not exactly the same box, a lot
of features are similar.  Chapter 7, "Running Diagnostics",
says:

Three dots after a number indicate the test completed successfully.
An underscore and 2 dots indicate the optional device is not installed or
the device has not been tested.  A single question mark indicates a minor
problem that probably won't interfere with system powerup, and a double
question mark indicates a serious problem.

The main items in the list are 
F     MONO    Base Video
E     CLK     System Clock
D     NVR     Nonvolatile RAM
C     DZ      Serial line controller
B     MEM     Memory
A     MM      Memory management unit
9     FP      Floating point unit
8     IT      Interval timer
7     SCSI-A  SCSI-A Bus controller (Usually the internal devices)
6     SCSI-B  SCSI-B Bus controller (Usually external)
5     SYS     Interrupt controller and Ethernet ID ROM
4     8PLN    Optional 8-plance graphics coprocessor
3             Reserved
2             Reserved
1     NI      Ethernet network interface

The only error is 6?, which probably means the SCSI bus has
no terminator on it.  (These are rare.  Anybody know a good
source?)  

I think on that model you can also do a TEST 50, which gives
more (but not necesarily informative!) messages.  I think 
the error on C has to do with no device connected, or no 
serial loopback connector.

I'd say, go for it.

Doug

On Sat, 12 Feb 2000, Paul Yaskowski wrote:

> 
> F...E...D...C...B...A...9...8...7...6?..5...4...3_..2_..1...
> 
>  ?  C  0080  0000.4001
> ??  6  80A1  1000.61D0
> ..
> >>> 
> 
>   What do those mean?  Are they critical errors that I need to fix
> somehow, or just informational that can be ignored?  Any insight into
> these would be great, as I would love to run NetBSD on it.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Paul
> 
> -- 
> For he could neither hear nor see nor smell nor feel, but could only
>  hurt.
>   -- IBFT
>