CompuServe Thread

#A2000 Trouble

6 messages in this thread
#12704From: Gene NeronJul 30, 1991 7:56 PM
Hi Andy, I'm having some strange problems that maybe you can help me with. I have a 2500/20 with a 2090A controller, XT bridgeboard and 5 megs of memory (4 of them 32 bit memory). I just installed a 105 meg SCSI drive in my system, and now some funny things are happening: 1) Setcpu crashes the system. When I reboot, the clock has lost the time completely. The setclock load returns <unset> <unset> <unset> and I have to manually set it. Setcpu used to work fine. 2) When I make of copy of the Empty drawer using workbench, the system gurus with a 81000005, which is a corrupt memory list. I can duplicate the drawer with the CLI, but Workbench always crashes. I tried using nofastmem to disable all fast memory, and then I can use WB to duplicate the empty drawer. I tried putting nofastmem at the beginning of my startup sequence and then again at the end to force everything into chip ram. When I do this and use WB to duplicate the Empty drawer, it works, except somehow all my fast memory gets allocated to something afterwards, ie, I have no fast memory at all after the operation is complete. I didn't have any of these problems with my old disk, and putting everything back the way it was so I apparantly have disturbed something in the system but I don't know what. I thought I might have a bad memory chip so I tried running some memory diagnostics I downloaded from here. One reports no errors, the other gurus with a "B", so I don't know which to believe. Someone else suggested swapping the 8250 (?) chips, as these are prone to failure which can cause strange symptoms to appear. The theory was if the symptoms change when you swap chips, then one (or both) are bad. Where are these chips located? I would like to try swapping them. Do you have any ideas about what might be wrong? Please help! Thanks!
#12734From: Andy FinkelJul 31, 1991 10:16 AM
How many scsi drives do you have attached now ? Did you adjust the termination ? Do you have a scsi unit number conflict ? If I were you, I'd debug it by removing all cards, and adding them back one at a time, ie start with just the controller, then add the 020, then the bridgecard, etc. andy
#12754From: Gene NeronJul 31, 1991 4:11 PM
I only have one scsi device. I don't think it has anything to do with the scsi controller, as I completly removed the scsi drive and reinstalled the old drive (ST506 type), and I still had the same problems. I also tried booting up in 68000 mode, and I didn't have the workbench empty drawer problem, but then I also didn't have any fastram, since all my fastram is on the '020 card. Without the '020, I couldn't test setcpu either. I'll try what you suggest, but I'm not sure I'll be enlightened by much. I have a feeling that as soon as I add the '020 card back, my problems will return. I don't know if these means I have a problem with my '020 card, or with the fastram on it, or some other problem that only becomes apparant if fastram is installed. I'll keep you posted, thanks for the advice. Gene
#12778From: Gene NeronJul 31, 1991 10:47 PM
Ok, Andy, I removed all the cards except the 2090A controller and the 2620 accellerator. Same problem, same symptoms. I removed the controller, and booted from diskette. I couldn't try copying the empty drawer on the hard disk obviously, and copying the empty drawer on diskette works anyway, so that test was out. When I tried setcpu, same problem, system crashed hard. It's beginning to look like the 2620 is at fault, or a memory chip on it has gone badAm I reaching a reasonable conclusion here? Are there any diagnostics I can run on the 2620? Gene
#12758From: BILL LEACHJul 31, 1991 5:25 PM
They are under the power supply, drive deck near the back of the machine. Look in your manual (I believe they are U-10/11).
#12777From: Gene NeronJul 31, 1991 10:43 PM
Ok, Bill, thanks. I'll take a look on the weekend. Gene