Altos 486 Setup guide

~_~ ALTOS _
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486
DiAqNOSTics

486 Diagnostics

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ALTOS is a registered trade-
mark of Altos Computer
Systems.
WorkNet is a trademark of
Altos Computer Systems.

HOW THIS
MANUAL IS
ORGANIZED
iii
About this Manual
This manual explains how to use the System
Diagnostic Executive (SDX) verification programs
and utilities.
The verification programs can help you pinpoint
problems should the 486 system malfunction.
The programs and utilities are loaded from the
diagnostic floppy diskette supplied with your
system. You are then asked to respond to a
series of questions and prompts provided by
the program.
The ~ Diagnostic Manual contains three
chapters and two appendixes.
Chapter 1 contains general information about the
recommended test sequence and instructions for
loading the Diagnostic pr'ograms.
It also contains information for copying
diskettes, which is the first thing you should do
with your Diagnostic diskette.
Be sure to read Chapter 1 before running any of
the verification routines.
Chapter 2 contains instructions for using the
utility programs that are contained on the
Diagnostic diskette.
Chapter 3 describes each of the diagnostic
programs that test the components of the 486
system.
Appendix A explains error messages you may
encounter while running the diagnostic programs.

DATA ENTRY
CONVENTIONS
RELATED
PUBLICATIONS
iv
Appendix B describes how to construct a loopback
connector, which you will need to run two of the
Serial Port diagnostic tests.
Special type conventions are used throughout this
manual. The most important of these are:
o Information that you enter in response to a
prompt appears in boldface type; for example,
enter Y.
o The Escape key appears in this text as <ESC).
o The RETURN key appears in this text as <CR).
Pressing the RETURN key usually enters the
data that was previously typed.
o Alphabetic data can be entered in upper or
lower case.
o The CONTROL key is used in combination with
other keys. When you use the CONTROL key,
press it and hold it down while you press the
other key.
o nnn, nn or n stands for a number that appears
on the screen; nnn indicates a three digit
number, nn, a two digit number, and so forth.
o To erase the last character typed, use CONTROL
H, or BACK SPACE. This will work in most cases.
o To erase an entire entry, use the RUBOUT or
DELETE key.
486 Setting Up Guide, PIN 690-15889-001
486 Maintenance Manual, PIN 690-15683-001
486 System Reference Manual, PIN 690-15707-001

v
1-1 BEFORE YOU BEGIN
1-2 GENERAL INFORMATION
1-2 BEFORE YOU START
1-3 RECOMMENDED TEST SEQUENCE
1-3 HOW TO BEGIN
2-1 USING THE UTILITY PROGRAMS
2-2 HARD DISK DISPLAY FLAGGED SECTOR
2-5 HARD DISK FLAG BAD SECTOR
2-7 HARD DISK FORMAT
2-9 FLOPPY DISK COpy
2-12 FLOPPY DISK FORMAT
2-14 RETURN TO MAIN MENU
3-1 USING THE DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAMS
3-2 MEMORY VERIFICATION
3-5 MEMORY MANAGEMENT VERIFICATION
3-7 SERIAL PORT
Menu Descriptions
Select Terminal Port
Echo Test
Barber Pole Test
Serial Memory Verification
Serial Channel Single Pass
Serial Channel Long Loop
3-16 SYSTEf.tl TEST
With Hard Disk Not Included
With Hard Disk Included
3-21 WORKNET LOOPBACK
3-23 RETURN TO MAIN MENU
APPENDICES
A-I ERROR MESSAGES
B-1 CONSTRUCTING A LOOPBACK CONNECTOR
Contents

CONTENTS
1-1
1-2 GENERAL INFORMATION
1-2 BEFORE YOU START
BeforeYou Begin 1
1-3 RECOMMENDED TEST SEQUENCE
1-3 HOW TO BEGIN

GENERAL
INFORMATION
BEFORE YOU
START
1-2
This manual explains how tOr use the Diagnostic
diskette that comes with your 486 system.
The System Diagnostic Executive (SDX) diskette
contains menu-driven utility and verification
programs to pinpoint problems with your system
and perform such tasks as copying floppy disks.
You can test the following components of your
system:
0 Cen
tral
processing
unit
(CPU)
0 Random Access Memory
(RAM)
0
Serial communication channels
0 WorkNet
interface
0
Hard disk drive
0 Floppy
diskette drive
The utility programs on the Diagnostic diskette
include:
o Floppy diskette format
o Floppy diskette copy
o
Hard disk format
o Flag hard disk bad sector
After a test is run, a pass or fail message
appears on the display screen. If a failed
message appears, contact authorized personnel
or your local dealer.
The first and most important thing you should do
with your Diagnostic diskette is to format
diskettes and make copies of the Diagnostic
diskette and operating system diskettes that
are shipped with your 486 system. This way you
always have a backup disk. Be sure to write-
protect your backup copies.

RECOMMENDED
TEST SEQUENCE
HOW TO BEGIN
1-3
You should make two backup copies of the Diagnostic
diskette. Store the master diskette in a secure
place and use one of the copies to run the Diagnostics.
Formatting and copying floppy diskettes are
explained in Chapter 2.
After formatting and copying your diskettes,
it is recommended that you run the System Test,
with the hard disk not included, to verify that
your system is operating properly. The System Test
verifies the floppy disk drive and the memory.
It is a good idea to run this test before you install
an operating system.
Refer to the System Test section in Chapter 3
for instructions.
The following step-by-step instructions tell you how
to load the SOX (System Diagnostics Executive)
programs into the Altos 486 Computer System.
Step 1. Insert the diagnostic diskette as shown
in Figure 1-1.