Digital Equipment MicroVAX 3100 90 Guide

MicroVAX3100
Model90
Troubleshooting and Diagnostic
Information
Order Number: EK–A0607–TI. B01
December 1993
This manual describes the troubleshooting procedures and diagnostic com-
mands that you can use to solve basic problems with the MicroVAX 3100
Model 90 system.
Revision Information: This manual supersedes EK–A0607–TI. A01
Digital Equipment Corporation
Maynard, Massachusetts

December 1993
Digital Equipment Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the
manner described in this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do
the descriptions contained in this publication imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell
equipment or software in accordance with the description.
Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only
pursuant to a valid written license from Digital or an authorized sublicensor.
© Digital Equipment Corporation 1993. All Rights Reserved.
The postpaid Reader’s Comments forms at the end of this document request your critical
evaluation to assist in preparing future documentation.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: Digital, MicroVAX, OpenVMS,
RX, ThinWire, VAX, VAX DOCUMENT, and the DIGITAL logo.
S2452
This document was prepared using VAX DOCUMENT Version 2.1.

Contents
Preface ..................................................... v
1 Troubleshooting and Diagnosing Problems
1.1 Troubleshooting ...................................... 1–1
1.2 Using the Troubleshooting Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–2
1.3 Diagnostic Tests and Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–9
1.3.1 Power-UpTests ................................... 1–10
1.3.2 Diagnostic Tests and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–13
1.3.3 Power-Up Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–18
1.3.4 ConfigurationDisplay .............................. 1–21
1.3.5 ErrorDisplay..................................... 1–23
1.4 Contacting Digital Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–24
Index
Figures
1–1 Successful Power-Up Test Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–10
1–2 DiagnosticTests................................... 1–13
1–3 StatusLEDDisplay................................ 1–25
Tables
1–1 Basic Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–3
1–2 OptionCardTests ................................. 1–15
1–3 MicroVAX 4000-100A Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–16
iii

Preface
This manual describes the troubleshooting procedures and diagnostic
commands that you can use to solve basic problems with the MicroVAX™ 3100
Model 90 system.
Audience
This manual is intended for people who have some experience with computers.
Structure of This Manual
This manual has one chapter and an index.
Additional Information
See the MicroVAX 3100 Model 90 Operator Information manual for the list of
associated and related documents.
v

Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
Convention Description
MONOSPACE Text displayed on the screen is shown in monospace type.
italic type Italic type emphasizes important information and indicates the
complete titles of manuals.
boldface type Boldface type in examples indicates user input. Boldface type in text
indicates the first instance of terms defined in the text.
Note A note contains information that is of special importance to the user.
Warning A warning contains information to prevent personal injury.
vi

1
Troubleshooting and Diagnosing Problems
This chapter describes the troubleshooting procedures and diagnostic commands that
you can use to solve basic problems with the MicroVAX 3100 Model 90 system. It
contains information on the following:
• Troubleshooting
• Diagnostic tests and commands
• Contacting Digital™ Services
It also lists the information that you must give to your Digital Services
representative and where to find this information.
1.1 Troubleshooting
If a problem occurs, you must first make sure that all the cables, loopback
connectors, and terminators are correctly connected and that the connectors
are not damaged, for example, the pins may be broken or short-circuited.
Follow these steps:
1. Shut down the operating system following the procedures described in the
operating system documentation.
2. Turn off the console terminal and all the peripheral devices, such as
printers and modems.
3. Turn off all the expansion boxes.
4. Turn off the system unit.
5. Check that the following cables, if installed, are correctly connected at both
ends and that the connectors are not damaged:
• Console terminal cable (linking the console terminal to the system unit)
• Console terminal power cord
• System unit power cord
Troubleshooting and Diagnosing Problems 1–1

• Expansion box SCSI cables
• Expansion box power cords
• ThinWire™ Ethernet cable or standard Ethernet cable
6. Check that the following terminators, if installed, are correctly connected
and are not damaged:
• SCSI terminators
• ThinWire Ethernet terminator (T-connector and two terminators)
• Standard Ethernet loopback connector
If you have correctly followed steps 1 to 5, the on/off switches on all
the components are set to the off (O) position, and you have solved any
problems caused by incorrectly connected cables or terminators.
7. Set the on/off switches on the following equipment to the on (| ) position in
the following order:
a. Expansion boxes
b. Peripherals
c. Console terminal
d. System unit
The system responds with the power-up test display. If it does not, see
Section 1.2.
1.2 Using the Troubleshooting Table
Table 1–1 suggests the corrective actions for certain system problems. If you
have a problem with the system, follow these steps:
1. Write down the symptoms of the problem.
2. Check the Symptom column in Table 1–1 for a match.
3. Check the causes of the symptom in the Possible Cause column. If the
column lists more than one possible cause, check the possible causes and
their suggested solutions in the order listed.
4. Follow the advice in the Suggested Solution column.
5. See Section 1.4 if the problem persists.
1–2 Troubleshooting and Diagnosing Problems

Table 1–1 Basic Troubleshooting
Symptom Possible Cause Suggested Solution
System Problems
The system unit fan is off
or the power light is off. The power cord is not
connected. The power cord
may be faulty. The power
socket may not be working.
The system breaker or wall
outlet may have blown.
Make sure that all the power cords
are connected correctly at both
ends. Try a known good power cord
or test the power socket with an
appliance that works.
The overload protection
circuitry of the power
supply may have shut down
because of an abnormal
condition on the power line.
Turn the system off and then turn
it back on.
The power supply unit
(PSU) is faulty. Contact your Digital Services
representative.
The power-up display does
not show after 20 seconds. The terminal cable is not correctly connected. Make sure that all the cables are connected at both ends.
The terminal cable is not
connected to the correct
MMJ port.
Check the MMJ port to which the
terminal cable is connected. If this
port is not MMJ port 3, remove the
terminal cable and connect it to
MMJ port 3.
The power cord is not
connected. The power cord
may be faulty. The wall
outlet may not be working.
Make sure that all the power cords
are connected correctly at both
ends. Try a known good power cord
or test the power socket with an
appliance that works.
The terminal fuse may have
blown. Replace the blown terminal fuse.
See the terminal documentation.
The terminal settings may
be incorrect. See the MicroVAX 3100 Model 90 Operator Information manual for
the list of correct terminal settings.
See the terminal documentation for
information on how to set up the
terminal.
(continued on next page)
Troubleshooting and Diagnosing Problems 1–3

Table 1–1 (Cont.) Basic Troubleshooting
Symptom Possible Cause Suggested Solution
System Problems
The port to which the
terminal connects may be
faulty.
Try connecting the terminal to
another system. If this solution
works, the port to which the
terminal was connected is faulty.
If the terminal still does not
operate, it is faulty. In either
case, contact your Digital Services
representative.
The terminal cable may be
faulty. Connect the terminal cable and
the terminal to another system.
If the connected terminal works,
the DZ circuitry or MMJ connector
is faulty. Otherwise, the cable
is faulty. Contact your Digital
Services representative.
The power-up display
contains question marks. A diagnostic error has
occurred. See Section 1.4.
The power-up test display
contains unexpected
characters.
The terminal settings are
incorrect or the DZ circuitry
is faulty.
Make sure the terminal settings
are correct, then run the power-
up test again. If the terminal is
set correctly, contact your Digital
Services representative.
The system fails to boot the
operating system. The system defaults are
incorrectly set. Set the system defaults as described in the OpenVMS Factory
Installed Software User Information
document, then try to boot the
system again. If the system still
fails to boot, contact your Digital
Services representative.
(continued on next page)
1–4 Troubleshooting and Diagnosing Problems