Trim Card (A3639-60026)

[Adey]

Hello,

I am trying to find out more info on this Trim card, I've heard it's neen introduced to fix problems on certain N4000 systems running 8 processors.

Does anybody have any more info, what it does why is it needed, and If it's a known problem what are HP doing about it.

Thanks

A Whitby

[Jeff Schussele]

Hi,

Yes - we've had a halz-dozen or so 8 CPU N-class systems that have needed it. I believe it's function is to "smooth" out the power to the CPUs. The symptom that it's needed is Panics. It can be diagnosed by examining the crash dump. If HP sees the signature in the dump they install the card. That's all they can do at this time. They have no plans to recall systems that I know of, but you probably can get them to proactively install them in all your 8-way Ns.

Rgds,
Jeff

[Patrick Wallek]

Jeff -- Is there any common ground with the N boxes you have seen this on? Are they newer or older systems? Same CPU speed, etc.? I've got an older N4000 with the 440 MHz procs. that I'm wondering if I need to worry about.

[Adey]

Yes,

I was hoping someone could qualify my original request, I've heard it's only on Rev B System boards which I believe is for the PA8600. Perhaps HP will read this and shed some light.


A Whitby

[Jeff Schussele]

Patrick,

Yes - doing a little research shows all were B rev PA-8600 systems - BUT - they ranged from 360 -to-> 440 -to-> 550 MHz systems. We've had no PA-8700 systems that have needed the trim card.

Rgds,
Jeff

[Patrick Wallek]

OK, that makes me feel a bit better. Our N4000 is a A3639A with PA-8500 procs. so hopefully we're not affected.

Thanks for the info. Jeff!

[Andrew Rutter]

hi,

looks like its just the rev B systems that could be efected by this thread.

http://unix.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/HP-UX-Admin/2005-04/0032.html

HP would probably only install the card if it was needed or was a full 8 cpu system. Im sure theres many that are just running a few cpu's that will never need the card.


andy

[Fedon Kadifeli]

We have the same problem. We had an old N4000 system (A3639B) with 4 550MHz CPUs. Two and a half month ago we upgraded it to 8 CPUs. The system ran with no problems for 70 days; and then suddenly last week it started panicing, rebooting and even deallocating some of the CPUs:

10:39 Wed Aug 3, 2005. Reboot:
09:28 Thu Oct 13 2005. Reboot after panic: Data page fault
10:05 Thu Oct 13 2005. Reboot after panic: Data memory protection fault
10:23 Thu Oct 13 2005. Reboot after panic: Data memory protection fault
11:39 Thu Oct 13 2005. Reboot after panic: Spinlock deadlock!
...

HP says we need a Trim Card. Until this card is installed, they recommended to deconfigure 4 of the CPUs. I deconfigured CPUs 0, 2, 4 and 6. This system is running with no problem for 60 hours.

[Bjoern Gothe_1]

Hi,

the purpose of the trim card is to amplifying the system clock (especially for CPUs 4 and 6). The trim card is only required in Rev. B systems. If you have a Rev. B system board, you can check by using command cstm (Support Tools Manager).

FRUID Field ascii hex
----------- ----- ---
FRU Name.............: PRE_SYS_BD 0x20202020 20205052 455f5359 535f4244
Part Number..........: A3639-60020 0x41333633 392d3630 303230

If you see part number A3639-60020, you have Rev B.

Hope this helps...

Regards, Bjoern Gothe

[Fedon Kadifeli]

Yes. We DO have an A3639-60020 board. That's why HP suggested this card.

The thing I do not understand is that why this system ran with absolutely no problem for 70 days and then all of a sudden started panicing?