ML 370 G2 boot problem

[JD_15]

I have a ML370 G2, redundant power & fans, 1 Processor, 5i controller, SCO 5.0.6. It has been great for three years, but now I'm having a serious problem; the machine will not boot & there's no video. I called Compaq support & walked through two hours of troubleshooting that mostly consisted of removing drives, tape, etc. At the end of the process I just had one power supply and the mobo, but still no video. We came to the conclusion that it was probably the MOBO and I obtained a new one. Unfortunately after installing the new mobo still the same problem - The drives in the array light & turn green, CD flashes, tape drive flashes, fan spinup, but no video and the box will not boot. The indicators on the front of the box are all green, all the LEDs on the MOBO are green. I've tried SW1 / 6 still no results.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Tarek Kawach]

Hi Jd:

If the server is booting up with no problems but video dosenot work the only thing that is left is the processor or Voltage regulators for the processors.

- Since you have new system board,
try only one processor and voltage reg. VRM and two sticks ram 1a and 4a (and Swapp if you have more than one processor).
no pci cards, no usb devices.

If the processor is not initializing at post then it will not initialize the video card.

Other parts possible could be bad:
Power supply backplane spare # 230982-001
PCI Hot Plug backplane spare # 230981-001


Best regards,

Tarek.

[e4services]

I see that you HAVE only 1 - Processor AND you SAID the machine DOES NOT boot. I think there is a bit of confusion in the language. It is not that you have no video, it is just that the screen in blank. And I am guessing you never get a beep at all out of the machine, correct? therefore the machine is not loading the BIOS and yes, nothing will be displayed until that happens.
In my experience it is a failed processor that is causing the machine to not POST. Sometime a half seated or shorted memory also could cause the machine to not POST.

[JD_15]

Yes you are correct: It's not that the server boots but has no video - If this were the case I could telnet to it (or whatever). It doesn't seem to post/ load the BIOS at all - no beeps, nothing. I just pointed out that there's no video because if there was I could at least do some rudimentary debugging.

[JD_15]

Oh, I forgot to mention: I only have one processor :-)

[JD_15]

Just a thought - I DO have a spare P3 900 in a blackbox that's not being used. The current processor in the ML 370 is a P3 733. I don't know enough to know whether these processors are interchangable or I need a specific processor for the 370 G2. Anyone know?