My DECserver 700-16 cannot startup normally

[Hoangles]

Volker Halle,
****How do you think you can 'copy' the WWENG1.SYS file to the SRAM card ?
- If the DECserver uses the same WWENG1.SYS for booting from flash RAM, then I can store this file into the card, insert into flash ram slot, and then power on so that DECserver will boot from card, not from OpenVMS host like before.
Volker, basically, what files will be in flash RAM? Is it same WWENG1.SYS?

****What's the state of the 7-segment display after you power-on the DECserver 700 ? Any messages on port 1?
- After I power on, the state of LEDs are:
+ System OK LED is off
+ Ethernet 10baseT LED blinking
+ 7-segment display has "E" and flashes
- I tried to connect to port 1 from Alphaserver many times but I have never got response so far.
Do you have any support, Volker?

[Steven Schweda]

> You might get some useful messages on a
> terminal plugged into Port 1 on the terminal
> server, or on an operator's terminal on a VMS
> system (REPLY /ENABLE).

> Before I tried to talk to the thing from a
> VMS system, I'd do that "REPLY /ENABLE" at
> some terminal (or emulator) on the VMS
> system, power-up the DECserver, and look for
> download-related messages. You can't do much
> with the DECserver until it gets its software
> downloaded.

> Issue a REPLY/ENAB[L]E command on your
> OpenVMS system, [...]

TAKE THE HINT. REPORT THE RESULTS.

> - I tried to connect to port 1 from
> Alphaserver many times but I have never
> got response so far.

I can't see your cable from here, so I have
no way of knowing if you got the In and Out
pins on one end connected to the Out and In
pins on the other. I also have no idea what
you did on the Alpha to talk to its serial
port, or where you connected the cable on
the Alpha system.

> I have used the this line and this VT501
> terminal to connect to port1 of DEC but
> unsuccessful.

This also tells me nothing. Which line is
"this line"? Is the VT terminal connected to
the Alpha system (where?) or to the
DECserver (where?)? What does "unsuccessful"
mean here?

> [...] my knowledge on OpenVMS is very poor
> [...]

That's becoming clear. Have you considered
hiring some expertise?

How good are you with a voltmeter?


> [...] My system has a VT501 terminal and
> it is now connecting to serial port of
> Alphaserver for monitoring, [...]

How many serial ports are on the Alpha?

When you're logged into the Alpha using this
VT terminal:

SHOW LOGICAL TT
SHOW DEVICE _TT

Do you have another terminal, or can you log
into the Alpha from some other terminal or
system? It would be nice to be able to talk
to the Alpha system with one terminal
(operator console -- Remember "REPLY
/ENABLE"?), and to Port 1 on the DECserver
with another terminal. (Where "terminal"
here could be a real VTxxx or a terminal
emulator on some computer or other.)

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,


+ System OK LED is off
+ Ethernet 10baseT LED blinking
+ 7-segment display has "E" and flashes


If you carefully read chapter '7.4 System OK LED Off/Seven-Segment Display Flashing' from the DECserver 700 Hardware Owener's Manual (see link given above), you'll see:

Problem
A hardware error occurred that makes the DECserver 700 nonoperational

Correction: There is no corrective procedure for this problem except for SIM failure
(refer to note). Notify the network manager that the DECserver 700 must be returned
to Digital Equipment Corporation for repair or replacement. Refer to the
Network Access Server Problem Solving manual for information about returning the
unit to Digital Equipment Corporation.


There is no further advice I can give you in this case except get a new DECserver 700.

Volker.

[Oswald Knoppers_1]

It seems that something changed in this thread. From the original question:

"When we try to power on the server it cannot startup normally, the LED display runs lighting at 4 then 3 then 4 then 3..."

And now:

"- After I power on, the state of LEDs are:
+ System OK LED is off
+ Ethernet 10baseT LED blinking
+ 7-segment display has "E" and flashes"

So what did you do to this unit?

I think you can still buy decservers at www.vnetek.com. Be sure to get one with flash memory so you don't need a load host.

Oswald

[Hoangles]

Oswald Knoppers,
I sometime powered on DS700 while pressing reset button.
I once powered on DES700 without RAM in SIM slot.
In addition I used difference serial cables to connect port1 from PC.

I wonder if these actions may cause to the current status of DEC700

[Hoangles]

Oswald Knoppers,
Volker Halle,
Steven Schweda,
At last I received response message from DS700 when I power on it, pls see below or open attached file for details.

**************
Local -901- Initializing DECserver 700-16 00-60-6D-94-9D-FB FW V7.2-0 HW 1.7
Local -960- Available Memory 4 Mbytes

Local -967- Parameter checksum error detected in NVRAM
Local -969- Requesting Specified Software: WWENG1
Local -959- [FLASH] Attempting to locate load image [FLASHRAM]
Local -917- Load failure, invalid boot block CRC
Local -953- [IP] Attempting to locate load host [ETHERNET]
%%%%%%%%%%% OPCOM 12-NOV-2009 09:35:54.62 %%%%%%%%%%%
Message from user SYSTEM on MBA

Event: Load Request Completed from: Node LOCAL:.MBA MOP Circuit CSMACD-0,
at: 2009-11-12-09:35:54.623+00:00Iinf
Address=00-60-6D-94-9D-FB,

Program Type=System,

File=SYS$COMMON:WWENG1.SYS;5
eventUid C6324C0A-CF6E-11DE-9AFA-4D4241202020
entityUid E41F2CD3-C52D-11DE-8005-AA0004000104
streamUid D6C37C96-C52D-11DE-8003-AA0004000104

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,

congratulations ! Whatever you've done, the DECserver 700 now works and loaded it's software from your OpenVMS system !

Be aware, that the configuration (port settings etc.) of the DECserver might have been erased during your tests (when pressing the RESET button during power-on), so some things like printer may not work anymore...

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,

after looking at the attached .DOC file (please use .TXT attachments in the future !), it looks like the DECserver is then crashing and trying to write a dump. Didn't it show any error messages on the console port ?

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Hoangels,

according to Wikipedia - yes there is an entry about DECservers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECserver

You need WWENG2.SYS if you have more than 2 MB memory. And your DECserver 700 reports: 4 MB.

Volker.

[Hoangles]

Volker Halle,
Following are messages I received from port1 of DEC700, pls see attached file.

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,

you DECserver 700 is crashing and trying to write an upline dump. The OpenVMS system is not configured to receive the dump and write it to disk, but that is a minor problem, you can't analyze the dump anyway.

In your first load success message, the DECserver is requesting WWENG1.SYS, in the second message, it's loading WWENG2.SYS - apparently from a different host. What did you do inbetween ? Was there also a crash message on port1 after successfully loading WWENG1.SYS ?

Did you remove the (empty) SRAM card from the slot ?

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Hangles,

found this:

http://secure.enterasys.com/support/relnotes/rn_2995.html (DNAS V2.3B Release Notes)

It talks about a crash with code 299 (in your case C=0299):

This version of software also corrects a problem which would cause the access server to crash with a code of 299 on receipt of a DHCP configuration frame that contained identification for more than two WINS name
servers.


Volker.

[Steven Schweda]

> You need WWENG2.SYS if you have more than
> 2 MB memory.

_Need_ or "may use"? WWENG1.SYS fails if
there's too much memory? Really?

[Hoangles]

Steven Schweda,
Voker Halle,
You are right, In the first load I left the RAM card in the slot with wweng1.sys stored inside.
In the second load I had removed card and the DEC700 then loaded from host over Ethernet, so wweng2.sys may be correct.


Voker Halle,
You gave me a solution but it seems be difficult for me and I must take along time to refer to that releass.
- Where can I download that software (DNAS V2.3B)? and What can I do with this soft? Please advise me in short way
Thanks alot.

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,

I am not aware, that one can download old or newer releases of DNAS software.

Which software was this DECserver 700 running before ?

During the first attempt, it did successfully download WWENG1.SYS. Did the DECserver then crash as well with that software ?

Volker.

[Hoangles]

Volker Halle,
Steven Schweda,

Sorry, I do not know what version the software is before
On my OpneVMS system I can find image files in the following folders:
- wweng1.sys in folder sys$common:[decserver]
- wweng1.sys and wweng2.sys in folder
sys$common:[mom$system]

I do not know which folder the DEC700 will access to and what image file it uses for booting.
I think that my dec700 just succeeded in loading wweng2.sys. (not wweng1.sys),pls open again attached files.

What i should do now.
Pls consider you may remote access to my PC to check OpenVMS over TeamViewer software.
Can you?

[Steven Schweda]

> Event: Load Request Completed from: Node LOCAL:.MBA MOP Circuit CSMACD-0,
> at: 2009-11-12-09:35:54.623+00:00Iinf
> Address=00-60-6D-94-9D-FB,
> Program Type=System,
> File=SYS$COMMON:WWENG1.SYS;5

That looks like DECnet-Plus (aka "DECnet
Phase V"), which is what I have on my system.
I'd need to consult the manuals, but I
believe that this stuff defaults to looking
in MOP$LOAD. Around here:

ALP $ show logical mop$load
"MOP$LOAD" = "SYS$SYSROOT:[MOM$SYSTEM]" (LNM$SYSTEM_TABLE)
= "SYS$SYSTEM:"
1 "SYS$SYSTEM" = "SYS$SYSROOT:[SYSEXE]" (LNM$SYSTEM_TABLE)

which is consistent with it sending out

File=SYS$COMMON:WWENG1.SYS;5

This may or may not be useful:
HELP LANACP Logical_names
Around here, it mentions
"SYS$SYSROOT:[MOM$SYSTEM]".

I believe that the older software used
MOM$LOAD instead of MOP$LOAD. Around here
(left over from many years ago):

ALP $ show logical mom$load
"MOM$LOAD" = "SYS$SYSROOT:[DECSERVER]" (LNM$SYSTEM_TABLE)

which is consistent with your finding some
files in both places.

> Local -969- Requesting Specified Software: WWENG2

If it knows that it wants WWENG2, then I'd
try to give it WWENG2. And if it'll be
happier if it's in MOP$LOAD, then I'd copy it
to there.

With the newer DECnet software, I believe
that there are two possible download server
programs: DECnet-Plus itself, and the newer
LANACP. One of these may say something
useful:

mcr lancp show node /all

mcr ncl show mop client * all

One of those may tell you which file the
Alpha system will try to send to the node
(DECserver) in question. Around here, NCL
says ("()" = my comments):

[...]
Node 0 MOP Client SP2 (My DECserver 200/MC)
[...]
System Image =
{

SYS$SYSROOT:[DECSERVER]PR0801ENG.SYS
}
[...]

and:

Node 0 MOP Client an1 (My DECserver 90TL(?))
[...]
System Image =
{

SYS$COMMON:[DECSERVER]MNENG1.SYS
}
[...]

I seem to have specified
SYS$COMMON:[DECSERVER] as the directory for
these things, but my OPCOM messages say that
they're being sent from
SYS$COMMON:[MOM$SYSTEM]. I don't know why,
but I do have the files in both directories,
so anything could work. (I configured this
stuff many years ago, and I don't remember
why anything is anywhere.)

For details on how to change these settings:
mcr ncl help set mop client
or, for the other program:
mcr lancp help define node
depending on which program is keeping your
MOP information.

[Volker Halle]

Hoangels,

you can try to find out, what WWENG*.SYS software versions are available on your OpenVMS system:

$ SET DEF ... to appropriate directory

$ SEARCH WWENG*.SYS "700-"/FORMAT=NONULL

You will find strings, which will include the name and the version of the software, like:

DECserver 700-xx Vx.x
Network Access SW for DECserver 700-xx Vx.x

This will tell you the software version of your various WWENG*.SYS files.

How did this problem with this DECserver start at all ?

Volker.

[Hoangles]

Steven Schweda,
Volker Halle,

In fact I donot know what version of software my DEC700 needs, but my DEC700 was put in opertion since 2000 and we have never done any action relating to the DECserver.
As your opinion, Does the problem of my DEC700 stands on host (OpenVMS) or itseft?

With current status of my DEC700, as your experience, can it be restored to normal operation?

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,

the current problem is on the DECserver 700 itself. It crashes due to a software or hardware problem with C=0299 - at least after loading WWENG2.SYS. You did not yet show, what happened after loading WWENG1.SYS...

Downline loading from your OpenVMS systems seems to work.

Whether this server has been running with WWENG1.SYS or WWENG2.SYS in the past and from where it loaded which software version in the past, we don't know.

Please check the versions of WWENG*.SYS on your AlphaServer as requested above.

If you know when your DECserver had been reloaded within the last couple of months, you may still find download messages in SYS$MANAGER:OPERATOR.LOG;*

Volker.

[Hoangles]

Steven Schweda,

Following are responses from host when I do commands, which you required me on Nov 13, 2009 07:42:28 GMT , pls see in attached file for details.

[Steven Schweda]

> ADMIN$ mcr ncl show mop client * all
> Node 0 MOP Client *
>
> command failed due to:
> access denied

Are you logged in as SYSTEM?

[Hoangles]

Volker Halle,
* **You did not yet show, what happened after loading WWENG1.SYS...:
- Yes, there was no more information when my DEC700 loads wweng1.sys,because, at that time, I left the RAM card in the slot with wweng1.sys stored inside.
At the moment, there is no card inside,the DEC700 loads from host over Ethernet hence I can only see information about wweng2.sys.
***Please check the versions of WWENG*.SYS on your AlphaServer as requested above:
- I did that commands, pls see attached files
*** If you know when your DECserver had been reloaded within the last couple of months, you may still find download messages in SYS$MANAGER:OPERATOR.LOG;*:
- My DEC700 had been working well until 29/10/2008 when our power system broken down, I think there is no normal reloading of DECserver in the last couple of months.

[Hoangles]

Steven Schweda,
I tried to log on to NERA account, this is the highest right account on my hand.

***********
NERA$ mcr ncl show mop client * all

Node 0 MOP Client *

command failed due to:
access denied

[Volker Halle]

Hoangles,

someone tried to be 'clever' by copying WWENG1.SYS to WWENG2.SYS. Both files seem to be the same and are version DECserver 700-08 V1.1A software images ! Check DIR/SIZ of those files or even confirm with DIFFERENCES. You can also check for installed DECserver software with DIR SYS$HELP:*.RELEASE_NOTES and/or SEARCH SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL.HISTORY DS. The DECserver 700 software should be called DS7*

Please note that WWENG1.SYS;5 was actually being loaded from host MBA on 2009-11-12-09:35:54 according to one of your previous posts.

Could it be that this DECserver 700-16 had been loaded from some other host on the LAN in the past ? And that host was not available anymore at the last powerfail ? Things like that tend to happen with DECserver load hosts...

Volker.