kim@emory.uucp (Kim Wallen {Psy}) (08/11/88)
This is probably the same thing others have been recently
describing, but suddenly my <1yr old 3B1 has trouble booting.
The symptoms are that the disk comes up to speed and the screen
just shows a green pattern (sort of a lattice-work). It seems
if I let the system warm up (its in a room at 80 degrees) then
turn it off an on several times it suddenly boots. After that
it works fine and will reboot if I shut it down and restart
immediately. If left to sit for a couple of hours it goes
through the same routine.
The system is clearly not going through the early start up routine.
the leds are lit and the caps and nulock keys on the board light
and go out and then nothing. Pressing the reset button relights the
keyboard and puts clitches on the screen, but nothing else.
Any hints? Should I try reseating all the chips (the machine
has NOT been recently moved)?
Thanks
Kim Wallen
Psychology Department
Emory University
Atlanta, GA 30322
(404) 727-4125
UUCP: {gatech decvax}!emory!kim
BITNET: kim@emoryu1jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) (08/13/88)
In article <3127@emory.uucp> kim@emory.uucp (Kim Wallen {Psy}) writes: >This is probably the same thing others have been recently >describing, but suddenly my <1yr old 3B1 has trouble booting. >The symptoms are that the disk comes up to speed and the screen >just shows a green pattern (sort of a lattice-work). Clean and lube the power cable connector on top of the power supply. You might even want to get in there and adjust the fingers so they'll make better contact. I think the heat generated by the supply causes the mechanical connection to get flaky after a few temperature cycles (another good reason to install a 110V. constant speed fan). I've seen one 3B1 that melted the plastic around one contact of the female connector because of a loose connection. Right Suess? -- John "C". Sucilla, A silicon based life form. {att,chinet,ddsw1}!tarkus!jcs You have a better idea? Now's the time..
randy@chinet.chi.il.us (Randy Suess) (08/14/88)
In article <227@tarkus.UUCP> jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) writes: > >I've seen one 3B1 that melted the plastic around one contact of >the female connector because of a loose connection. Right Suess? Heh! Yep, sure did. I upgraded my <100 serial number 7300 (paid >$4000 for that sucker over 4 years ago) and recently added the 3b1 upgrade top so I could add a full hight 80 meg drive to it. The ribbon connector got so hot, that it melted the plastic plug around the +5 volt pins. The system was very erratic from then on. I finally soldered a new power connector directly to the power supply and the system has been stable since. So, don't connect anything other than a low power half-height or 3 1/2 inch drive the the original 7300. The power supply can handle the power of a larger drive, but the connector can't. -- Randy Suess * But don't underestimate raw, frothing, * randy@chinet.chi.il.us * manic hardware. -barry shein *
hjespers@attcan.UUCP (Hans Jespersen) (08/15/88)
In article <3127@emory.uucp>, kim@emory.uucp (Kim Wallen {Psy}) writes: > This is probably the same thing others have been recently > describing, but suddenly my <1yr old 3B1 has trouble booting. > The symptoms are that the disk comes up to speed and the screen > just shows a green pattern (sort of a lattice-work). It seems > if I let the system warm up (its in a room at 80 degrees) then > turn it off an on several times it suddenly boots. After that > it works fine and will reboot if I shut it down and restart > immediately. If left to sit for a couple of hours it goes > through the same routine. > ... > Any hints? Should I try reseating all the chips (the machine > has NOT been recently moved)? Have you tried dropping your 3b1!!!! Notice no smiley face, that's because I'm serious. I know several people who have experienced similar booting headaches and a good swift jolt solved the problem. I believe it has something to do with the hard disk being reluctant to spin up to proper speed. The hot temperature or the on/off (spin up/spin down) solves the problem temporarily. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hans Jespersen | AT&T Canada Inc. | PLACE SILLY TEXT BASED PHONE : (416)499-9400 | GRAPHIC DOODAD HERE. UUCP : { uunet | att }!attcan!hjespers | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
gmark@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Stewart) (08/15/88)
In article <227@tarkus.UUCP>, jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) writes: > (another good reason to install a 110V. constant speed fan). I apologize for bringing this back to the net, but I've lost the old postings regarding fan mods. I stuck with the DC fan, based upon the db listings on the packages. An AC fan is noisier, right? What is the reason to use the AC fan? Operation in spite of power supply failures? - Mark G. Mark Stewart ATT_BTL, Naperville, Ill. ix1g266 ixlpq!gms (312)979-0914
adh@anumb.UUCP (a.d.hay) (08/17/88)
In article <3409@vpk4.UUCP> hjespers@attcan.UUCP (Hans Jespersen) writes: [] >Have you tried dropping your 3b1!!!! Notice no smiley face, that's >because I'm serious. I know several people who have experienced similar >booting headaches and a good swift jolt solved the problem. I believe >it has something to do with the hard disk being reluctant to spin up >to proper speed. The hot temperature or the on/off (spin up/spin down) >solves the problem temporarily. [] WARNING: be sure to park your hard disk first! even if you do, you might damage the hard disk; it isn't rated for much in the way of impact. i don't know if there's a way to lubricate the drive, but that would be a better solution. if it can't be lubed, you've got to bite the bullet and replace the drive (:^<) maybe upgrade the drive size at the same time (:^>) -- Andrew Hay +------------------------------------------------------+ Holistic Specialist | I was reading my name on the glass of my office door | AT&T-BL Ward Hill MA | and listening to the staccato of rain on my desktop. | mvuxq.att.com!adh +------------------------------------------------------+
jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) (08/18/88)
In article <5649@ihlpf.ATT.COM> gmark@ihlpf.ATT.COM (Stewart) writes: >In article <227@tarkus.UUCP>, jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) writes: >> (another good reason to install a 110V. constant speed fan). > >I apologize for bringing this back to the net, but I've lost the >old postings regarding fan mods. I stuck with the DC fan, based >upon the db listings on the packages. An AC fan is noisier, right? Nah. >What is the reason to use the AC fan? Operation in spite of >power supply failures? Thats a good reason. Another good reason is that the 12v fan is junk. Mine failed after 3 months and it seems a lot of others have had them fail sometime in the first year. -- John "C". Sucilla, A silicon based life form. {att,chinet,ddsw1}!tarkus!jcs You have a better idea? Now's the time..
jcs@tarkus.UUCP (John C. Sucilla) (08/18/88)
In article <3409@vpk4.UUCP> hjespers@attcan.UUCP (Hans Jespersen) writes: >In article <3127@emory.uucp>, kim@emory.uucp (Kim Wallen {Psy}) writes: >> This is probably the same thing others have been recently >> describing, but suddenly my <1yr old 3B1 has trouble booting. >Have you tried dropping your 3b1!!!! Notice no smiley face, that's >because I'm serious. I know several people who have experienced similar Yep, I've done that before. Also a good swift rap on the case above the location of the power supply will get it going again. >it has something to do with the hard disk being reluctant to spin up >to proper speed. The hot temperature or the on/off (spin up/spin down) >solves the problem temporarily. Nah. It's that silly cheap power connector, not the disk. The *only* really long term solution I've found is to open it up and clean and lube the power connector. You could solder it I guess but that would make it a reall pain in the butt when it becomes time to fix the power supply. -- John "C". Sucilla, A silicon based life form. {att,chinet,ddsw1}!tarkus!jcs You have a better idea? Now's the time..
grebus@lando.dec.com (Gary Grebus, DTN 293-5789, BXB2-2/G06) (08/22/88)
For what it's worth, I'm seeing a similar failure on my 7300, except that it never boots. The hard disk seems to power up ok. The "lattice" pattern on the screen, I attribute to the initial state of the video RAMS...no CPU action to clear the screen. A scope on the 68010 doesn't show any of the activity I would expect to see (address strobe, etc) Clock is present and the control signals look reasonable, but I don't know enough about 68000's to tell for sure. Anyone have any tips for troubleshooting (sans schematics, unfortunately). Thanks for any help. /gary Gary Grebus grebus@lando.dec.com decwrl!lando.dec.com!grebus 508-264-5789 (work) 603-673-8299 (home)