system@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (System Admin (Mike Peterson)) (09/12/90)
In article <1626@merlin.bhpmrl.oz.au> robinb@bhpmrl.oz.au (Robin Brown) writes: >zeleznik@cs.utah.edu (Mike Zeleznik) writes: > >We've had two distinct types of crashes on our 1988 10K. The first was >definately a power supply problem - The system would randomly shut itself >down completely ie: all lights out. Inspection of the tell tail leds >inside the box indicated that the 5v rail was low. We've had the power >bricks replaced (twice!) and it seems to have fixed the problem. We have had this happen several times too, most recently in July/90. >The other is also random but differs in that the shutdown is not complete. >The response center do not believe it is related but I'm not so sure. >The system is left at the IP0> prompt and we get error messages like: > >Stop CPUs with NMI... >fault on CPU 0 (sometimes 1,2 or 3) pc= ...etc >bus/mmu execute trap: page fault fpc=frozen fa=frozen mmu_csr=0000008A We had more than 40 crashes with this as soon as we installed SR10.2.p. You need to get your cpu(s) upgraded as high as possible (ours are rev 18 and 20 now), BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY GET THE LATEST PATCH TAPE FOR A88K, since the crashes are caused by typing ^C in /bin/csh or /bin/ksh under some circumstances!!! There are several versions of domain_os on the patch tape that correct this problem. I don't understand how the response center does not know about this problem -- we worked through it with them in MAY/1990, and the patch has been available since the May patch tape I believe (Yes, they were still working through the problem with us when there was already a patch known). I also have no idea how such software gets out the door, and in use for several months, with basic problems like typing ^C in a UNIX environment crashing the system -- it is obvious that no one uses UNIX in development or at any beta test site -- BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD NOT EXIST! -- Mike Peterson, System Administrator, U/Toronto Department of Chemistry E-mail: system@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca Tel: (416) 978-7094 Fax: (416) 978-8775